Guidance

Living in Slovenia

Official information British people moving to and living in Slovenia need to know, including EU Exit guidance, residency, healthcare and driving.

Published 4 November 2013
Last updated 15 March 2019 — see all updates
From:
Foreign & Commonwealth Office

EU Exit: what you need to know

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There will be no change to the rights and status of UK nationals living in Slovenia while the UK remains in the EU.

While the government continues to negotiate EU Exit, you should:

Before you go

See our travel advice for Slovenia and sign up for up-to-date information on local laws and customs, safety and emergencies.

See moving or retiring abroad.

Visas and residency

See entry requirements for Slovenia in our travel advice.

If you’re staying more than 3 months, you need to apply for a residence registration certificate at your local town hall (Upravna enota). Please see entering Slovenia.

You will need to provide the following:

  • photo
  • EHIC card
  • work contract
  • bank statement
  • pension statement (if in receipt of a pension)
  • school enrolment (if in receipt of schooling)

You will also be required to show your passport.

You must check with your town hall what further documentation you may need to apply for residency.

Once you’ve held temporary residency in Slovenia for 5 years, you can apply to your town hall for a permanent resident certificate (Potrdilo o Stalnem Bivanju). Please see entering Slovenia

The UK and EU have agreed the full legal text of the draft Withdrawal Agreement in principle. The agreement on citizens’ rights will allow UK nationals to stay in their Member State of residence after the UK leaves the EU on 29 March 2019.

In the event of changes to residency rules or registration processes after 29 March 2019, we will update this page as soon as information is available.

Applying for Slovenian citizenship

Make sure you are officially resident in Slovenia ahead of the UK Exit from the EU.

Once you’ve been officially resident in Slovenia for 10 years (or 1 year if you are married to a Slovene national), you can apply for Slovenian citizenship.

For your Slovenian citizenship application, you may need to order a birth, marriage or death certificate from the UK.

You need to submit a criminal record certificate when applying for a citizenship. A police certificate can be obtained from the ACRO Criminal Records Office in the UK. It must be certified and translated into Slovenian.

You may also be required to have the above and other UK documents officially translated and legalised (apostilled).

You will also need to pass an exam in Slovene.

You will need to apply for Slovenian citizenship at your local town hall.

Healthcare

See our travel advice for Slovenia.

If the UK leaves the EU without a deal on 29 March 2019, your access to healthcare is likely to change. The NHS has more information about healthcare for UK nationals living in and visiting Slovenia.

The UK government has or is seeking agreements with countries on healthcare arrangements for UK nationals after 29 March 2019.

Up to 29 March 2019, you should get a free European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) to get emergency medical treatment during temporary stays in EU countries. You also need comprehensive travel insurance to cover anything not covered by your EHIC.

If you plan to visit on or after 29 March 2019, you should continue to buy travel insurance for the health treatment you may need, as you would for a non-EU country. If you have a UK-issued EHIC, it will still be valid until 29 March 2019.

Basic health insurance is compulsory but you can also pay for extra health insurance – see health care in Slovenia and health insurance in Slovenia.

You can find English-speaking doctors in Slovenia. You should also check your prescriptions are legal in Slovenia.

S1 form – healthcare paid for by the UK

You may be entitled to state healthcare paid for by the UK if you live in Slovenia and get an exportable UK pension, contribution-based Employment Support Allowance or another exportable benefit.

You will need an S1 form. You can apply for one by calling +44 (0)191 218 1999.

Once you get your form, register it with your local social security office, before you register with your GP and get a medical card.

Working in Slovenia

See working in another EU country.

Some jobs may require a UK criminal records check (known as a DBS check).

Money and tax

If you intend to use a bank card, or other financial service from a UK-based firm in the EU after exit, this may be affected. Read more about using a bank card, insurance or other financial service in the EU.

See tax if you leave the UK to live abroad and tax on your UK income if you live abroad.

The UK has a double-taxation agreement with Slovenia to ensure people do not pay tax on the same income in both countries. The UK’s exit from the European Union will not change existing double taxation arrangements for UK nationals living in Slovenia. Individual taxpayer queries regarding double taxation relief should be directed to the relevant tax authority.

See paying income tax in Slovenia.

You’ll need to get a tax number from your local tax office before you can open a bank account

You may be able to pay National Insurance while abroad in order to protect your State Pension and entitlement to other benefits and allowances.

Pensions

See State Pension if you retire abroad and new State Pension.

The UK Government will continue to pay state pension, child benefits, and disability benefits to eligible UK nationals in the EU after the UK’s exit from the EU. Find guidance on benefits and pensions in a no deal scenario.

If you have worked in Slovenia, you can claim your pension from the Pension and Disability Insurance Institute.

If you haven’t worked in Slovenia, you should claim your UK state pension by contacting the International Pension Centre.

If you’ve worked in several EU countries, see state pensions abroad.

Life certificates for UK state pensions

If you get a ‘life certificate’ from the UK Pension Service, you need to respond as soon as possible – your payments may be suspended if you don’t.

Benefits

See claiming benefits if you live, move or travel abroad.

Find out which UK benefits you might be able to get while you’re abroad and how to claim them.

Many income-related benefits such as Pension Credit and Housing Benefit can’t be paid if you’re abroad for more than 4 weeks.

You may be eligible to claim some Slovenian social security benefits – see social security benefits – Slovenia and Slovenian social security.

Driving in Slovenia

See driving abroad and road travel in Slovenia.

Holders of UK driving licences who are resident in an EU country should exchange their UK licences for a driving licence from the EU country you are living in before 29 March 2019. For more information see driving abroad.

See driving licence renewal and exchange and taking a vehicle out of the UK.

If you are resident in Slovenia (habitual resident – minimum of 185 days in the last 365 days), you can exchange your UK licence at any Upravna Enota.

You will need to provide:

  • a passport photo

  • current ID

  • UK driving licence

  • payment of fee

If the UK leaves the EU without a deal and you are unable to exchange your UK driving licence for a local one before the 29th March 2019, you should do so within 12 months of that date.

Visitors to Slovenia and non-habitual residents will continue to be able to use their UK driving licences in Slovenia after the UK’s exit from the EU if the UK exits the EU without a deal.

For further advice, please see Information for Foreigners.

Further information for UK nationals exchanging their UK Driving Licence for a local licence

Some applicants have been asked to prove residency in the UK at the time their UK licence was issued in order to exchange their licence for a local one. The British Embassy has produced a letter which clarifies that UK driving licences are only issued to UK residents. Please contact us here if you require a copy.

When you are issued with a driving licence in Slovenia, the licensing authority should notify the Driver and Vehicle Licencing Agency (DVLA) and return your UK driving licence to them.

Once the DVLA has been made aware that you have obtained a Slovenian licence, your British driving licence will be invalidated. A note will be placed on your record, stating that you have exchanged your driving licence. Aside from this, none of the information the DVLA holds on your UK record will change. Your record will remain unchanged until you return to the UK and apply to the DVLA to reinstate your UK licence.

For further information, please contact DVLA.

Voting

British citizens living abroad can vote in some UK elections – you’ll need to register as an overseas voter.

If you’re resident in Slovenia, you can vote in local municipal and European parliamentary elections.

Births

See register a birth abroad.

Deaths

See what to do after someone dies.

See also:

Getting married

See getting married abroad.

Passports

Check your passport here.

The rules for travel to most countries in Europe change if the UK leaves the EU with no deal. If your adult passport was issued over 9 years ago, you may be affected. You should use this tool to check your passport is still valid for your trip before booking travel.

Adult and child passports should have at least 6 months remaining from your date of travel. If you renewed your passport early, extra months would have been added to your new passport. These extra months will not count towards this so some passport holders will need to have more than 6 months remaining in order to travel.

See overseas British passports applications and get an emergency travel document (sometimes called an emergency passport).

Pets

See travelling with pets.

UK nationals will still be able to travel to and from the UK with a pet (cat, dog or ferret) when the UK leaves the EU, but the rules will change. See pet travel to Europe after EU Brexit for more information.

Emergencies

As well as the European emergency number 112, Slovenia also has 113 for the police.

See Slovenia – emergency numbers.

If you need urgent help, contact the British Embassy Ljubljana.

Accommodation and buying property

See buying a property abroad.

Other useful information

Returning to the UK

To move your pension to the UK, contact the International Pension Centre.

See tax if you return to the UK.

See bringing your pet to the UK.

Disclaimer

Please note that this information is provided as a guide only. Definitive information should be obtained from the Slovenian authorities. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office will not be liable for any inaccuracies in this information.

Published 4 November 2013
Last updated 15 March 2019 + show all updates
  1. Updated information about exchanging driving licences (for UK nationals resident in Slovenia).
  2. We have updated the contact details you need to apply for an S1 form.
  3. EU Exit update: Updated information on passports. You must use the checker tool to see if your passport is still valid for your trip.
  4. EU Exit update: Updated information on the UK double-taxation agreement with Slovenia in the Money and tax section. Link to citizens outreach meetings added to EU Exit section
  5. EU Exit update: detailed information about applying for Slovenian citizenship added to the visas and residency section.
  6. EU Exit update - Updated information on access to healthcare.
  7. EU exit update - updated information on pensions and driving
  8. Updated guidance on gov.uk on driving.
  9. EU Exit update: New information in residency and visa section on draft withdrawal agreement in principle between the UK and EU. Plus information on travelling with pets in Europe in Pets section.
  10. Clarification about how to get a tax code and how to claim your Slovenian pension.
  11. Complete revision of guidance to ensure it's up to date and accurate.
  12. First published.
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