Foreigners interested in opening a company in Slovenia must know that such a plan implies a longer stay in the country than permitted on the basis of a valid ID card. This situation requires the issuance of a residence permit in Slovenia. This official document allows you to enter into Slovenia and reside here for a definite period of time and for a specific purpose.
Staying in Slovenia for business purposes such as opening a new company or setting up a branch office entails applying for a residence permit. Detailed information on the procedure of obtaining a residence permit can be provided to you by our team of specialists company registration in Slovenia.
Persons who are residents of countries that are member states of the European Union (EU) can easily enter Slovenia for a short period of time (of up to 90 days) just by presenting their ID card or passport. If their stay will be longer, the persons will have to apply for a temporary residence permit and, in specific cases, they will need to provide clear information on the fact that they have sufficient financial funds to live here (this is especially applicable to persons who have arrived in the country for study purposes).
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Types of residence permits in Slovenia
At the level of 2025, residence permits in Slovenia give you the right to enter the country, live and work here and travel into other Schengen countries for a period of up to three months. There are two types of residence permits available in Slovenia – the temporary residence permits and permanent residence permits.
How can a foreigner obtain a Slovenian temporary permit in 2025?
Foreign citizens who want to move to Slovenia in 2025 have several types of visas they can apply for and based on which they can obtain residency, among which temporary residence visas.
The application for granting the temporary residence permit has to be submitted at a consular or diplomatic representation of Slovenia in your country and then sent to a competent Slovenian authority for consideration. The temporary resident permit is issued only after entering Slovenia and requires the fulfillment of certain conditions, such as:
- the foreigner has obtained a legal residence in Slovenia, in the sense that the person can prove he or she has a place to live;
- the foreigner has applied for a residence permit prior to the arrival in the country;
- the person’s fingerprints have already been scanned before entering the country;
- the person will inform the administrative unit responsible for issuing the permit on the residence address and duration of the planned stay.
One of the easiest ways of obtaining a Slovenian residence permit in 2025 is by setting up a business in this country.
Who can obtain the Slovenian temporary residence permit?
The Slovenian temporary residence permit is opened to a wide category of persons, operating in multiple professions. For example, the permit can be obtained by persons involved in sports activities, by persons involved in charitable, religious or humanitarian missions or by persons operating in the mass-media field (but they will need to be accredited by the Slovenian authorities).
The permit is also available for any person involved in educational activities, from students, teachers and professors, members and representatives of educational institutions, but also to those who are performing research activities in a given field. Also, persons who are or have been victims or human trafficking or illegal employment can obtain this permit in Slovenia.
How to apply for a permanent residence permit in Slovenia in 2025
Investing in Slovenia is a long term commitment which implies the need for a permanent residence permit. The conditions for obtaining this permit can be detailed by our team of consultants in company formation in Slovenia, but it is important to know that the issuance of the permanent residence permit will imply the below mentioned aspects:
- a continuous legal stay in Slovenia of five years on the basis of a temporary residence permit issued by competent Slovenian authorities;
- the permanent residence permit can be granted on the basis of a renewed temporary residence permit;
- if you are an EU citizen who has already obtained a residence permit in another country, you can apply for a permanent residence permit in Slovenia;
- other categories of persons, such as European researchers and teachers from another EU member state, holders of an EU Blue Card issued by another EU member state or holders of temporary residence permits for studying purposes in another EU member state can also apply for this permit.
Our company formation experts in Slovenia are ready to offer advice regarding the procedure for obtaining a residence permit and can also provide in-depth information on the documents that have to be submitted by foreigners when applying for a first time residence permit in 2025.
The rights provided by a permanent residence permit in Slovenia
Foreign persons who want to live in this country or to open a company in Slovenia will benefit from several rights once a permanent residence permit is issued on their name. The permanent residence permit is basically the first step in obtaining the Slovenian citizenship, provided that the respective person has no other connection with this country whatsoever. Some of the main benefits are the following:
- to register at a permanent address and benefit from the same taxation system as Slovenian citizens;
- the same rights of a Slovenian citizen, except for the right to vote and purchase real estate as a natural person;
- free access to the Slovenian employment market, which is characterized by a high degree of specialists;
- applying for Slovenian citizenship after five years of holding a permanent residence permit.
Latest migration rates in Slovenia
According to recent statistics:
- Slovenia had 6,977 million inhabitants at the level of January 2024, more than a year earlier;
- by comparison, in 2023, there were 6,500 fewer Slovenian citizens, while there were around 13,500 more foreign nationals;
the population was divided into 1,055,520 women and 1,068,429; - women represented 51.1% of Slovenian citizens, a percentage that has been declining for several years, and 36.8% of foreign nationals, a percentage that has been rising since the first quarter of 2023;
- there were also 8,735 non-EU nationals who had fled the war against Ukraine and were under temporary protection by March 2024.
In case you need more information regarding residence permits, please contact our team of company registration experts in Slovenia. Our specialists can also assist investors with the main steps for opening a business in this country, once they have obtained the legal right to reside in Slovenia.