Who qualifies
- SlovenianBoth parents SlovenianRegister your birth with Slovenia if it hasn’t been.
- By declarationOne Slovenian parent, and you’re under 36Declare at a Slovenian embassy or consulate.
- PossiblyA Slovenian emigrant up to four generations backNaturalization after a year living in Slovenia, keeping your other citizenship. Emigrants’ children and grandchildren can be excused the year if they show several years of active ties with Slovenia and at least five years’ active work in Slovenian organizations abroad, with the organizations’ recommendations.
How to apply
- Check your parent’s citizenship and your ageThe declaration must be made before you turn 36.
- Make the declarationAt a Slovenian embassy or consulate, an administrative unit, or the Ministry of the Interior.
- Apply for a passportOnce your citizenship is recorded.
Documents
- Your full birth certificate, showing your parents
- Proof your parent was Slovenian when you were born
- Your current passport
- The declaration form from the Slovenian embassy
For UK, Irish and US certificates, see where to order certificates.
Common questions
Can I keep my other passport?
Yes. Slovenia doesn’t take away citizenship when you hold another, and emigrants’ descendants needn’t give theirs up.
Is it too late after 36?
For the declaration through one Slovenian parent, yes. The other route is naturalization as an emigrant’s descendant, which usually needs a year living in Slovenia.
Do I need to speak Slovenian?
No, not for the declaration through a parent.
What a Slovenian passport gives you
The right to live, work, study and retire across all 27 EU countries plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. See what an EU passport lets you do.
Living there
A Slovenian passport lets you live and work in any EU country, and in Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.
Not eligible? The long way round
If descent doesn’t work for you, you can still become a citizen by living in Slovenia and applying to naturalize. It takes longer, but it’s open to anyone who meets the conditions.
A shortcut for people with Slovenian roots
Descendants of Slovenian emigrants, up to four generations back, can apply after 1 year living in Slovenia, and keep their other citizenship.
- Time living there first
- 10 years, including the last 5 without a break.
- Language and tests
- Slovenian language.
- Keep your current passport?
- Usually no: you generally have to show you’ve been released from your other citizenship, with exceptions.
- Main ways to get residence
- Work, family and study.
Already have, or able to get, a passport from an EU country through another family line? Then you can live and work in Slovenia without a visa. See what an EU passport lets you do.
General information, not immigration advice. Residence rules change often, so check the official source before you plan a move. Sources: Gov.si: citizenship.