Original document : https://www.gov.uk/guidance/living-in-slovenia
Change description : 2019-09-13 08:57:00: Brexit update: change in the section “Healthcare after Brexit”. Please note that UK nationals will not be able to return to UK for treatment. [Brexit]
Showing diff : 2019-09-03 15:12:59 +00:00..2019-09-13 08:01:58 +00:00
Guidance
Official information for British people moving to and living in Slovenia, including Brexit guidance, residency, healthcare and driving.
This page tells you what to do ahead of the UK leaving the EU. It will be updated if anything changes, including if a deal is agreed.
You should:
You can also:
Check the entry requirements for Slovenia.
If you plan to stay in Slovenia for more than 90 days you need to register as a resident at your local town hall (Upravna enota) (in Slovene).
You will need:
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). Read the Slovenian government’s guidance on entering Slovenia.
UK nationals registered as residents will be able to stay in Slovenia after Brexit. If there are changes to residency rules or registration processes after Brexit, we will update this guidance as soon as information is available.
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.
You will need to apply for Slovenian citizenship at your local town hall. You will need to:
You may also need to obtain a birth, marriage or death certificate from the UK.
You may also be required to have all your UK documents officially translated and legalised (apostilled).
You can apply for or renew your British passport from Slovenia.
After Brexit, the rules on travel will change. Check your passport is valid for travel before you book your trip. You’ll need to renew your passport before travelling if you do not have enough time left on your passport.
If the UK leaves the EU with a deal, nothing will change until the end of 2020. During this time you can continue to travel freely in the Schengen area with your UK passport. What happens after 2020 will form the next part of negotiations.
If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, you must have at least 6 months left on an adult or child passport to travel to most countries in Europe (not including Ireland). If you renewed your current passport before the previous one expired, extra months may have been added to its expiry date. Any extra months on your passport over 10 years may not count towards the 6 months needed.
If there’s no deal, UK nationals will not need visas for short stays elsewhere in the EU. You will be able to stay up to 90 days in another EU, EEA or EFTA country, within a 180 day period. You must retain evidence of travel (such as train and plane tickets), in case these are requested by national authorities. If you hold a residence permit from an EU, EEA or EFTA country, you will be able to transit through other EU, EEA or EFTA countries to reach your country of residence.
Residents must ensure they have basic state health insurance, but you can also pay for supplementary health insurance.
Read the NHS guidance on healthcare in Slovenia and read Slovenia’s information on health care in Slovenia and health insurance in Slovenia.
If you are resident in Slovenia, you must not use a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) from the UK for healthcare in Slovenia.
When you travel from Slovenia for a temporary stay in another European Economic Area (EEA) country or Switzerland, you can use an EHIC to access state-provided healthcare in that country. During that short stay:
If you are a student, read the NHS guidance on healthcare and studying abroad.
You can find an English-speaking doctor in Slovenia.
You must also check your prescriptions are legal in Slovenia.
If there is a deal and you are resident in Slovenia by the end of the implementation period, you will continue to be covered for healthcare as you are now.
You must secure basic healthcare coverage through the Slovenian National Health Insurance Agency before Brexit.
The UK has proposed maintaining current healthcare cooperation with Slovenia for S1 form holders until the end of December 2020. If there’s no deal, and there is no arrangement with Slovenia to continue reciprocal healthcare, those receiving coverage through the S1 form will not be covered.
You must confirm your residency status and decide how you will ensure access to healthcare if there’s no deal. UK nationals will be able to return to UK for treatment.
Your EHIC may not be valid if there’s no deal. The UK has offered to maintain the EHIC scheme if there’s no deal, however this is reliant on Slovenia continuing to accept UK EHICs.
Read the NHS guidance on healthcare for UK nationals in Slovenia and how it may change after Brexit.
Read our guidance on working in another EU country.
You may need to apply for a UK police certificate.
If there is a deal, your right to work will stay the same until the end of the implementation period.
If you’re planning to start a business, provide a service, or do a job in a regulated profession after Brexit read the guidance on providing services after Brexit.
The UK has a double-taxation agreement with Slovenia to ensure people do not pay tax on the same income in both countries.
Read guidance on:
You will need to get a tax number from your local tax office before you can open a bank account.
Brexit will not change existing double taxation arrangements for UK nationals living in Slovenia. Send your questions about double taxation to the relevant tax authority.
If there’s no deal, it may become more expensive to use your UK bank card in the EU. Read more about using a bank card, insurance or other financial service in the EU.
Find out if you can pay National Insurance while abroad in order to protect your State Pension and entitlement to other benefits and allowances.
You will need to tell the UK government offices that deal with your benefits, pension and tax if you are moving or retiring abroad.
If you retire in Slovenia, you can claim:
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.
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If there is a deal and you work and pay social security contributions in Slovenia, you will still be able to add your UK social security contributions towards your Slovene pension. This will happen even if you claim your pension after the end of the implementation period.
Read our guidance on pensions if there’s no deal.
You may still be able to claim some UK benefits like child and disability benefits if you live in Slovenia.
Many income-related benefits such as pension credit and housing benefit cannot be paid to you if you’re abroad for more than 4 weeks.
You may be eligible to claim some Slovenian social security benefits – read guidance on social security benefits – Slovenia and Slovenian social security.
You can request proof of the time you’ve worked in the UK from HMRC if you are asked for this.
The UK government will continue to pay child benefits and disability benefits to those eligible living in Slovenia after Brexit.
If there is a deal and you work and pay social security contributions in Slovenia, your UK social security contributions will be taken into account when applying for Slovenian contributions-based benefits. This will happen even if you claim contributions-based benefits after the end of the implementation period.
Read the guidance on benefits and pensions if there’s no deall.
If you are resident in Slovenia, you must exchange your UK licence for a Slovene driving licence before the UK leaves the EU. You can still use your Slovene licence in the UK for short visits or exchange it for a UK licence without taking a test if you return to live in the UK.
For information on driving in Slovenia, read guidance on:
Some applicants have been asked to prove residency in the UK at the time their UK licence was issued. The British Embassy has produced a letter which clarifies that UK driving licences are only issued to UK residents. Contact us if you require a copy.
Read our guidance on taking a vehicle out of the UK.
Read the European Union’s guidance on car registration and taxes in Slovenia. You may be exempt from some of these taxes. If so, you will need certificates of exemption.
If there is a deal, driving licence rules will stay the same during the implementation period.
If there’s no deal and you are unable to exchange your UK driving licence for a local one before the UK leaves the EU, you must do so within 12 months of that date.
Read guidance on driving in the EU after Brexit.
You may be able to vote in some UK elections.
Until the UK leaves the EU, if you are resident in Slovenia, you can vote in local municipal and European parliamentary elections. For more information, read the European Union’s guidance on elections abroad.
UK nationals in Slovenia will no longer be eligible to vote in European Parliament elections and stand in local elections after Brexit. UK nationals resident in Slovenia will still be able to vote in local elections.
If your child is born in Slovenia, you will need to register the birth abroad.
If someone dies in Slovenia you can:
Find out how you can get married abroad.
You may also need:
You will still be able to travel to and from the UK with a cat, dog or ferret when the UK leaves the EU, but the rules will change. Read guidance on pet travel to Europe.
While the UK is still a Member State, you’ll be able to travel with your pet to the EU under the current pet travel rules using your current EU pet passport. If you’re travelling with your pet for the first time, you must visit your vet to obtain a pet passport.
Read guidance on returning your cat, dog or ferret to the UK.
For moving pet horses and other equines read guidance on export horses and ponies: special rules.
You can dial the European emergency number 112 or dial 113 for the police in Slovenia.
If you are the victim of crime, have been arrested, or are affected by a crisis abroad, contact the British Embassy Ljubljana.
You must tell the UK and Slovene authorities if you are returning to the UK permanently.
To move your pension to the UK, contact the International Pension Centre.
If you get healthcare in Slovenia through the S1 form, you must contact the Overseas Healthcare Team on +44 (0)191 218 1999 to make sure your S1 is cancelled at the right time.
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.
2025-03-14 09:05
A downloadable letter clarifying that UK driving licences are only issued to UK residents has been added.
2024-10-16 14:32
An update on when Entry Exit Scheme (EES) will be introduced.
2024-09-19 14:53
New information about the Entry Exit Scheme (EES) has been added.
2024-06-17 11:41
Information added to Passports and travel section on the EU Entry Exit Scheme (EES) that will be introduced in Autumn 2024.
2024-02-15 14:01
The section on Voting in UK elections has been updated to reflect the changes to voting for British and eligible Irish citizens living overseas from 16 January 2024.
2024-01-15 16:01
Information related to the coronavirus was removed from the “Passports and travel” and “Returning to the UK” sections. “Coronavirus” section was deleted.
2022-03-11 08:00
Important information in the Working in Slovenia, and National insurance sections if you work in Slovenia, even it if it is for an employer based in the UK.
2022-01-01 07:00
Visas and residency guidance updated, following the 31 December 2021 residency deadline for people with rights under the Withdrawal Agreement.
2021-09-21 13:55
Guidance reviewed and updated throughout including, professional qualifications, passports and travel, healthcare, working in Slovenia, professional qualifications, and studying in Slovenia.
2021-03-26 11:03
Coronavirus section updated with a link to guidance on vaccines. Driving section updated with new guidance on exchanging your UK licence.
2020-09-07 12:32
Passports and travel section updated to include information on passport validity and entry requirements when travelling to other European countries from January 2021
2020-01-24 09:59
Brexit update: includes further details on passport validity, healthcare rights and State Pension uprating if the UK leaves the EU with a deal.
2019-09-23 16:48
Brexit update: healthcare section updated to reflect transitional arrangements announcement
2019-09-13 08:57
Brexit update: change in the section “Healthcare after Brexit”. Please note that UK nationals will not be able to return to UK for treatment.
2019-09-03 16:10
Brexit update: Pensions section updated to include further details on State Pension uprating.