Exceptional Naturalisation

Exceptional naturalisation

Besides regular naturalisation, there is also exceptional naturalisation, which enables the acquisition of citizenship of the Republic of Slovenia if this is in the interest of the country due to scientific, economic, cultural, national or other similar reasons and stipulates a one-year period of actual living in the Republic of Slovenia as well as enables the acquisition of citizenship under easier conditions; among other details, it enables an alien to preserve his current citizenship.

The provision of Article 13 of the Citizenship of the Republic of Slovenia Act allows for the granting of citizenship of the Republic of Slovenia to persons if it is in the interest of the country due to scientific, economic, cultural, national or other similar reasons provided that the person has actually lived in Slovenia uninterruptedly for one year prior to submitting the application, has regulated alien status and fulfils the following conditions:

• the person must be at least 18 years of age, • the person has a guaranteed permanent source of income in at least the amount that enables material and social security, • the person has not been sentenced to an unconditional prison sentence longer than three months, nor conditionally sentenced to prison sentence with probation longer than one year; • the person’s residence permit in the Republic of Slovenia has not been annulled; • the person’s naturalisation poses no threat to the public order, security or defence of the State; • the person has settled all tax obligations; • the person submits a declaration that, by obtaining citizenship of the Republic of Slovenia, he/she agrees with the legal system of the Republic of Slovenia.

The existence of circumstances that justify the reasons for this kind of citizenship being granted is established by the Government of the Republic of Slovenia on the basis of the opinion of the competent authority.

Exceptional naturalisation of Slovenians living outside Slovene borders

If the applicant is a Slovene expatriate or his/her descendant to the second generation in direct descent or member of an indigenous Slovene national community outside the Republic of Slovenia claiming interest of the country due to national reasons, he/she does not have to fulfil the condition of uninterrupted residence in the Republic of Slovenia on the basis of the lawful status of an alien, condition of means of subsistence that enable material and social security and if they are not someone liable to tax in the Republic of Slovenia, they do not have to fulfil the condition of settling all tax obligations.

In the procedure, the applicant must demonstrate a multiannual active connection with the Republic of Slovenia and five years at least active activity in Slovenian associations or Slovenian expatriate, emigrant or minority organisations, or that he/she was released from citizenship of the Republic of Slovenia due to understandable reasons and is re-applying for citizenship of the Republic of Slovenia. The applicant must also submit recommendations from appropriate organisations that confirm his five years activity. If possible, the applicant shall submit the official documents issued abroad, reflecting his definition for Slovenian nationality.

The existence of national reasons for the naturalisation of Slovenians living outside Slovene borders is established by the Government of the Republic of Slovenia on the basis of an opinion by the Government Directorate for Slovenians Abroad. The basic condition for the introduction of the procedure for the acquisition of citizenship of the Republic of Slovenia shall be the completing of an application for obtaining citizenship of the Republic of Slovenia. The person shall verify that he/she has freely decided to obtain citizenship of the Republic of Slovenia with his/her signature on the application.

The application for the acquisition of citizenship of the Republic of Slovenia may be submitted at any administrative unit, Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Slovenia or diplomatic-consular mission of the Republic of Slovenia abroad.

Additional information regarding the procedure

The Ministry of the Interior, which is competent for deciding on the naturalisation of aliens (under Article13), is tied to the opinion of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia, which is authorised, through its procedures, to establish whether or not an individual case presents the circumstances that justify a national interest for granting citizenship of the Republic of Slovenia to a particular individual. The Government of the Republic of Slovenia makes its decision on the basis of the opinion given by the competent departmental body on the specific field, depending on whether or not the applicant is claiming a national interest.

Exceptional naturalisation shall be possible only for persons who have reached the age of 18, for whom there is a national interest, and not for their spouses and children. For children under the age of 18, Article 14 of the Citizenship of the Republic of Slovenia Act shall apply, and for spouses, Article 12.

The basic condition for the introduction of the procedure for the acquisition of citizenship of the Republic of Slovenia shall be the completing of an application for obtaining citizenship of the Republic of Slovenia. The person shall verify that he/she has freely decided to obtain citizenship of the Republic of Slovenia with his/her signature on the application.

The application for the acquisition of citizenship of the Republic of Slovenia may be submitted at any administrative unit, Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Slovenia or diplomatic-consular mission of the Republic of Slovenia abroad.