One of the requirements for extending a temporary residence permit held by an adult family member of a foreigner legally residing in the Republic of Slovenia is associated with Slovene language proficiency, whereby an applicant is required to have at least a beginner level of proficiency in the Slovene language, level A1 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), and a family member is to provide evidence of language proficiency by presenting a certificate demonstrating they have passed the Slovene language exam successfully. The compulsory Slovene language exam at level A1 of CEFR shall be conducted by an expert committee appointed by the Government of the Republic of Slovenia.
In some exceptional cases, the foreigner’s adult family members are not required to take the A1 Slovene language exam, which applies to those adult family members who fall into the following categories: those who have been admitted to publicly valid educational or study programmes in the Republic of Slovenia that are conducted in the Slovene language, or have completed school education at any level in the Republic of Slovenia; have completed primary or secondary school with the Slovene language of instruction in territories of neighbouring countries inhabited by members of the indigenous Slovene community; if the family member is over 60 years of age; an adult family member who is illiterate but who is able to communicate verbally in Slovene, as evidenced by means of a certificate demonstrating they have successfully passed the speaking part of the Slovene language exam at a beginner level; an adult family member of a foreigner holding and EU Blue Card; an adult family member of a foreigner who has been granted a temporary residence permit for the purpose of performing work in the area of research, higher vocational education or higher education; an adult family member of a foreign researcher holding a residence permit due to long-term relocation; an adult family member of a foreigner holding a single permit which has been issued due to intra-corporate transfer; an adult family member of a foreigner holding a single permit issued for the purpose of long-term mobility under intra-corporate transfer; an adult family member of a foreigner holding a temporary residence permit – if this is in the interest of the Republic of Slovenia; an adult family member of a foreigner who is unable to communicate due to health impairments and is therefore unable to take the exam in the required format. Expert evidence shall be given to ascertain that the applicant is unable to take the exam. The costs incurred in providing such expert evidence are to be covered by the foreigner.
Foreigners applying for a permanent residence permit are required to have at least an elementary level of proficiency in the Slovene language, level A2 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), whereby the requirement of the Slovene language knowledge shall be evidenced by means of a certificate demonstrating they have passed the Slovene language exam successfully. The compulsory Slovene language exam shall be conducted by an expert committee appointed by the Government of the Republic of Slovenia.
In some exceptional cases, foreigners are not required to take the Slovene language exam at elementary (A2) level, which applies to those foreigners who fall into the following categories: those who have been admitted to publicly valid educational or study programmes in the Republic of Slovenia that are conducted in the Slovene language; have completed school education at any level in the Republic of Slovenia; have completed primary or secondary school with the Slovene language of instruction in territories of neighbouring countries inhabited by members of the indigenous Slovene community; foreigners who are over 60 years of age; foreigners who are illiterate but are able to communicate verbally in the Slovene language, as evidenced by means of a certificate demonstrating they have successfully passed the speaking part of the Slovene language exam at an elementary level; foreigners granted a permanent residence permit prior to the expiry of a legal and uninterrupted 5- year stay in the Republic of Slovenia; foreigners who are unable to communicate due to health impairments and are therefore unable to take the exam in the required format. Expert evidence shall be given to ascertain that the applicant is unable to take the exam. The costs incurred in providing such expert evidence are to be covered by the foreigner.
Foreigners shall be obliged to satisfy the Slovene language requirement from 27 April 2023 onwards.
There are certain groups of people who shall be eligible to obtain one-off co-financing to cover the costs of their Slovene language courses and the courses on Slovene history, culture and constitutional order, in the amount of 50% of the programme price, whereby the Slovene language courses and those providing an insight onto Slovene society may be carried out separately, or they may be combined in content and carried out as a single programme. The beneficiaries entitled to receive the above-described co-funding can be classified as follows: non-EU nationals with a valid temporary residence permit for the purpose of family reunification and non-EU nationals with a valid temporary residence permit who have legally resided in the Republic of Slovenia for a continuous period of five years. The following groups of foreigners shall not be entitled to the above-described co-financing: foreigners who have completed schooling at any level in the Republic of Slovenia; are enrolled in a regular educational programme in the Republic of Slovenia that is conducted in the Slovene language; have already obtained a certificate demonstrating they have passed the Slovene language exam successfully.