What is a temporary residence permit for a family member of a researcher and who is it intended for?

A temporary residence permit for a family member of a researcher is a permit issued under Article 38.c of the Foreigners Act (ZTuj-2). It is intended for third-country nationals (i.e. persons who are not citizens of EU Member States or of the European Economic Area (EEA)) who are immediate family members of a researcher carrying out work in Slovenia. This permit applies to family members of Type A and Type B researchers who reside and work in the Republic of Slovenia (see types of researchers below). 

What types of temporary residence permits are available to different types of researchers in Slovenia?

A. a temporary residence permit for a foreign national for research or teaching work in the field of research and tertiary education, issued in the Republic of Slovenia;

B. a temporary residence permit for a foreign national for the purpose of research issued in another EU Member State and simultaneously a temporary residence permit for a foreign national for researcher mobility within the EU on the basis of a long-term transfer issued in the Republic of Slovenia;

C. a temporary residence permit for a foreign national for the purpose of research issued in another EU Member State (which allows researcher mobility as a short-term transfer to the Republic of Slovenia, for which the researcher and their family members do not require a separate Slovenian temporary residence permit).

How long will my temporary residence permit for a family member of a researcher be valid?

Your temporary residence permit for a family member of a researcher will be issued for the duration of the researcher’s permit with whom you reside, or for the duration of the researcher’s mobility if this concerns mobility from another EU Member State. After the expiry of the permit, you will have to leave the Republic of Slovenia or obtain another appropriate residence permit in due time.

What conditions must I meet to obtain a permit?

To be issued with a temporary residence permit for a family member of a researcher, you must meet the general conditions for temporary residence that apply to all foreign nationals, the specific conditions for family members of all researchers who are third-country nationals, and the specific conditions for a family member of a researcher depending on the type of researcher (see Types A and B above).

General conditions under Article 33 of the Foreigners Act (ZTuj-2):

• a valid passport;
• appropriate health insurance;
• sufficient means of subsistence during your stay in the Republic of Slovenia;
• absence of grounds for refusal to issue the permit (e.g. security reasons).

Specific conditions for a family member of all foreign researchers:

• • proof of a family relationship with the researcher (e.g. marriage certificate, birth certificate);
  • proof that the researcher holds a valid temporary residence permit issued in another EU Member State (in the case of mobility) – the permit must be valid at the time the application is decided.

Specific conditions for a family member of a researcher on a long-term transfer in Slovenia (Type B):

• • proof that the family member of the researcher holds a residence permit for a family member of a researcher issued in another EU Member State and valid at the time the application is decided.

Specific conditions for a family member of a researcher on a short-term transfer in Slovenia (Type C):

• • proof that the Administrative Unit has been notified in writing, by means of an official notification, of the intended residence of the family member of the researcher in the Republic of Slovenia;
  • proof that the residence permit for a family member of a researcher first issued by another EU Member State is valid for the period of the intended residence;
  • proof that the person resided with the researcher as their family member in the EU Member State that first issued the researcher’s residence permit for the purpose of carrying out research work.

The procedure for submitting the application and documentation generally consists of the following steps:

1. Family members of Type A or Type B researchers, or their authorised persons or organisations, must submit to the Administrative Unit a filled in Form 6/1 – Application for the issuance or extension of a temporary residence permit for a family member of a researcher, together with all required supporting documents.

If the application concerns family members of Type C researchers, the notifying party (either the researcher, the research organisation from the EU Member State that issued the residence permit for the purpose of research, or the research organisation in the Republic of Slovenia where the researcher will conduct mobile research) must send to the Administrative Unit a written “official notification” of the researcher’s mobility before the intended arrival of the researcher in Slovenia, stating that their family members will also reside with them in Slovenia. All required supporting documents must be enclosed with this official notification. 

2. If the application concerns a family member of a Type A or Type B researcher, the Administrative Unit will issue the family member who is lawfully residing in the Republic of Slovenia at the time of submission with a certificate of submission of the application for a temporary residence permit for a family member of a researcher, which is valid as a temporary residence permit until a final decision on the application is made.

3. The Administrative Unit examines the application or the official notification together with the required supporting documents. The researcher’s application and the application of the family member of the researcher will be examined simultaneously if they were submitted at the same time.

4. If the application or official notification is refused, the Administrative Unit will issue a negative decision and send it to the applicant or the notifying party.

5. If the application or official notification is approved:

• a family member of a Type A researcher obtains a temporary residence permit for a family member of a researcher in the form of a card indicating “family member of a researcher” as the type of permit; 
• a family member of a Type B researcher obtains a temporary residence permit for a family member of a researcher in the form of a card indicating “family member of a researcher – mobility” as the type of permit;
• neither the family member of a Type C researcher nor the notifying party will receive any notification from the Administrative Unit

6. Important details when entering the country:

• when entering Slovenia, a family member of a Type B researcher who resides in an EU Member State that does not fully apply the Schengen acquis should provide a passport and a valid residence permit for a family member of a researcher (issued in that EU Member State), as well as proof that they are accompanying the researcher or will join them;
• when entering Slovenia, a family member of a Type C researcher who resides in an EU Member State that does not fully apply the Schengen acquis should provide a passport and a valid residence permit for a family member of a researcher (issued in that EU Member State), as well as a copy of the official notification (referred to in point 1).

7. A family member of a Type A or Type B researcher must personally collect the temporary residence permit in the form of a card at the Administrative Unit.

8. After collecting the card, a family member of a Type A or Type B researcher must register their temporary residence in Slovenia at the Administrative Unit.