SLOVENIA

i. Name of country

SLOVENIA

ii. Region

South Central Europe, Julian Alps between Austria and Croatia

iii. Population

2,102,106 (July 2021 est.)

iv. General Introduction

Slovenia is a member of the European Union as well as the Schengen area. This lovely country on the southern side of the Alpine mountains, with access to the Mediterranean Sea, is a European hidden gem.

v. Wifi Speed

As of December 2020, the average download speed of fixed internet connections in Slovenia was at approximately 103.43 Megabits per second (Mbps). Mobile internet connections were much slower, at around 44.82 Mbps.

vi. Electrical outlet

For Slovenia there are two associated plug types, types C and F. Plug type C is the plug which has two round pins and plug type F is the plug which has two round pins with two earth clips on the side. Slovenia operates on a 230V supply voltage and 50Hz.

vii. Per Capita GDP

Real GDP per capita
$36,500 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)
$38,900 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)
$38,000 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)

note: data are in 2010 dollars

viii. Climate

Mediterranean climate on the coast, continental climate with mild to hot summers and cold winters in the plateaus and valleys to the east

ix. Residence-by-Investment

Slovenia currently does not have a golden visa program for investors interested in purchasing real estate or government bonds. Montenegro is the nearest country with a citizenship-by-investment program. Any program launched in Slovenia could be very appealing to investors. Slovenia is a member of the European Union and a member of the Schengen visa zone.

Investment

• To fund a company, a minimum investment of EUR 50,000 is required. Fixed assets, such as furniture, cars, and real estate, may be accepted in some cases.

Processing Time

• The application for a residence permit could take up to three months.

Key Benefits

• Slovenian residency offers visa-free travel within the Schengen area and a very high quality of life in the centre of Europe. Maintaining residency for 5 years allows investors and their families to apply for permanent residency, after another 5 years, they may be eligible to apply for Slovenian citizenship and therefore, European citizenship.

Requirements

• For an applicant to qualify under the Slovenia Business Investor Visa, they need to meet the following criteria:
• Health Insurance. At a minimum, the insurance must cover urgent healthcare services within Slovenia.
• Passport. Must be valid, where its expiration date exceeds the stay period by over 3 months.
• Income. The applicant must prove that they have the means of an income that equates to Slovenia’s minimum income.
• Police Clearance. Applicants must provide a certificate from their host country. The certificate should be translated to Slovenian and verified. It cannot be older than 3 months.
• Authentic Photograph. In addition to a photo, the applicant is also required to provide two fingerprints at a Slovenian consulate or diplomatic mission abroad. The photos and fingerprints are required for digital capture.
• There are additional conditions that an applicant must fulfill to get their first permit. This depends on their defined purpose of stay in Slovenia.

Procedures and Time Frame

Please keep in mind that the current applications will be processed in accordance with the World Health Organization’s recommended rules and regulations, in the context of the Covid-19 pandemics, which have also affected Slovenian society and economy.

First, you will be granted a special visa that is valid for 90 days, and during that 90 days you have to travel to Slovenia, and pick up your residence permit. The temporary residence permit is usually valid for 12-24months, and a further extension can be granted provided that the company is progressing and is able to pay a sufficient salary to the managing director. Your Citizen Lane immigration lawyer will assist you through this process, including the filing of an extension. Spouses and children will also have to complete a residence application. Once a visa has been granted as your immigration advisor Citizen Lane can help you with other steps necessary for immigration, including finding an apartment, health insurance and setting up a personal bank account.

xi. Natural Resources

lignite, lead, zinc, building stone, hydropower, forests

xii. Ethnic Groups

Slovene 83.1%, Serb 2%, Croat 1.8%, Bosniak 1.1%, other or unspecified 12% (2002 est.)

xiii. Languages

Slovene (official) 91.1%, Serbo-Croatian 4.5%, other or unspecified 4.4%, Italian (official, only in municipalities where Italian national communities reside), Hungarian (official, only in municipalities where Hungarian national communities reside) (2002 est.)

xiv. Religion

Catholic 57.8%, Muslim 2.4%, Orthodox 2.3%, other Christian 0.9%, unaffiliated 3.5%, other or unspecified 23%, none 10.1% (2002 est.)

xv. Median Age

total: 44.9 years
male: 43.4 years
female: 46.6 years (2020 est.)

xvi. Urbanization

urban population: 55.4% of total population (2021)
rate of urbanization: 0.54% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

xvii. Physician density

3.09 physicians/1,000 population (2017)

xviii. Government type

parliamentary republic

xix. Unemployment Rate

7.64% (2019 est.)
8.25% (2018 est.)

x. Taxes

Headline Personal Income Tax Rate (highest marginal tax rate)

• 50%

In 2021, employment income tax is charged at the following rates:

• 16%, where the employment income is up to EUR8,500.
• EUR1,360 plus 26% on employment income between EUR8,500 up to EUR25,000.
• EUR5,650 plus 33% on employment income between EUR25,000 up to EUR50,000.
• EUR13,900 plus 39% on employment income between EUR50,000 up to EUR72,000.
• EUR22,480 plus 50% on employment income of EUR72,000 or more.

The basis for taxation in Slovenia is whether a person is considered to be resident in Slovenia. A person will be considered to be resident, and therefore subject to taxation on their employment income, where either:

• They have their permanent residence registered in Slovenia.
• They have been present in Slovenia for more than 183 days at any time during a tax year.
• However, if an individual has been present in Slovenia for more than 183 days and at the same time has their permanent residence registered in another country, then they are deemed to be resident of that other country (and not resident in Slovenia). Where a person has one permanent residence registered in Slovenia and another permanent residence registered in another country, their residency status will be determined on an individual, case-by-case basis.
• Non-residents are exempt from paying tax on certain income, and, under applicable double taxation treaties, they can claim either a reduction of, or exemption from, taxation, and can claim refunds of tax where an excess has been paid.

Headline Corporate Income Tax Rate (excluding dividend taxes)

• 19%

Overview of standard tax rates in Slovenia

• VAT (Value Added Tax) – 22% standard rate, 9.5% reduced rate
• Corporate Income Tax – 19%
• Personal Income Taxes- progressive tax rates: 16%, 27%, 34%, 39% and 50%
• Social Security Contributions- 16.1% paid by employer; 22.1% paid by employee
• Tax Relief- 100% of the amount invested in R&D up to 40% of the amount invested in equipment and intangible long-term assets
• Property Tax- 0%
• Immovable Property Transfer Tax – 2%
• Capital Gains Tax- 0–25% (depending on a holding period)