Is it true that you can get Slovenian citizenship in 6 months without moving?

No. This is a typical sign of fraud. Lawful routes to Slovenian citizenship require genuine residence in the country and an official migration status — a residence permit or permanent residence.

How many years do you need to live in Slovenia for standard naturalisation?

At least 10 years of actual residence, of which the last 5 years continuously. To apply for citizenship you also need to live in the country for most of the year — roughly at least 330 days a year over the last five years.

Do Slovenian roots give an automatic right to a passport?

No. Descendants of Slovenian emigrants can apply for a simplified procedure, but you need to prove an active connection with the country — knowledge of the language, participation in Slovenian communities — and still have a permit and genuinely live in Slovenia.

Can you keep your original citizenship when obtaining Slovenian citizenship?

Standard naturalisation usually requires proof of release from the previous citizenship, but there are exceptions — for example, for minors and stateless people. In exceptional naturalisation in the state's interest, keeping the previous citizenship is explicitly allowed.

Slovenian Citizenship: Myths and Real Routes

Slovenia gives the right to live, study and work freely in any EU country, so the topic of citizenship is surrounded by myths and outright fraud schemes. We look at how Slovenian citizenship is actually obtained — and why promises of a "passport in six months without moving" should be treated as a warning sign.

"Fast citizenship in six months": how the deception works

In recent years the internet has filled up with adverts for "fast Slovenian citizenship": an EU passport in six months or a year, minimal documents, no relocation and a "guaranteed result". The cost of such a service is from €10,000 upwards. At first glance it all looks convincing: attractive websites, "lawyers", reviews, photos of satisfied clients. But behind most such offers is an ordinary emigration scam.

One telling case from practice: a person who came for "citizenship in 12 months" was told a story about an archivist who had supposedly found a lonely deceased Slovenian — a relative of the client — and issued a certificate of kinship. The person was then led along to the end, provided with forged archive documents and assured that the process was going "perfectly" and that they would soon need to come to collect the passport. Particularly sophisticated fraudsters even hand out an appointment slip for the administration. In the end a person who arrives "for citizenship" risks being left with nothing — and facing sanctions for attempting to obtain a passport by fraud.

The problem is that such intermediaries build a business on the main misconception: many people believe that Slovenian origin automatically gives a right to a passport. In practice this is not the case.

How Slovenian citizenship is actually obtained

Slovenian law provides several grounds for obtaining citizenship:

by birth and descent (by blood);
by declaration — for a child born abroad;
naturalisation — after a set period of residence in the country;
in exceptional cases — "extraordinary" naturalisation in the national interest.

Almost all lawful routes share one key condition: the person must genuinely live in Slovenia and have an official migration status — a residence permit or permanent residence. This is precisely the fact that fraudsters usually hide.

Citizenship by birth and descent

Slovenia applies the principle of citizenship by descent: a child receives Slovenian citizenship if at least one parent is a Slovenian citizen. The mere fact of being born on Slovenian territory does not give citizenship automatically if the parents are not citizens of the country.

If a child was born outside Slovenia and only one parent is a Slovenian citizen, citizenship is arranged by the parents' declaration before the child turns 18. If a declaration is not submitted before 18, an adult can submit a declaration choosing citizenship up to the age of 36 — subject to the set conditions.

Naturalisation: the main route for foreigners with no Slovenian roots

The classic naturalisation scheme looks like this:

at least 10 years of actual residence in the country;
of which the last 5 years — continuously;
stable income;
no problems with the law;
knowledge of Slovenian;
integration into society.

Continuous residence is not a formality: the authorities really do check how much time a person spends in the country. To apply for citizenship you need to live in Slovenia for most of the year — roughly at least 330 days a year over the last five years. So the "get a passport remotely" option simply does not work here.

There are also shorter naturalisation routes for certain categories:

through marriage — the application can be submitted with a marriage to a Slovenian citizen of at least 3 years and continuous actual residence in the country of at least 1 year before the application;
after study in Slovenia — for those who have successfully completed studies (at least higher education level) and lived in the country for at least 7 years, including a continuous minimum of 1 year before the application.

A minor child residing in Slovenia can obtain citizenship together with the parents when they acquire citizenship and submit an application on the child's behalf.

Requirements for the applicant in naturalisation

The exact conditions depend on the grounds (10 years / marriage / study / exceptional case), but in practice the following blocks matter:

Continuous and actual residence — the key criterion, which is checked within the periods set by law.
Knowledge of Slovenian — proof of language knowledge at the basic level (osnovna raven) is required; in practice this is a B1-level exam.
Financial standing and a "clean" status — the lawfulness of the stay, the absence of serious violations and risks to public order are assessed.

Dual citizenship: can you keep your original passport

Standard naturalisation usually requires proof of release from the previous citizenship, but there are exceptions — for example, for minors, stateless people and situations where release is not possible within a reasonable time. In "exceptional" naturalisation in the state's interest, keeping the previous citizenship is explicitly allowed.

Repatriation: the most popular myth

Most often fraudsters sell precisely the "Slovenian roots" topic: if you had a Slovenian grandmother or great-grandfather, citizenship is almost guaranteed. This is partly based on real provisions of the law — descendants of Slovenian emigrants can indeed apply for a simplified procedure. But the adverts usually keep quiet about important details.

First, it is not simply about origin, but about a confirmed connection with Slovenia. Second, a single archive document is not enough — the state assesses a so-called "active connection" with the country: participation in Slovenian communities, knowledge of the language, familiarity with the culture, a genuine interest in the country and not just in an EU passport. In addition, the applicant must still live in Slovenia and have a residence permit.

Why forging descent is almost impossible

Slovenia takes citizenship matters extremely seriously. The state has kept archives, church records, records of family migration, registration documents and historical data on the movement of citizens — officials have access to information about a family's origin several generations back, and checking a family tree is a standard procedure. Stories about "secret schemes" usually end with a refusal, annulment of documents, a ban on entering the Schengen area and problems with future visas and permits in Europe.

An exception that is not for "ordinary clients"

You may sometimes hear about citizenship "in the national interest" — such a mechanism is indeed provided for by law, but is applied in exceptional cases: outstanding athletes, scientists, well-known cultural figures, major investors, entrepreneurs important for the country's economy. And even in these cases residence in Slovenia is required. If someone promises to arrange "exceptional citizenship" for anyone who wants it for money — this is fraud.

What does NOT work

Slovenian law does not provide for "buying a passport" (citizenship by investment) as a separate programme, and the birth of a child on Slovenian territory does not on its own give citizenship to the parents.

Where the path to citizenship begins

Naturalisation is almost always built on long-term lawful residence, so it is important from the start to choose solid grounds for a permit for your real situation — work, business, study, family or digital nomad status: a permit through business, the EU Blue Card, a study residence permit, a work residence permit, a digital nomad permit.

Common mistakes that stretch out the path to citizenship: the wrong grounds for a permit at the start (leading to gaps in residence and problems proving continuity), mistakes with the language exam, and waiting for a "fast passport" — offers to arrange citizenship in 3–6 months with no real grounds are a typical marker of fraud. Real timelines are always tied to the law and to checks.

The main takeaway

A Slovenian passport cannot be bought as a "turnkey" service. It is obtained through life in the country, adjustment and compliance with the law. If you are offered Slovenian citizenship without residence, without a permit and without a real connection to the country — you are most likely looking at another emigration scheme. Slovenia can indeed become a new home and grant citizenship, but only to those ready to build a relationship with the country seriously: to live, work, pay taxes and become part of society.

Slovenian citizenship: myths and real routes to obtaining it