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The Government of the Republic of Slovenia amended the Ordinance of imposing and implementing measures to prevent the spread of epidemic COVID-19 at the border crossing points at the external border and inspection posts within national borders of the Republic of Slovenia. The amendments entered into force on 19 June 2020.

Changes to the exceptions list for entry into Slovenia (Article 10)

A person with a permanent or temporary residence registered in a country that is not on the list of epidemiologically safe countries or administrative regions wishing to enter Slovenia or a person arriving in Slovenia from such a country may enter Slovenia under the no-quarantine rule only if he or she is categorised as one of the exceptions listed in Article 10 of the Ordinance .

As of 19 June, travellers mentioned in points 13 and 14 of Article 10 of the previous version of the ordinance no longer qualify as exceptions. This means that the following categories can enter Slovenia only if they undergo 14-day self-isolation:

  • persons who are close relatives of a citizen of the Republic of Slovenia or of a foreign national with a permanent residence status in Slovenia and who live with them in the same household and who have a permanent or temporary residence status in an European Union or another Schengen Area member state and
  • persons who own real property or have an aircraft or vessel registered in the Republic of Slovenia, together with close family members.

The number of travellers entering Slovenia without a quarantine was too high. The increase of Covid-19 cases is related to individuals who came back to Slovenia and were not required to go into self-isolation.

The exception under point 4 of Article 10 has been modified so that persons carrying out the transport of goods to or from the Slovenia have to leave the country within 12 hours of entry. The same applies to point 5 of the exceptions under Article 10 according to which persons travelling in transit through Slovenia have to leave the country within 12 hours of entry (previous restriction was 24 hours).

Point 1 of Article 10 has also changed, and a new point 1a has been added (for daily/weekly migrant workers who do not have to quarantine).

There are certain categories of travellers who will be able to enter Slovenia without restrictions and without the obligation to quarantine. In line with points 1a, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 14 of Article 10 these categories include cross-border workers travelling on a weekly basis; persons performing services upon authorisation of a competent ministry; persons with a scheduled medical appointment; persons involved in education; persons attending a funeral of a close relative; owners and tenants of land on both sides of the border etc. However, these categories will be required to show a negative test for Covid-19 that is not older than three days and has been taken in an EU/Schengen Area member state.

No-restrictions entry

The no-quarantine and no-restrictions rule will continue to apply to citizens of Slovenia or foreign nationals with a permanent or temporary residence status in Slovenia arriving from EU or Schengen Area member states, unless they have returned from a country where the epidemiological situation has worsened.

Changes to the list of epidemiologically safe countries and the list of countries with a worsening epidemiological situation

The Government has reviewed the risk assessment prepared by the National Institute of Public Health as regards the epidemiological situation in the EU and Schengen Area member states, the Balkan area states and regions in Italy. As a result of this assessment, some countries have been added to the list of countries with a worsening epidemiological situation and the list of epidemiologically safe countries has been amended accordingly.

  • List of epidemiologically safe countries on 19 June

The following countries have now been added to the list of epidemiologically safe countries , which is posted on the website of the National Institute of Public Health:
- Denmark,
- France,
- Ireland,
- Luxembourg,
- Malta,
- Spain.

Persons with a permanent or temporary residence status in the countries listed as epidemiologically safe countries can enter Slovenia without any restrictions and without having to go into self-isolation.

Bulgaria, however, was removed from the safe countries list on 19 June 2020.

  • List of countries with a worsening epidemiological situation

The following countries were added to the list of countries with a worsening epidemiological situation on 19 June:
- Serbia,
- Bosnia and Herzegovina,
- Kosovo.

All travellers, whatever their nationality or residence status, arriving in Slovenia from the countries with a worsening epidemiological situation are required to undergo a 14-day quarantine. The same applies to holders of permanent or temporary residence status in these countries who wish to enter Slovenia. By way of exception, travellers from these countries, regardless of their nationality or residence, may enter Slovenia only if they qualify as one of the six exceptions listed in Article 10 (points 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7). However, travellers entering Slovenia as exceptions under points 2 and 7 also have to show a negative test for Covid-19 that is not older than three days and must be taken in an EU/Schengen Area member state.

Related content

Ordinance of imposing and implementing measures to prevent the spread of epidemic COVID-19 at the border crossing points at the external border and inspection posts within national borders of the Republic of Slovenia (an unofficial consolidated version of the ordinance, available only in Slovenian) (Official Gazette RS, no. 83/20, 86/20, and 88/20)

Crossing the state border during the coronavirus epidemic

The exceptions listed in Article 10 of the Ordinance

The list of epidemiologically safe countries