On this page, you will find:
To find organisations working for LGBTQI+ rights, visit our Slovenia LGBTQI+ Resources page.
For Slovenia country of origin information (COI) experts, reports, commentaries, and relevant documents visit our Slovenia COI page.
Refugee protection
Click here to see the numbers and origins of refugees hosted by Slovenia.
The following sections contain information on the most important international treaties and agreements of which Slovenia is signatory, as well as national legislation relevant to the protection of refugees.
Slovenia acceded to the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, and the 1967 Protocol in 1992.
Slovenia succeeded to the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless persons in 1992, but it is not party to the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness. Further, Slovenia does not have a dedicated statelessness determination procedure in place.
Finally, as a Member State of the European Union, Slovenia is subject to the Common European Asylum System.
The Foreigners Law adopted in 2011 was last amended in 2017 to restrict foreigners’ entry and stay in the country. In 2021, the law was again amended, resulting into more restrictive policy toward migrants, foreign workers and their families, and students.
In regard to Asylum, the first Slovenian asylum law was adopted in 1999 and repealed in 2006. The new Law on International Protection, which entered into force in 2016, mainly aligns the Slovenian legislation with EU asylum legislation (including the Dublin II Agreement), making rules stricter than before.
Slovenia does not have a self-standing integration law for all migrant groups. There are, however, regulations on the modalities and conditions for ensuring the rights of applicants and beneficiaries of international protection.
Finally, the 1991 citizenship law has often been amended. Its 2017 changes made it possible for applicants who have made an exceptional contribution to the development, reputation or visibility of Slovenia to acquire citizenship, even when they do not fulfill the usual conditions of uninterrupted residence.
For more information, visit the European Union publication on International Protection in the Republic of Slovenia.
Legal aid organisations
Facebook
Address: Ulica Vide Pregarčeve 11, Ljubljana, Slovenia
Email: infokolpa@gmail.com
Infokolpa is a self-organized migrant initiative in Ljubljana. Their activities include: legal assistance, community organizing work, language classes, workshops in different fields of learning, visiting refugees in the detention center in Postojna, day by day work with asylum seekers, refugees, and homeless migrants, medical and psychological assistance.
In regard to contact, you can reach out via Facebook Messenger and they typically respond within an hour. Their languages include Slovenian, English, French, Arabic, Farsi (Dari), Urdu, Pashto. Additionally, they organize meetings 1 time per week, please write to our inbox to get info about the location, date and hour.
Website
Facebook
Address: Metelkova 6, Ljubljana, Slovenia
Tel: +386 1 234 77 20
Email: info@mirovni-institut.si
Contact person: Dr. Neža Kogovšek Šalamon, Director
The Peace Institute (Mirovni inštitut) – Institute for Contemporary Social and Political Studies – is an independent, non-profit research institution founded in 1991. In the field of migration and asylum, the Peace Institute conducts monitoring and research and engages in the provision of expertise to various stakeholders. Their research projects include the monitoring of refugee policies and tackling xenophobia and hate speech arising from the current refugee situation. Other projects cover issues such as the presence/absence and implementation of legislative safeguards for the prevention of childhood statelessness at the national level in Balkan countries.
Additionally, their scholars provide legal support to asylum seekers. For more information on accessing free legal aid, check out the Legal aid in Slovenia page.
Website
Facebook
Instagram
Address: Metelkova ulica 6, Ljubljana, Slovenia
Tel: +386 51 681 181
Email: pic@pic.si
PIC provides legal assistance to asylum seekers in Slovenian asylum procedures and monitors police procedures at border entry points. Additionally, PIC participates in other activities related to asylum, migration and integration, including advocacy, research and training. PIC has an office in the Asylum Home in Ljubljana (Slovenia has only one) and it is also one of the UNHCR implementing partners for asylum related programs.
Website
Email: contact@w2eu.info or w2eu_info@yahoo.com
The Welcome to Europe website is an independent source of information for refugees coming to Europe. It might be useful on their journey to and through Europe by giving access to counseling and useful contacts in different European countries. Their Slovenia country page gives information on the Slovenian asylum application process and provides useful contacts.
Organisations providing other support to refugees
Website
Facebook
Address: Mirje 19, Ljubljana, Slovenia
Tel: +386 1 241 43 00
Email: rdeci.kriz@rks.si
The Slovenian Red Cross (Rdeči križ Slovenije) is a non-government and non-profit humanitarian organisation, part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. It was established in Gradac in June 1944 at first as part of the Yugoslav Red Cross.
As part of their current work, they provide support to migrants, especially those at Gornja Radgona – one of two accommodation centres near the Austrian border. To learn more about their work supporting migrants, visit their Migration page.
Website
Facebook
Instagram
Address: Cesta Dolomitskega odreda 11, Ljubljana, Slovenia
Tel: +386 1 430 12 88
Email: info@filantropija.org
Program Migration (former Centre for Psychosocial Assistance to Refugees) is dealing with different aspects of contemporary migration. They provide advice, information, psychosocial support and advocacy for various marginalized groups of migrants, such as asylum seekers, refugees, unaccompanied children, undocumented migrants and migrant workers. They provide also guardianship for unaccompanied children and organize learning Slovenian language as well as other educational assistance, social activities and other forms of assistance in integration. They encourage development of migrants’ individual talents and skills and use them for integration into the social life.
The current activities of the program include:
- counseling, advocacy and psychosocial support to various marginalized groups of migrants (asylum seekers, refugees, unaccompanied children, migrant workers)
- guardianship for unaccompanied children
- learning the Slovenian language, other educational assistance
- support for social integration
- trainings and support for volunteers
- striving for appropriate legislation and practice on migration in Slovenia
- raising awareness on the issues related to contemporary migration and migrants
- cooperation with the media
- trainings on migration related issues for volunteers and experts
- research on migration in Slovenia
- networking on the field of migration in Slovenia
- participation in various professional bodies (the council for the integration of foreigners and working group on combating human trafficking)
- participation in European Integration and Migration Forum
- membership in the Separted Children in Europe Programme (SCEP)
Slovenia LGBTQI+ Resources
Find organisations working for refugee LGBTQI+ rights in Slovenia.
Slovenia COI
Find Slovenia Country of Origin information (COI) experts, reports, commentaries, and relevant documents.
We are always looking to expand the resources on our platform. If you know about relevant resources, or you are aware of organisations and/or individuals to include in our directories, please get in touch.
Last updated May 2023