Living in Slovenia as a French National: Cities, Settling In, Schooling, Safety and Cost of Living

Slovenia appeals through its human scale: a country of just over 2 million inhabitants (Statistical Office of Slovenia), where the Alps, the Adriatic coast and the Pannonian plain meet within a few hours’ drive. A member of the European Union since 1 May 2004, of the Schengen area since 21 December 2007 and of the eurozone since 1 January 2007 (europa.eu), it offers a French national free movement, a familiar currency and a right of residence without a visa.

• Online administration: the e-uprava portal brings together many procedures, including residence registration, and offers an English version.
• Easy access to nature: Triglav peaks at 2,864 metres, and France Diplomatie recommends checking the weather at altitude on the Slovenian Environment Agency’s website before any outing.
• A universal health system: a single public fund, the ZZZS, covers the resident population; the page on the healthcare system in Slovenia details how it works.
• A normal vigilance level: France Diplomatie rates the whole country at normal vigilance.

The points to watch should be known from the planning stage: the Slovenian language, essential for paperwork and for work outside international sectors, harsh winters at altitude, and a health framework whose out-of-pocket cost is worth anticipating (see healthcare reimbursement in Slovenia).

Ljubljana, the capital and main employment hub, has about 293,000 inhabitants in its locality and nearly 300,000 across the whole municipality (Statistical Office of Slovenia). It is where the French embassy, the university medical centre and the international French school are located. Maribor, the country’s second city, appeals to families looking for a calmer setting and more moderate rents.

The municipalities of Kranj, Celje and Koper complete the urban network. Koper opens onto the Adriatic coast, while the lakes and Julian Alps region attracts hiking enthusiasts. Each place has its constraints: France Diplomatie flags seismic risks in the Soča region in the west, in the Ljubljana region and in the Krško and Brežice region in the south-east, as well as floods and landslides during the heavy autumn and winter rains. These benchmarks help in choosing a neighbourhood and suitable home insurance.

Before signing a long lease, a trial stay of a few weeks in the chosen city lets you test journeys, the proximity of a contracted general practitioner and access to school. Distances are short: from the capital, most regions can be reached within half a day’s drive.

The average gross wage is close to €2,700 per month (Statistical Office of Slovenia), and the minimum wage around €1,500 gross per month, a lower level than in France (Eurostat). These two figures give a sense of a local household’s budget, without setting the cost of an expatriation project, which depends on the neighbourhood, the size of the home and the lifestyle.

• Rents and purchase prices: they vary widely between Ljubljana, the coast and the eastern towns; the Statistical Office of Slovenia publishes the reference statistics, to be consulted before any decision.
• Health: a flat-rate monthly contribution, of around €40 (CLEISS, the French liaison centre for international social security), is added to the contributions of an employee or self-employed person affiliated to the local scheme.
• Currency: the euro, with no exchange-rate risk for a French budget.
• Energy and heating: the winters justify a heating budget, especially at altitude; this item should be asked about with the owners or the landlord before signing.

The guide on budgeting for health abroad helps you build medical costs into the overall budget.

A French national needs no visa: a valid identity card or passport is enough, including for minors (France Diplomatie). Identity cards issued to adults between 1 January 2004 and 31 December 2013 remain accepted five years after the expiry date printed on the back, but France Diplomatie recommends travelling with a valid passport. Travelling without a valid identity document exposes you to a fine of €200 to €500.

• First month, staying with relatives: your presence is reported at the nearest police station within 3 days of arrival, together with the host; a host who fails to register their guest faces a fine of €200 to €600. Hotels and campsites carry out this formality themselves.
• Beyond 90 days: the residence registration certificate for EU citizens (potrdilo o prijavi prebivanja) is requested from the administrative unit (upravna enota) of the place of residence, with an identity document, an address in Slovenia, sufficient resources and health insurance; depending on the reason for the stay (employee, self-employed, student), documents are added, such as an employment contract or a certificate of enrolment.
• Length of the document: gov.si indicates a validity equal to the planned length of stay, with a maximum of five years, renewable; France Diplomatie for its part mentions annual renewal. The administrative unit confirms the rule applied to the file.
• Identification number: the personal number (EMŠO) is the basis of tax and banking procedures; the first public body contacted generally obtains it on the person’s behalf (public employment service), and the tax number is requested from the tax administration (FURS).
• Permanent residence: after five years of continuous legal residence, a permanent residence certificate of unlimited duration can be issued; absences of less than six months a year do not break continuity (gov.si).

For non-European spouses, the rules differ: a stay without a permit is 90 days, and a permit application is filed before the deadline (gov.si). Registration on the register of French nationals living abroad, with the embassy, completes the settling-in for anyone staying more than six months.

The international French school in Ljubljana is a private non-profit establishment linked to the Agency for French Education Abroad (AEFE) network by an agreement. According to the AEFE profile, it has 15 levels, of which 12 are approved, from the first year of nursery school to the third year of collège; the second and final years of lycée come under the CNED (the French distance-learning centre), with local supervision. It takes children from 11 months, with a bilingual nursery, and shares premises with a Slovenian school.

Families who prefer local education will find public schools and teaching in Slovenian. The choice depends on the children’s age, the length of stay and a possible return to France: for a short stay, the French curriculum limits disruption to schooling. Approved levels should be checked with the school and the AEFE before enrolling, as approval is reviewed regularly.

On the health side, children’s insurance should be prepared from arrival: the ZZZS fully covers children’s care under the conditions described on the reimbursement page, and the family can top this up with expat family insurance.

France Diplomatie rates the whole of Slovenia at normal vigilance. The advice covers simple habits: lock car doors and leave nothing in view in a vehicle, avoid large sums of cash, keep bags within reach and keep travel documents in a safe place, particularly in car parks and city centres.

• Floods and landslides: heavy rain is frequent in autumn and winter; follow Slovenian forecasts and alerts and, in the event of an evacuation, the civil protection instructions.
• Seismic activity: three zones are cited (the Soča valley, the Ljubljana region, the Krško and Brežice region), and the Krško nuclear power plant sits on a seismic fault line, about 70 km east of Ljubljana.
• Mountains: Triglav (2,864 m) attracts many hikers; the most frequent causes of accidents are unsuitable equipment, poor knowledge of the terrain and insufficient preparation. Using a certified guide is strongly recommended.
• Forests and wildlife: bears can be encountered in parks and the mountains, and unexploded munitions remain in certain areas; access restrictions should be respected.
• Emergency number: 112 for any accident or illness; the local police can be reached on 113.

The terrain creates varied climates: winters are colder at altitude and summers milder on the coast, and France Diplomatie reminds that conditions in the mountains can remain very unstable, with snow or ice even in summer. Rainy autumns justify suitable equipment and home insurance that includes water damage.

The official language is Slovenian. English is widely spoken in international sectors and in the administrations of the big cities, but learning Slovenian eases integration, relations with neighbours and employment. Essential public services, such as residence registration or affiliation to the ZZZS, stay quicker with translated documents and help on the ground.

On the health side, up-to-date French vaccinations are advised, and France Diplomatie mentions tick-borne encephalitis and Lyme disease for stays in rural or wooded areas; the tick-borne encephalitis vaccine should be discussed with a doctor before departure. For an overview of cover, see expat health insurance; Expavy helps you compare the options according to your status and budget.