Good to knowThis guide is put together by students, not by professionals or official bodies. It is meant to help you and your parents through enrolment and settling into life in Slovenia. Some details may change or become outdated, so always check the official sources and confirm anything important with the relevant institutions. We take no responsibility for wrong, outdated or misunderstood information — but we are always glad to help. If you spot something that is not right, please tell us in the “Was this page helpful?” box at the bottom of the page.

Route A: Slovenian Embassy in Skopje

You can start the process from Skopje before you move to Slovenia. Keep in mind that the embassy does not decide the residence permit itself: it forwards your application and documents to the competent administrative unit in Slovenia and passes the decision back. Because the paperwork travels both ways by post, this route usually takes longer, and the fee is higher than applying in Slovenia. What to prepare:

  • Appointments are arranged in advance by phone (+389 2 310 3050) or email (consular.skopje@gov.si).
  • The usual documents are a valid travel document (passport), adequate health insurance, sufficient means of subsistence for your stay in Slovenia, a criminal-record certificate, and a certificate of enrolment or acceptance into a study programme in Slovenia.
  • All documents must be translated into Slovenian by an official (court-certified) translator.
  • Documents must be certified (overitev).
  • The criminal-record certificate must be no older than three months.
  • The fee at the embassy is 123 EUR (applying at an administrative unit in Slovenia is cheaper, around 70 EUR in total).
  • Prepare originals and copies, and keep proof of submission.

Route B: Slovenian administrative unit

If you are already lawfully in Slovenia, for example on a visa-free short stay, you can usually submit your first application directly at the competent administrative unit (upravna enota). This is normally faster and cheaper than going through the embassy, because there is no back-and-forth by post and the fee is lower (around 70 EUR in total). The documents you need are the same as for the embassy route. Before choosing this route:

  • Confirm that your study purpose is covered.
  • Keep track of your remaining lawful visa-free days so you apply in good time.
  • Ask the administrative unit whether, on submitting, you receive a confirmation that lets you stay until the decision. Do not assume it does.
  • Avoid leaving Slovenia while your application is pending. Returning to North Macedonia and re-entering can cause problems at the border, especially when transiting Croatia.
  • Ask where the decision and residence card will be delivered.

Which administrative unit?

The competent office normally relates to the place of intended or actual residence, but the current allocation of work and appointment system should be checked.

Recommended wording

I am a citizen of North Macedonia, lawfully present in Slovenia without a visa, and I have been admitted to full-time study. I want to submit my first temporary-residence application for study. Please confirm whether I may submit it at your administrative unit, whether submission extends my lawful stay, and which documents are required in my case.

Practical route comparison

RouteMain advantageMain risk to manage
Embassy in SkopjeYou can start before you move to SloveniaSlower, because documents are posted to and from the administrative unit, and more expensive (fee 123 EUR); the embassy only forwards the application
Upravna enota while lawfully in SloveniaUsually faster and cheaper (around 70 EUR); you apply directly with the office that decidesYou must already be lawfully in Slovenia; confirm whether submission lets you stay until the decision, and avoid leaving the country while it is pending

Useful upravna enota examples

Ljubljana

Upravna enota Ljubljana, Sektor za upravne notranje zadeve, Tobačna ulica 5, 1000 Ljubljana. Email: ue.lj-sunz@gov.si

Nova Gorica

Upravna enota Nova Gorica, Trg Edvarda Kardelja 1, 5102 Nova Gorica. Telephone: +386 5 330 6100. Email: ue.novagorica@gov.si

Ajdovščina

Upravna enota Ajdovščina, Vipavska cesta 11b, 5270 Ajdovščina. Telephone: +386 5 364 3200. Email: ue.ajdovscina@gov.si

Addresses, departments, and appointment systems can change. Verify before visiting.

Booking an appointment through eSamonarocanje, step by step

Most administrative units take residence appointments through the online portal eSamonarocanje. You can also phone the unit, but the portal is usually the fastest. Here is the exact flow:

  • Step 1. Open the eSamonarocanje website.
  • Step 2. Choose the administrative unit nearest to where you live and study. For example, if you live and study in Ljubljana, select "UE Ljubljana - Tobacna".
  • Step 3. Choose the procedure. Type "studij" and select the first option if you are a non-EU student. If you are an EU or EEA student, type "EGP" and select that option. To collect a permit that is already issued, choose "vrocitev tujci" (service on foreign nationals).
  • Step 4. Choose a date. Click "Dodaj postopek na seznam" (add procedure to list), then "Prikazi proste termine" (show free slots) to find the first available date.
  • Step 5. Pick the first suitable slot. If the date suits you but the time does not, click "Ostali prosti termini" (other free slots) and choose another time on the same day. When the date and time both suit you, click "Rezervacija".
  • Step 6. Enter your contact details and check they are correct. The mobile number should be a Slovenian one. Leave "Poslji opomnik pred terminom" ticked to get an email reminder one day before.
  • Step 7. Confirm the reservation from your email within 120 minutes by clicking the "Potrditev rezervacije" link. If you do not confirm within 120 minutes, the reservation is not valid.
  • Step 8. Keep the confirmation email. It is the only way to change the appointment ("Rezervacijo lahko spremenite na povezavi") or cancel it ("odpoveste na povezavi") later.

When you arrive at the administrative unit, staff assume you have all required documents with you, that you have filled in the application form, and that you intend to submit the full documentation the same day. Coming with complete documents and a completed form significantly speeds up the process and avoids being sent back to add a missing document.

Potrdilo o vloženi prošnji

A confirmation that an application was filed does not have the same legal effect in every procedure.

For a first study application submitted during a visa-free stay, do not assume that the confirmation extends lawful stay.

For some later procedures, including the post-study job-seeking route, official guidance may provide a confirmation that temporarily acts as residence evidence while the application is decided. Ask the authority to state the effect of the exact document you receive.

Sources and further information

Last checked: 30 July 2026