The first thing to note is that this is a dynamic situation, with countries adopting different policies with regard to easing the lockdown and thus different outcomes in terms of surges and second spikes expected. This article thus sets out the facts as they are (or were) on Sunday 5 July. For the very latest news, here’s all our stories on the coronavirus in Slovenia
Slovenia has a traffic light system of green, yellow and red countries, meaning free to enter, enter with some restrictions, and enter only under special circumstances.
The Green List
The green list (zeleni seznam) includes safe countries (or administrative units of countries) from which people can enter without quarantine. It’s produced based on the epidemiological status for individual countries, any bilateral technical agreements with neighbouring states, other EU Member States or members of the Schengen area.
As of 5 July there are just 21 countries on the green list: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Malta, Norway, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, and the Netherlands. A regularly updated list can be found, in English, on the Ministry of Health website.
The Red List
The red list (rdeči seznam) contains those countries where the covid-19 situation is getting worse or already bad. Anyone entering Slovenia from one of these nations – regardless of citizenship or residency status – has to undergo a 14-day mandatory self-quarantine period, with some exceptions (see here). The red list currently includes the following 36 countries (and the related police site, in English, is here, if reading this later in the summer):
Albania
Andorra
Armenia
Bahrain
Belarus
Bolivia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Brazil
Cayman Islands
Chile
Djibouti
Dominican Republic
Gabon
Gibraltar
Iran
Kosovo
Kuwait
Maldives
Moldova
Northern Macedonia
Oman
Panama
Peru
Portugal
Puerto Rico
Qatar
Republic of South Africa
Russia
Saint Thomas and Prince
Saudi Arabia
Serbia
Singapore
Sweden
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom Great Britain and Northern Ireland
United States
The Yellow List
The yellow list (rumeni seznam) includes all those countries not on the green or red lists, with recent additions being Croatia, France, and Czechia (aka the Czech Republic). In principle, yellow countries are those with between ten and 40 active infections per hundred thousand inhabitants. For Slovenian citizens or foreign residents, nothing changes when a country moves from the green to yellow list, and no quarantine is required on returning to Slovenia.
My country is on the yellow list – can I come to Slovenia?
Non-resident citizens of countries on the yellow list will need to undergo mandatory two-week self-quarantine on entry unless they’re just transiting the country or booked accommodation here while their country was still green, and also have a valid certificate proving they have tested negative for covid-19. There are some exceptions for work, medical treatment, family matters and so on (more details here, and the official border police site is here).
What about Croatia?
Croatia is a favourite holiday destination among Slovenes and others who live in the country, due to its vastly greater coastline. It’s currently on the yellow list, which means – as noted about – that no real restrictions apply when re-entering Slovenia if you’re Slovenian, a foreign resident, or citizen of an EU or Schengen state. However, because of the surge in cases in the Western Balkans you’ll need to show some evidence that you spent your time in Croatia, and not further south, such as a hotel bill or property ownership papers. Border police officers will have a discretion to decide whether your proof is valid, or else they’ll assume you’ve come from a red-listed Balkan country, and thus order you to undergo a two-week quarantine period.
You can find all our stories on coronavirus and Slovenia here.
Yellow list exceptions
Remember that Slovenian citizens and residents don’t need to worry about the yellow list, but others will need to self-quarantine for 14-days unless they can prove that they’re travelling for work, a medical examination, education, to attend a funeral, see a close family member, or have booked accommodation in Slovenia , persons crossing the border due to involvement in education, persons crossing the border due to funeral, persons maintaining contact with close family members, persons with urgent personal affairs, land tenants, persons booking accommodation in Slovenia, also need a negative a covid-19 test result not older than 36 hours and performed in a Member State of the European Union or the Schengen area or in an organization or individual authorized by the National Institute of Public Health.
Red list exceptions:
A 14-day quarantine is ordered for all persons entering Slovenia who have permanent or temporary residence in countries with a worsened epidemiological situation (the so-called red list) and for all persons regardless of citizenship or country of residence coming to Slovenia from these countries.
Exceptions (i.e., access without restrictions and quarantine) apply only to:
- a person in commercial traffic or activities who, upon crossing the border, can provide evidence of this and returns across the border within 24 hours of entry or submits a negative SARS-CoV-2 test (COVID-19). In the case of a person employed by a foreign company providing a service in the Republic of Slovenia, this person must also submit the address of their esidence in the Republic of Slovenia and a negative SARS-CoV-2 test result when crossing the border. (COVID-19)
- a person seconded to or from a mission in the international transport sector who demonstrates this at the border crossing point with the "Certificate for Workers in the International Transport Sector"
- a person who carries out the transport of goods to the Republic of Slovenia or from the Republic of Slovenia, and for freight transport in transit, and who leaves the Republic of Slovenia within 12 hours after entry
- a person traveling in transit through the Republic of Slovenia to another country within 12 hours of entry
- a person with a diplomatic passport
- a person who provides services for which a certificate has been issued by the competent ministry and which, due to non-performance of these services, could result in major social or economic damage due to the quarantine order (Item 7 of Article 10)
