Ljubljana Life

A Quick Relocations Guide to Ljubljana

by mark volcansek, june 2007

When planning a move to a foreign country, there is nothing better than a helpful relocations guide to save time and make things easier. After all, you probably have a million things on your mind, and getting the details worked out in advance can make a big difference in ensuring a smooth relocation and adjustment process. Whether your stay is temporary or permanent, you may find that the following tips will be of help during your move to Slovenia.

Moving

There are two international moving companies available in Slovenia; AGS and Vatovec. Vatovec, a Slovenian owned company, is Slovenia’s largest mover but considered small on an international scale. AGS, a French owned company, on the other hand is the exact opposite; small on a Slovene scale but internationally the largest moving company in the world. Both provide excellent moving services and competitive prices. Both companies also offer storage and international shipping as well. I work with and know both companies well. Both offer quality service and get the job done, so whichever one you choose you should get good service.

Car Hire

Planning to rent a car while you are in the country? To rent a car in Slovenia you must be at least 21 years old (age may vary by car category) and have held your license for at least one year. Drivers under the age of 25 may incur a ‘young driver surcharge’. Seatbelts are mandatory for all passengers and you must be 12 years of age or older to sit in the front seat.

Hotels

Whether you are visiting or moving to Ljubljana you will probably need to find some temporary accommodation during your stay. There are quite a few places to choose from including; hotels Lev, Slon, Union, Domina and Mons. Four star hotels Slon and Union are located directly in the centre of Ljubljana. Domina is located a few kilometres north and is the newest of all the four star hotels with state of the art technology in all rooms and areas within the building, including plasma TV’s and wireless internet, etc. If location is not a problem Hotel Mons is also an option. It is a modern four star hotel on the edge of the city limits with competitive prices. Hotel Lev is the only hotel in Slovenia rated as five stars; however, some have declared Hotel Union better even with a four star rating.

Bureaucracy

If you plan to stay in Slovenia for the long haul you will have to face the bureaucracy at some point. It is not a pleasurable experience but changes, albeit slowly, are being made to make procedures easier. Local knowledge is important and knowing the language is key when completing bureaucratic tasks. Perhaps a good relocations company should handle your paper work. Otherwise, if you wish to “go it alone” then be ready and be patient. Information given by one bureaucrat is hardly reliable; a second opinion is always a smart move. Also, bring all your documents with you, very often they ask for the one document you are not carrying with you!

Residence permits

If you decide to stay in Slovenia then you are going to need to apply for a residence permit. EU nationals can do so while they are in the country, while non EU nationals must apply outside the country. If you are an EU national you can stay in the country as a tourist for a period of three months, but if you plan to stay longer, apply for a residence at any administrative unit in Slovenia. For EU citizens the process can take an anywhere from two weeks to over two months. Once your residence permit nears expiry you may prolong it, however, not all residence permits for third countries offer renewal. In these cases you need to reapply once it expires.

Work permits

Probably the most complicated document to obtain is the work permit. If you are not an EU national you must obtain a work permit outside of the country at any Slovenian Embassy abroad. Be sure that you have a company willing to hire you because otherwise there is no point to apply, unless, let’s say you are in a position to open your own company, or the one that employs you is moving you to its subsidiary. A work permit cannot be prolonged; you have to reapply again once it expires.

Property Market

If you are looking for a place in Ljubljana or on the coast, it does not matter whether you decide to rent or buy, you will pay inflated prices. Since 1995 prices have been rising without any sign of letting down. Depending on the property, location, condition and age you will pay approximately 3000€ per square metre when buying a home. Once you make your way outside of Ljubljana and the coastal towns and head towards the countryside, property prices tend to drop significantly. Rental prices vary drastically; depending again on the property, location, condition and age you can be prepared to spend approximately 10€ per square metre a month for an apartment in Ljubljana or in the coastal towns. Landlords also prefer longer term rental agreements, at least one year. You may also be asked to pay half a year’s rent or more, up front, before you move in. This should all be discussed with the home owner and included in the contract.

Health Insurance

When starting a health insurance plan, different rules apply for different countries. I have listed a few countries below. If your country is not listed you should check with the Health Insurance Institute of Slovenia (ZZZS) to see what documents you need to start a health insurance contract in Slovenia. For citizens of the Czech Republic, UK, Poland, Slovakia and Bulgaria, a valid passport and a certificate from a General Practitioner/Health Institute, will suffice for insurance purposes. Citizens of Austria, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Hungary, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Romania, must obtain a special verified form from their own health insurance companies before departure. If you keep your insurance in your home country and you are an EU citizen, you can use your European health insurance card. It covers the same items as Slovenian compulsory insurance. Also note that Slovenian law requires employers to ensure that its employees have basic health insurance. With regards to supplementary insurance there are three different providers in Slovenia, namely AdriaticaSlovenica, Triglav and Vzajemna.

Banks

Perhaps at some point, after you have obtained your tax number and permits, you will need to open a bank account. Not a problem, well sort of. If you are looking for a bank with English speaking staff, Bank Austria Creditanstalt has fluent English speaking staff and offers their online banking services and business software in English too. Also their technical support staff speaks English. Abanka usually has English speaking staff on hand as well, as does NLB – or Nova Ljubljanska banka, Slovenia’s largest state-owned bank. If you ask for an English speaking teller at any bank, one should usually be on hand to help you, hopefully.

Taxes

If you plan to work in Slovenia or collect any kind of income, one of the very first things you will need to do is to get your tax number. You can do this by visiting your nearest tax office branch. Of course you need a reason to obtain a tax number. If you are staying in Slovenia temporarily or permanently then a residence permit will be enough, or if you plan to work and you have a work permit, this will also do.

Driver’s licence

If you are from an EU country (including Norway, Lichtenstein and Iceland) you can switch your driver’s licence for a Slovene one at anytime. If you are not a national from the countries mentioned above you will need to take a short driving test with an instructor and you will also be required to obtain a medical certificate from your doctor before you are allowed to switch your driving licence with a Slovene one. You will also need proof from the authorities of your home country that you passed your exam and the date completed. Do not worry about your old licence, the Slovene authorities do not throw it away but they send it to your nearest embassy or consulate. If you ever need it back, go your nearest embassy or consulate and talk to them about switching again, usually they will do so without hassle.

Pleasure

When In Ljubljana, if socializing and drinking with other expatriates on a Friday night is your thing, you might want to check out FND or Friday Night Drinks (www.fridaynightdrinks.com). If you are looking for the place that has it all; shopping, swimming, movie theatre, restaurants, market, pubs and clubs, etc. then your best bet is to visit the BTC shopping and business district located in the eastern part of Ljubljana. Once you spend enough time in the centre of town you will notice that there are many expats and tourists hitting the bar scene or just having a look around. If you just want to relax and soak it all in you can find a health spa just about anywhere in the county (within reasonable driving distance). Or, if food is on your mind you can taste fine wine or eat the finest prosciutto in the western region of the country and then go for a swim on the coast. Or if you are stuck in winter, head to one of Slovenia’s many ski resorts in the north. Try to visit one or more of Slovenia’s caves while you are at it, there are many around.

Etiquette and cultural habits

Just a few to mention including; don’t leave your money on the table after paying a bill; give it directly to the waiter/waitress. Tipping is not necessary either, but ‘rounding up’ is always appreciated. When leaving an elevator, office or room always say goodbye. After a toast is made at the table look into the eyes of the person or persons you tap your glass with, and always say “dober tek” (bon appetite) before you begin eating. Also, “dobro jutro” means good morning and is usually said anytime in the morning up until about 9am; “dober dan” means good afternoon (or good day) and is the most commonly used greeting, spoken generally between the hours of 9am and 7pm. Finally “dober večer” means good evening and is used generally after 7pm. One other thing to mention, when someone mentions the afternoon or “popoldne” they are usually referring to a time after 4pm.

Mark Volcansek is managing director of a relocations firm based in Slovenia. More information can be found at www.sloveniarelo.com.