Slovenia Visa from the UK: Appointments, Checklist & Fees

Do UK residents need a visa for Slovenia?

British, Irish and EU citizens do not need a visa to visit Slovenia for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Most other nationals living in the UK do, because the requirement follows your passport, not where you live.

That includes Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Nigerian, Ghanaian, Chinese, South African, Turkish and many other nationals in the UK on a Skilled Worker, Health and Care, Student, Graduate or family visa, or with settled status. You can apply from the UK as long as your UK permission lasts beyond the trip. VFS and the EU’s checklist for UK applicants set the minimum at 1 month beyond your return from the Schengen area; a bigger margin is safer, and our guide to UK visa validity for a Schengen visa covers what to do if yours is close to expiring.

If you are in the UK on a short-term visitor visa, you are not resident here and VFS says you should apply in your country of residence; see Schengen visas on a UK visitor visa.

You prove UK status with a UKVI eVisa and share code, not a BRP; our eVisa share code guide shows how. ETIAS, the €20 authorisation for visa-exempt travellers such as British citizens, has no launch date yet and never replaces a visa for anyone who needs one.

Slovenia visa appointments in the UK

You can apply at a VFS Global centre in London, Manchester or Edinburgh, or directly at the Embassy of Slovenia in London. Neither the Embassy nor VFS ties you to a centre by where you live, and the Embassy in London decides every application.

VFS checks your file, takes fingerprints, collects the fees and returns your passport. It has no say in the outcome. Lodging at the Embassy itself avoids the VFS service fee but means far fewer appointment times.

London

VFS London is the quickest VFS option because the file goes to the Embassy in the same city. Check the centre address on your booking confirmation. Our guide to Schengen visa appointments in London covers the London centres generally.

The Embassy of Slovenia is at 17 Dartmouth Street, London SW1H 9BL, a short walk from St James’s Park station. Its consular section works by appointment only and keeps short hours: Monday 11:00 to 16:00, and Tuesday to Thursday 11:00 to 13:00. You request an appointment by emailing the consular section at [email protected] with your name and a contact phone number, and the Embassy arranges a time with you. The Embassy’s telephone number is +44 20 7222 5700.

Manchester

VFS Manchester is a satellite centre that suits applicants across the North of England and North Wales. VFS says files lodged there are sent to VFS London and forwarded to the Embassy the following day, so allow 2 extra days on top of the processing time. See Schengen visa appointments in Manchester for travel and timing tips.

Edinburgh

VFS Edinburgh is the natural choice for Scotland and Northern Ireland. As with Manchester, allow 2 extra days for the transfer to London. Our Edinburgh appointments guide has more detail.

How to book

1. Choose your route: a VFS centre, or the Embassy by email.
2. For VFS, book online on the VFS Slovenia UK site with an email address you will keep; every applicant, including each child and infant, applies in person and needs their own appointment.
3. Pick a centre, date and time, decline or choose optional services, and save the confirmation.
4. For the Embassy, email the consular section early and reply promptly when offered a time.

Important: Booking is free and always made in the applicant’s own name on the official system. Schengen Visa Support does not book, hold or supply appointments. We explain how the system works, help you create your account and complete the booking correctly in your name, and prepare your file so it is ready for the day.

Availability by season

VFS warns that appointments fill quickly around Easter, the summer holidays (July and August) and Christmas, because the Embassy processes a fixed number of applications each day. Look as soon as your dates are fixed, check all three VFS centres and the Embassy, and keep your file complete so you can take a cancellation.

On the day

Bring your signed form and your original documents with a copy of each; VFS says you show the originals but usually hand in copies, and that supporting documents should be recent, generally no older than 1 month. Staff check the file and take all ten fingerprints (unless you gave them for a Schengen visa in the last 59 months or are under 12). You pay the visa fee in pounds sterling. Any optional extras VFS offers, such as courier return or SMS updates, are sold by VFS; none is required and none affects the decision. For what to expect, see our biometrics appointment guide.

Slovenia visa document checklist for UK residents

Slovenia’s checklist follows the EU’s harmonised list for UK applicants, with one important local rule: a host’s guarantee letter must be on the official form and certified at a Slovenian administrative unit. Every name, date and address on your form must match your documents.

Your passport must have been issued in the last 10 years, have at least two blank pages and be valid for 3 months after you leave the Schengen area. The application form must be completed electronically, printed and signed by each applicant; VFS no longer accepts hand-filled forms, and a parent or guardian signs for anyone under 18. The photo must be recent, ICAO-compliant and 35 x 45 mm. Your UK status must be valid at least 1 month beyond your return.

Travel medical insurance needs at least €30,000 of cover, including repatriation, valid across the whole Schengen area for every day of the trip (see our travel insurance guide). A reserved return ticket is expected, and VFS asks for tickets covering travel between Schengen countries too. If you fly into Venice, Trieste or Zagreb and continue overland, show that leg. If you drive, VFS asks for vehicle and driver details and your ferry or Eurotunnel booking.

Accommodation must cover every night. Slovenian holidays are often split between Ljubljana, Bled or Bohinj and Piran, so line up the bookings with no gaps. A short cover letter helps.

The guarantee or invitation letter is the Slovenia-specific item. The Embassy’s visa page asks for a guarantee or invitation letter signed by the inviting person, company or organisation and certified and registered at the relevant administrative unit (upravna enota) in Slovenia. The Slovenian government’s guidance explains the difference: a guarantee letter (garantno pismo) is used when the host covers your accommodation or living costs, and must be certified before it is sent to you; an invitation letter (povabilno pismo) only shows the purpose of the visit, and the government says it does not have to be certified. Because the Embassy’s page asks for certification of both, confirm with the Embassy what it needs for your trip. A host may be asked to attach proof of their finances, such as 3 months of bank statements, or of their home, such as a land registry extract or rental contract. Allow a few weeks for certification and postage.

Bank statements should cover the last 3 months, show your name, address and balance, and support the funds described below.

Employed

A recent, signed employer letter stating your position and salary, with the signatory’s details and the company’s UK registration number, plus your last 3 months’ payslips. Approved leave dates in the letter should match your form.

Self-employed

The EU checklist asks for a recent signed letter from an accountant, banker or solicitor, giving their UK registration number and describing your business and the annual income you draw from it, plus your HMRC self-assessment (VFS asks for the form stamped by HMRC). Recent business statements help. See our self-employed guide.

Students

A recent signed letter from your UK institution stating your course, hours of study per week and attendance record, plus your own funds or a parent’s statement of support and their bank statements. See our students guide.

Retired

Pension award letters and 3 months of statements showing the pension arriving.

Sponsored

If a spouse or parent is paying, include their signed statement of support, their 3 months of statements and proof of your relationship, such as a marriage or birth certificate. If a host in Slovenia is covering your costs, their certified guarantee letter does this job. Our invitation and sponsor letter guide has a structure to follow.

Children

A birth certificate and, if a child travels alone or with one parent, notarised consent from the absent parent or parents and the passports of both parents (originals or certified copies of the biodata pages). A sole-custody parent shows the birth certificate naming only them, a death certificate or a court order instead. A UK school certificate may be asked for. See Schengen visas for children.

How much money do you need for a Slovenia visa?

Slovenia sets a reference amount of €70 per person per day, halved to €35 a day for a minor travelling with a parent or legal representative. The figure comes from Slovenia’s implementing rules (Official Gazette No 29/07) as notified to the EU.

The daily amount is used where your costs are not already secured, for example by a host’s guarantee letter or accommodation paid as part of a package. Bank statements are the usual evidence.

Officers look for regular income and a steady balance over 3 months, not a lump sum paid in just before you apply. Our guide to bank statements for a Schengen visa explains what officers check.

Slovenia visa fees from the UK

The consular fee is €90 for adults, collected only in pounds sterling at a rate that changes with the exchange rate. VFS adds its own fee per application; the Embassy route does not. VFS says all fees are non-refundable.

Family members of EU, EEA or Swiss citizens covered by the EU free movement Directive pay no visa fee and are processed under a fast-track procedure. A few nationalities pay reduced fees under EU facilitation agreements; the Embassy lists them. For a cross-country view, see our Schengen visa fee guide.

How long does a Slovenia visa take from the UK?

Decisions usually take up to 15 calendar days from when your application is lodged. This can be extended to 45 days in individual cases, for example when more documents or checks are needed, and files from Manchester or Edinburgh take about 2 extra days to reach London.

You can apply up to 6 months before travel (9 months for seafarers) and should apply at least 15 calendar days before. The Embassy may accept a later application, but processing can still take up to 15 calendar days, so the decision may arrive after your planned departure.

More detail is in our processing time guide.

Slovenia visa types for UK residents

Most UK residents need a short-stay Schengen (type C) visa, valid for up to 90 days in any 180. The documents change with the purpose of your trip.

• Tourist: Ljubljana, Lake Bled and Bohinj, the Soča Valley, Postojna and Škocjan caves, and the coast at Piran. Show bookings for every night and your route.
• Family or friends visit: your host provides an invitation letter or, if they cover your costs, a certified guarantee letter. Hosts can be Slovenian citizens, EU citizens living in Slovenia, or non-EU nationals with a Slovenian residence permit. Without a guarantee letter, the EU checklist asks for a copy of your host’s passport or residence permit and proof of your relationship. See our family visit visa guide.
• Business: only a company or other legal entity based in Slovenia can issue the guarantee or invitation letter, which states the purpose and dates, and it may be asked for proof of your business relationship. Add your UK employer’s letter. See our business visa guide.
• Short study, events and medical treatment: confirmation from the university, organiser or clinic, with how costs are paid. Professional, cultural, sports or educational bodies need the Embassy’s prior approval to lodge applications on behalf of their members.
• Students travelling on holiday: apply as tourists, with an enrolment letter from your UK institution.
• EU/EEA family members: a free, fast-tracked visa if you are covered by the EU free movement Directive and travel with or join an EU, EEA or Swiss family member.

Stays longer than 90 days need a national long-stay (type D) visa. Slovenia issues these for 90 days up to one year, they cannot be extended, the fee is €77 (waived for close family of Slovenian or EU citizens), and you apply in person. For family reunification, the Embassy interviews you while your spouse or partner is interviewed at the same time at an administrative unit in Slovenia.

Slovenia-specific tips

What trips up UK applicants is mostly timing and the host’s letter, not the core documents.

• Start the host’s letter first. It comes from Slovenia, may need certifying there, and is often the last document to arrive.
• Check your main destination. Slovenia is usually one stop on a wider trip. Four nights in Slovenia and six in Croatia or Italy means applying to that country instead. Our guide on which country to apply to covers the edge cases.
• Flying into a neighbour is fine. Many visitors fly to Venice, Trieste or Zagreb. That is acceptable provided Slovenia is still where you spend most nights.
• Use the Embassy hours wisely. With appointments only on Monday to Thursday, mostly late mornings, the Embassy suits people near Westminster. Everyone else is usually better served by VFS.
• Expect EES at your first entry. Slovenia’s land borders are internal Schengen borders, so you register in the Entry/Exit System (EES) where you first enter the Schengen area: Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport if you fly direct, or Venice, Trieste or Zagreb if you route via a neighbour. EES has been fully operational since 10 April 2026. Read our EES and ETIAS guide.
• Carry your passport across internal borders. Slovenia lifted its temporary checks at the borders with Croatia and Hungary in June 2026, but police now carry out random checks based on risk, so keep your passport and visa to hand on coaches and in hire cars.

Why Slovenia visas are refused (and how to avoid it)

Most refusals come from avoidable gaps in the file. The usual causes are:

• Wrong main destination: applying to Slovenia when more nights are spent in Croatia, Italy or Austria.
• Wrong or uncertified host letter: a guarantee letter not on the official form or not certified at the administrative unit.
• Weak funds: balances below €70 a day after normal outgoings, or unexplained deposits.
• Unclear ties to the UK: a short-notice job letter, gaps in employment or UK status close to expiry.
• Insurance gaps: cover below €30,000, without repatriation, or not covering every Schengen country and every day.
• Inconsistencies: dates, addresses or accommodation that do not match across the form, bookings and cover letter.

If you are refused, read the reasons on the standard form carefully. The Embassy says an appeal must be written in Slovene and posted to the Embassy in London within 8 days of receiving the decision, with a €153 fee paid by transfer. It can take up to two months, and no new application can be processed while the appeal is pending. Where the problem was a missing or weak document, a stronger new application is often faster. Our guide to Schengen visa refusals explains both routes, and once you have a good travel history, the multiple-entry cascade can lead to longer visas.