As of February 2022, a new and “upgraded” format of residence card is being issued to foreigners living in Slovenia. Depending on the citizenship, a different residence card will be issued (third-country nationals, Swiss nationals and EU citizens).
For those who doesn’t know, the “old” card is a laminated card, while the “new” one is a plasticized card. It follows the same standard as a Slovenian (and European) ID card. It has added security features, such as biometrics and nice holograms.
Personally, I rarely go to the Upravna Enota, but since I needed some documents for the kids, I decided to apply for the newer version. The procedure is actually really simple.
Here is what you will need:
- your current residence card,
- a document photo (the digital version is not necessary) and
- passport.
The cost is 15,47€, to be paid at pick-up (I got mine less than a week after applying).
Compared to the “old” one, I obviously like the “new” one better. Although, the validity is only 10 years (compared to the previous one, that would have lasts… well, forever), I still think that it is a good change – because of the security features and it looks a lot more official!
Please note that the old version remains valid until its expiration, BUT the new version becomes mandatory on August 3rd 2023. Therefore, don’t forget to change it before!
If you want more information, you can read the official post from the Government here: Nove izkaznice dovoljenj za prebivanje za tujce.
Anna in Slovenia 
I had to get a new ID card for Slovenia because of Brexit. It allows me to stay after losing my EU citizen status. Now I need to show it with my passport to prove that I don’t need a Schengen visa.
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Yes, the residence card is NOT a travel document, you still need to have a valid passport, especially for third-country nationals.
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