Slovenia Reintroduces Internal Borders Control
On March 6, the Republic of Slovenia decided to introduce new measures at its borders to contain the spread of the COVID-19 infections. The recent amendment has been effective since Monday, March 8, 2021.
The border checkpoints are divided into two types, type A checkpoints and type B checkpoints, based on who is permitted to cross the border and when.
At type A checkpoints, all passengers are allowed to cross the border at all times. A type B checkpoints, only people qualifying as exemptions under Article 10 are allowed to pass.
Also, citizens of Slovenia, citizens of the neighboring countries Austria, Italy, and Hungary, as well as the citizens of the other Member States of the EU or Schengen Area, are allowed to cross the type B border checkpoints provided that they are residents in a municipality bordering the neighbor country or if they are residents of an administrative unit bordering Slovenia.
At the same time, the Government of Slovenia has also announced that the Police had implemented an online application called Enter Slovenia to make traveling to Slovenia easier. The application form is also designed for passengers entering Slovenia as a transit country, AtoZSerwisPlus.com reports.
According to the Government’s declaration, all persons coming from a country or administrative unit that are not listed on the red zone can enter Slovenia without submitting a negative Coronavirus test or staying self-isolated.
The conditions applied for the Schengen Area countries are also applied to arrivals from Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, and the Vatican.
All persons entering Slovenia from countries with an unstable Coronavirus situation that is included on the red list should stay self-isolated for ten days.
Further, the Slovenian Government has published a list of exemptions when a person will not need to self-isolate. The rules apply if a person submits:
- A negative PCR test not older than 48 hours. The test must be carried out by a European Union Member State or a Schengen Area country, or by organizations in other countries already recognized by the Institute of Microbiology and Immunology and the National Laboratory of Health, Environment and Food (NLZOH) and published on their website.
- A negative rapid antigen test (RAT) not older than 24 hours, which was performed in an EU Member State of a Schengen Area country.
- A positive PCR test or RAT certificate older than 21 days but not older than six months. Or a certificate that confirms that the person has recovered from the Coronavirus within the last six months.
- Proof that the person has been vaccinated and seven days have passed since the second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was taken, at least 14 days for the second dose of the Moderna vaccine, or 21 after the first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine.
Furthermore, the Government presented eleven cases when persons are allowed to enter Slovenia without quarantine or submitting a negative PCR or rapid antigen test. Entry from any country on the red list is permitted to:
– persons carrying out responsibilities in international transport or returning from them.
– persons transporting goods in and from Slovenia.
– persons using Slovenia as a transit country and exiting within six hours of entry.
– persons who hold a diplomatic passport.
– representatives of foreign security authorities that leave Slovenia as soon as they complete their official tasks.
– persons who have entered Slovenia in an Ambulance or any other medical vehicle.
– children under 13 who cross the board with a family member who has not been put in self-isolation.
– members of healthcare, police and firefighting services, and other rescue missions.
– members of the Slovenian Armed Force.
– persons who own land in the border area (for agricultural purposes only with a time limit of ten hours of stay).
– persons coming from an EU Member State where the infection per 100,00 people is lower than in Slovenia.
