Author
The Government Office for the Support and Integration of Migrants (UOIM) is responsible for the reception and accommodation of asylum applicants in Slovenia. Large-scale centres are used for the accommodation of asylum applicants in Slovenia.
After the preliminary procedure, applicants are bought to the Asylum Home or its branch in Logatec where they must wait to lodge their application for international protection. In the meantime, individuals are accommodated in the Asylum Home or its branch in Logatec. Although applicants are not locked in the Asylum Home or the houses in Logatec and nothing prevents them from absconding, they are not allowed to leave premises of the Asylum Home or Logatec and are therefore de facto detained. In case they leave the premises of the Asylum Home or its branch before lodging their application, applicants can be processed as foreigners under the Foreigners Act, which means that they can be returned or readmitted to another country. Considering that individuals are not considered asylum applicants until their application is formally lodged, there is a lapse of time in which they do not have access to all of the services. Individuals can move freely on the premises of the Asylum Home or its branch.
After individuals lodge their application, they are accommodated in the Asylum Home or one of its branches. The decision is made by social workers of the Asylum Home based on the individual circumstances of the applicant (e.g., family, unaccompanied minor, single woman, other detected vulnerabilities, etc.,) as well as availability. In practice, single men are accommodated in the Asylum Home or its branch in Kotnikova. Women and families are accommodated in Logatec. Unaccompanied minors are accommodated in the accommodation centre for unaccompanied minors in Postojna. After lodging the application, the UOIM must obtain the opinion of the social services regarding the suitability of the centre, before the unaccompanied minor is accommodated in one of the centres.[1]
After an individual is granted international protection, they need to leave the accommodation centre within 15 days of receiving the decision. If they are able to obtain private accommodation within this timeframe, they can move outside the reception centre. If they are not able to secure private housing, they are accommodated in the integration house in Maribor or Ljubljana. If the applicant receives a negative decision, they can continue to reside in the Asylum Home or one of its branches until the decision of the court becomes final.
[1] Article 16(7) IPA.