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- | Protection and asylum in Sweden
- | Children in the asylum process
- | Unaccompanied minors
Unaccompanied minors
Applying for asylum
Applying for asylum means that you have left your country and come to another country because you feel you need protection. As a child (a minor), you may not apply for asylum yourself. Instead, a custodian, appointed by the municipality, will assist you and look after your interests if your parents are not able to.
You and your custodian will together apply for asylum on your behalf. If you submitt an application without your custodian the Migration Board will accept your application, but cannot start processing until it has been approved by a custodian or public counsel (a lawyer). Most persons applying for asylum are entitled to legal assistance. This is called the “right to public counsel".
Initially, the Migration Board determines if it is Sweden or another country that should process your application. If your application is to be processed in Sweden the Migration Board will examine your reasons for seeking a residence permit. You then meet an Asylum Case Officer with your custodian and/or your public counsel and can tell them about yourself and your life before arriving in Sweden.
When the Migration Board is considering your reasons, we try as much as possible to adapt the investigation according to your age, maturity, your health and other circumstances.
Being reunited with parents
According to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, children are entitled to be with their family. This is why the Swedish authorities try to find your parents or other guardian. The search for your family is carried out at the same time as the Migration Board investigates your application for asylum. Sometimes you can receive a temporary permit while the search for for your family continues. Our primary goal is to enable you to be reunited with your family in your home country. If your family is in safety in some other country, you can also be reunited there. If it is not possible for you to be reunited any where else, your close family members may be granted residence permits in Sweden. Whether or not your family members receive residence permits depends on what sort of permit you have received. Talk to the Migration Board for more information.
If you receive a residence permit
If you receive a residence permit, the municipality where you live will assist you with suitable housing.
If you do not receive a residence permit
If the Migration Board has examined your reasons and found that they are not grounds for asylum, the Migration Board will reject your application. If this happens you may appeal to the Migration Court. The court will determine whether the Migration Board has made the correct decision according to law.
In most cases, the court will agree with the decision made by the Migration Board. If the Migration Court agrees with the decision made by the Migration Board, you may appeal to another court, the Migration Court of Appeal. This court does not examine all appeals but you may try to have them examine your case. You can talk to the Migration Board, your custodian or your public counsel about how this is done.
Returning home
When you return to your home country, there must always be an arranged reception. Arranged reception means that there must be parents, other close relatives or a functioning social institution, such as an orphanage, to receive you. The Migration Board will make sure that an adult will travel with you to your home country.
Different authorities and what they do
When you come to Sweden you will meet people from different authorities.
The Migration Board is in charge of, for example:
- receiving and considering your application for asylum
- appointing public counsel to give you legal help
- assessing / judging your age, if necessary
- inquiring into / looking for your family members and relatives while you are applying for asylum
- working to help you return if you are unable to stay in Sweden
Municipalities (local authorities) are in charge of, for example:
- your accommodation and care
- making it possible for you to attend school
- appointing a custodian – someone who looks after your interests if your parents are not able to.
County councils are in charge of:
- providing you with healthcare. All asylum-seeking children have the right to receive health, medical and dental care, under the same conditions as other children in Swedish society.
