Pop-up passport controls in the USA and Canada this summer
In July 2023, visa exempt students and work permit applicants will have the opportunity to have their passports checked at five different locations in the USA and Canada.
Since November 1, 2022, all individuals seeking residence permit in Sweden must present their passport in person at an embassy in order to be granted a favourable decision.
This change was particularly noticeable for visa exempt applicants who previously could receive the permit and enter Sweden without visiting the embassy. Since then, the Swedish government has commissioned the Migration Agency to simplify the procedure for this group and limit the inconvenience of travelling far to visit an embassy.
One of the measures taken by the Swedish Migration Agency is to send personnel to five different locations in North America in July this summer.
“We are making this effort in parallel with the evaluation of other possible solutions,” explains Oskar Ekblad, Head of Foreign operations.
The locations have been selected with regard to when and where the demand is greatest, as well as the longest travelling distance to an embassy. Many applications from students coincide with the start of the terms, and even though employees do not apply with the same regularity, they are also welcome to visit the pop-up passport checks.
“We have chosen USA and Canada because these are places of vast distances and a large population of students who might benefit from this effort,” says Oskar Ekblad.
Personnel from the Migration Agency and the embassies will form pop-up passport controls in place for students and employees. They will visit easily accessible urban places, mainly on the campuses of large universities (see below for details).
“There is no need to book an appointment in advance. We believe we will be able to help everybody who turns up given that they don’t all arrive last minute,” says Oskar Ekblad.
The Swedish Migration Agency will assess the pop-up control effort and continue to evaluate other possible solutions, such as digital solutions or an independent service provider, with regard to legal frames and information security.
Facts about the pop-up passport controls
The pop-up passport controls are available to you who
- live in the USA or Canada,
- have applied for a residence permit for the purpose of studying or working in Sweden,
- can enter Sweden without a visa.
Locations and dates
3 July, the Swedish consulate in Vancouver, Canada
4 July, Vancouver, British Columbia. University of British Columbia, Canada
5–6 July, San Francisco, California. University of California Berkeley
7 July, Los Angeles, California. University of California Los Angeles
10–11 July, Houston, Texas. Rice University
12 July, Chicaco, Illinois. DePaul University
13 July, Chicaco, Illinois. Honorary Consulate of Sweden
No interviews at the pop-up stations
Applicants who need a visa or a residence permit card in order to enter Sweden cannot have their passport checked at the pop-up stations. You need to visit the Embassy of Sweden in Washington, DC, or Ottawa, in order to provide fingerprints and be photographed. The same goes for you who need to be interviewed, for example if you have applied for a residence permit to move to a family member in Sweden. Contact the Embassy of Sweden in Ottawa or in Washington, DC, to find out how to book an appointment.