Apply for an alien’s passport

If you do not have a passport and have no way of obtaining one, you can in certain cases receive an alien’s passport from the Swedish Migration Agency. If you have become a Swedish citizen you should contact the police to apply for a Swedish passport.

Requi­re­ments for receiving an alien’s passport

To receive an alien’s passport, you must

  • have been granted a residence permit in Sweden on the grounds of protection from authorities in your home country and can therefore not turn to them for a passport, or in certain cases because you come from a country whose passport Sweden does not approve.

You cannot receive an alien’s passport if

  • you are a Swedish citizen or EU/EEA citizen
  • you have been granted a residence permit on protection grounds that are unrelated to authorities in your home country (for example honour-related problems, natural disasters or the general situation in your home country). You should then instead contact your home country’s authorities in order to obtain a passport
  • you have another document that is valid as a passport and that you can travel with
  • you are in your home country.

The Swedish Migration Agency bases its assessment on the reasons that are stated in your decision and make an individual assessment in each case. The fact that it is difficult, inconvenient or expensive to obtain a home country passport is not sufficient reason to receive an alien’s passport.

Ett främlingspass

Requi­re­ments for use of the e-service

To use the e-service, you must

  • be residing in and be registered in Sweden
  • have an e-identification
  • be able to pay the application fee with a bank card or debit card
  • have a copy of your Swedish ID card
  • have a copy of any previously issued alien's passport (copies of the personal page and all pages with stamps) or a police report stating that you have lost your alien's passport.

Read more about how to attach a copy of your passport to your application

Read more about how to apply for an alien’s passport for a child under the heading Children under 18 years of age

If you have not verified your identity before you can also attach a copy of your passport from your home country or other documents that verify your identity (if you do not have a passport). It may for example be an ID card, birth certificate or a military book.

Keep in mind that it may take longer for you to receive your decision if you do not submit the documents we need with your application.

Book an appoint­ment in the e-service

Before submitting your application via the e-service, book an appointment to provide fingerprints and take photographs. The appointment is included as part of the e-service.

You will receive information on how to cancel or change the time you have booked in the e-service in your confirmation email.

Children under the age of 18

Children under the age of 18 cannot apply for an alien’s passport themselves. The child’s parent/legal guardian or guardian must apply for an alien’s passport for the child.

If your child has two parents/legal guardians and you apply through the e-service, you must complete and attach the form Consent that the Swedish Migration Agency issues a passport (alien’s passport or travel document) for a child under 18 years, form 247011. Both parents/legal guardians must give their consent and their signatures must be witnessed.

Consent for the Swedish Migration Agency to issue a passport (alien’s passport or travel document) for a child under the age of 18, form 247011 Pdf, 701.3 kB, opens in new window.

If you are applying as a guardian you need to attach your appointment and a copy of your ID card.

A child who does not have either of his/her parents in Sweden must be accompanied by a guardian when he/she has their photo and fingerprints taken.

Most people need to pay a fee to apply for an alien’s passport. You pay the fee with a bank card when you submit your application.

If you are not able to pay with a bank card you can pay the fee through BankGiro or ask for a paying-in form when you have your photo and fingerprints taken. The Swedish Migration Agency will not begin to process your application until you have paid the fee.

Fees for an alien’s passport

If you are not able to apply for an alien’s passport online you must apply by filling out the form Application for an alien’s passport, number 190011, and submit it when you visit one of the Swedish Migration Agency’s Service Centres in person. Fill out the form before your visit.

Application for an alien's passport, form 191011 Pdf, 1.2 MB, opens in new window.

Children under the age of 18

Children under the age of 18 cannot apply for an alien’s passport themselves. It is the child’s legal guardian or guardian who applies in person for an alien’s passport for the child.

As a legal guardian, you must approve the application by submitting the form Consent that the Swedish Migration Agency issues a passport (alien’s passport or travel document) for a child under 18 years, form 247011, together with the child's application form. If there are two legal guardians, both must give their consent.

Consent for the Swedish Migration Agency to issue a passport (alien’s passport or travel document) for a child under the age of 18, form 247011 Pdf, 701.3 kB, opens in new window.

A child who does not have either of his/her parents in Sweden must be accompanied by a guardian when he/she has their photo and fingerprints taken. The child’s guardian must bring his/her appointment and ID card.

Book an appoint­ment

Before you visit the Swedish Migration Agency to submit your application you must book an appointment. You need to book an appointment for each person who wants to apply for an alien’s passport, and each person must submit their own application form.

Book an appointment

Submit your appli­ca­tion

When you submit your application you need to bring

  • your Swedish ID card
  • the application form, filled out and signed (one form per person)
  • a copy of any previously issued alien’s passport or police report that states that you have lost your alien’s passport.
  • consent from the parents or legal guardians if the application is for a child who is under the age of 18 (the form Consent for the Swedish Migration Agency to issue a passport (alien’s passport or travel document) for a child under the age of 18, number 247011).

If you have not verified your identity before you can also attach a copy of your passport from your home country or other documents that verify your identity (if you do not have a passport). It may for example be an ID card, birth certificate or a military book.

If you have a passport from your home country or an older alien’s passport you must submit these to the Swedish Migration Agency. Sometimes the case officer can accept that you submit copies of your passport together with your application, but you will then be asked to hand in your original passport when it is time to process your application or when you are collecting your new passport.

The Swedish Migration Agency will take your photo and fingerprints when you submit your application. Your photo, fingerprints and personal data will be stored in a computer chip in the alien’s passport. This data is not stored at the Swedish Migration Agency, only in the card’s chip. Children under the age of 6 do not need to provide their fingerprints.

Most people need to pay a fee to apply for an alien’s passport. You pay the fee with a bank card when you submit your application. You can also receive a paying-in form and pay later. The Swedish Migration Agency will begin to process your application once you have paid.

Fees for an alien’s passport

On the Swedish Migration Agency’s website you can read about how long the processing time is at the moment. The decision may take longer if the case officer needs to ask you for more information.

Once the Swedish Migration Agency has finished processing your application we will send you the decision by post.

Current processing times

The decision will be sent to you by post. If the Swedish Migration Agency has decided that you are entitled to an alien’s passport we will send you a message when your alien’s passport is ready to be collected. It may take up to 14 days from the day when you received the decision before you can collect your passport at the Service Centre where you applied for the passport.

If your appli­ca­tion is rejected

If the Swedish Migration Agency rejects your application for an alien’s passport you can appeal the decision.

If you want to appeal the decision you need to write a letter in which you write what decision you want the Swedish Migration Agency to reconsider and why you feel that the decision is incorrect. In the letter you must include your personal data and your case number and you must sign the letter yourself.

Make sure that the Swedish Migration Agency has received your appeal no later than within 3 weeks after you were informed of the decision.

If you would like someone else to appeal for you, you must give that person a written power of attorney.

If you are granted an alien’s passport you need to book an appointment to collect the passport before you visit the Swedish Migration Agency. Keep in mind that you need to book an appointment for each person who is collecting their passport. If you are collecting passports for your children you need to book an appointment for each passport that you are collecting.

You need to collect your alien’s passport at the same Service Centre where you submitted your application, unless you have been informed that you need to collect the passport at another location. If you want to collect your alien’s passport at another location you need to speak to the staff about this when you have your photo and fingerprints taken.

You must collect your passport in person. For children under the age of 18, the legal guardian or the guardian can collect the passport without the child.

Children over the age of 15 can collect their passport themselves if the Swedish Migration Agency has made a note saying that the legal guardian made a special request for this when the application was submitted.

You need to bring valid ID when you collect your alien’s passport. If you have a previously used alien’s passport that you have not already submitted you need to return it when you collect your new passport.

Book an appointment

Travel with an alien’s passport

The alien’s passport meets the EU’s passport requirements and it is possible to travel to all countries with an alien’s passport. You may need a visa to enter certain countries. Contact the embassy of the country in question to obtain more information before you travel.

If you have been granted a residence permit due to a need for protection, your alien’s passport will say that you are not able to travel to your home country or the country that you have fled from.

If you have not been able to verify your identity, it will say in your passport that your identity has not been verified, which may make it more difficult for you to travel to certain countries.

How long your passport is valid for

An alien's passport is valid for a maximum of three years and cannot be extended. If you need an alien's passport after the old one has expired, you can apply for a new one.

When you want to apply for a new alien’s passport you need to have your photo and fingerprints taken again, since your photo and fingerprints are not stored at the Swedish Migration Agency, but only in a computer chip in the alien’s passport.

If you lose your passport

If you lose your alien’s passport or if it gets stolen you need to report it to the police. If you need a new alien’s passport you must submit a new application. Bring a copy of the police report that you received by post or at the police station when you apply for a new alien’s passport.

Limited area of validity in case of lost passport

If you have lost your alien's passport or if there is suspicion that your passport has been misused, the Swedish Migration Agency may limit the area of validity of your new alien's passport. This means your new alien's passport will only be valid for travel within Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Norway. If you have lost more than one alien's passport, the consequence may be that your new passport will only be valid in Sweden.

If you have been given an alien's passport as a person in need of alternative subsidiary protection, you will not be affected by the rules on limited area of validity.

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