Apply for citizenship – for children

Here is information on how you as a guardian apply for Swedish citizenship for your child. This is called filing a notification of citizenship.

Requi­re­ments for citi­zenship

In order to become a Swedish citizen, the child must

  • have the right of residence, residence status, a residence card or a permanent residence permit in Sweden
  • have lived in Sweden for the past three years (or two if the child is stateless)
  • be under 18 years old.

Keep in mind that all requirements must be met when the notification is filed.

The notification must be made by the child’s guardian(s).

If the child has more than one guardian, the other guardian must also sign the notification.

If the child is 12 or older, the child must also sign the notification.

In most cases, you pay a fee.

Citizenship fees

Read more about the right of residence and residence cards

Read more about residence status

Requi­re­ments for using the e-service

To use the e-service, the following is necessary:

  • you as the guardian must have an e-identification
  • children 12 and up must have an e-identification
  • you as the guardian must have an email address
  • you as the guardian must be able to pay by card.

Children 12 and up must sign the notification with an e-identification. If the child (12 or older) does not have an e-identification, you need to apply by form.

If the person the notification concerns has children who are resident in Sweden, they can become Swedish citizens through the same application if

  • the person has sole custody or
  • the other guardian is a Swedish citizen or
  • the other guardian becomes Swedish at the same time.

If the child has lived in Sweden and has had the right of residence for three years, an assessment is made of whether the child’s parents fulfil the requirements for the right of residence. You must therefore send in documents that show that you as the guardian fulfil the requirements for the right of residence or residence card.

How to verify your right of resi­dence or resi­dence card

If you are a family member of an EU/EEA citizen, you need to be able to show that you have and have had the right of residence and thereby had a legal presence in that your relative has and has had the right of residence. You must therefore send in documents that show that your relative has worked, studied, been self-employed or had own funds in Sweden in the past five years.

If your relative works or has worked, you must include

  • a verification of employment or work certificate with information on the period of employment and terms of employment for the past five years
  • a certificate from the Public Employment Service (Arbetsförmedlingen) verifying that your relative was a job seeker if he or she was unemployed for six months or more
  • a certificate from the Swedish Social Insurance Agency (Försäkringskassan) verifying that your relative lacked the ability to work for six months or more due to illness or accident if applicable.

If your relative is or has been self-employed, you must include

  • a registration certificate for the company
  • tax returns or other documentation that shows that the company has been active for the past five years.

If your relative is or has had own funds, you must include

  • documents that show that your relative has had adequate funding to financially support the family the past five years, such as pension disbursements, wages from abroad or bank funds (if you have own funds for your financial support, they must also be reported)
  • housing costs for the past five years
  • certificates that nobody in the family has received income support according to the Social Services Act in the past five years.

If your relative studies or has studied, you must include

  • study grants for the periods your relative studied
  • a certificate that your relative has been able to financially support you during the time he or she studied.

You can use the My page e-service to see how your case is progressing and, for example, whether a decision has been made. It may take up to two working days after you submit your application before you can see your case in My page.

Log in to My page

If you cannot apply online, complete the form Notification of Swedish citizenship for a child who lives in Sweden, 318011 (in Swedish only).

Notification of Swedish citizenship for a child who lives in Sweden, form 318011 (in Swedish only) Pdf, 692.8 kB, opens in new window.

Send the notification to

Swedish Migration Agency
Citizenship Unit
601 70 Norrköping

In most cases, you pay a fee.

Citizenship fees

The Swedish Migration Agency sends the decision to your officially registered address. If the child has become a Swedish citizen, we also notify the Swedish Tax Agency of the decision. We will then also freeze the child’s residence permit card, which means that the card is invalid and can no longer be used for travel.

Swedish passport

If the child has become a Swedish citizen, you can apply for a Swedish passport. You file the application for a Swedish passport with the police.

If the child is abroad and you want to apply for a Swedish passport, you can do so at a Swedish embassy or consulate-general.

The Police website External link, opens in new window.

Swedish embassies and consulates-general External link, opens in new window.

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