Citi­zenship – for state­less children born in Sweden

Here you will find information about what is required for a child, who was born in Sweden and has been stateless since birth, to become a Swedish citizen.

Swedish (svenska)
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Requi­re­ments for citi­zenship

To become a Swedish citizen through notification, these requirements must be met. The child must

  • have been born in Sweden
  • have been stateless since he or she was born (it is not enough for the child’s citizenship status to be unknown)
  • be less than 18 years old
  • have a permanent residence permit*, residence status, right of residence, or a residence card
  • live in Sweden.

*The requirement for a permanent residence permit does not apply if the child

  • has lived in Sweden for five years without interruption, or for a total of ten years, and
  • has a temporary residence permit as a refugee or person eligible for subsidiary protection, based either on ties to someone in Sweden, due to particularly distressing circumstances, or because of impediments to enforcement.

Read more about the right of residence and residence cards

Read more about residence status

The notification must be made by the child’s parent(s)/legal guardian(s). If the child has more than one parent/legal guardian, all their parents/legal guardians must sign the notification. Children who have reached the age of 12 must consent to becoming a Swedish citizen by signing the notification.

You may need to pay a fee.

Citizenship fees

Not everyone who applies needs to pay a fee

Requi­re­ments for using the e-service

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

  • you as the parent/legal guardian must have an e-identification
  • children 12 and up must have an e-identification
  • you as the parent/legal guardian must have an email address
  • you as the parent/legal 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 submit a form.

If the child to whom the notification relates has children who live in Sweden, then under certain conditions, they can automatically become Swedish citizens. For information on the conditions that must be met, see Swedish citi­zenship for children of a parent who becomes a Swedish citizen through noti­fi­ca­tion

This applies to those who are

  • stateless and have received a refugee declaration
  • stateless and have received travel documents from the Swedish Migration Agency.

The refugee declaration was replaced on 1 January 2010 in Swedish law by a refugee status declaration, which builds on the provisions in the EU Qualification Directive. Anyone who has a refugee status declaration can be granted a travel document.

You can use the My page e-service to see how your case is progressing and, for example, whether a decision has been made.

Log in to My page

If you cannot apply online, complete the form Notification of Swedish citizenship for a stateless child who was born in and lives in Sweden, 319011 (in Swedish only).

Notification of Swedish citizenship for a stateless child who was born in and lives in Sweden, form 319011 (in Swedish only) Pdf, 735.8 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.

Read more about how to apply for a Swedish passport on the police’s website External link, opens in new window.

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.

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

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