How to apply for residence status

On this page, you can find information on how to apply for residence status.

If you have not applied for resi­dence status before the end of the appli­ca­tion period

Your right to stay in Sweden ended after 31 December 2021 if you did not apply for residence status before then. In some cases, the Swedish Migration Agency can accept an application for residence status that has come in after this date. This presupposes that there are reasonable grounds for why you did not apply in time. A review will be done of each individual case.

Some family members can apply afterwards. For them, it is important that their application has been received within three months of when they came to Sweden.

If you have been granted residence status, you can apply for permanent residence status once you have stayed in Sweden for at least five years with the right of residence. You must submit an application for proof of permanent residence status to the Swedish Migration Agency before your proof of residence status expires.

However, people with permanent residence permits have the right to continue to stay in Sweden as usual even after this date. People who have temporary residence permits in Sweden may, on the other hand, need to apply for a work permit to continue to have the possibility of working in Sweden after the end of the application period.

Read more about what applies to your family members

The Swedish Migration Agency’s online application makes it easier for you to complete the form correctly from the beginning. When you apply online, you are given clear instructions on how to complete your application and what you have to send in with it, which improves your chances of getting a decision faster.

You need to send in copies of the following with your application

What you need to enclose with your application depends on who you are. Choose the heading that applies to you.

Employed

  • copy of pages of your passport which states your citizenship and the passport’s period of validity, or copy of your British national identity card
  • certificate of employment include information about employer’s name, contact information and company registration number, wages, duration of the employment, scope of the work (number of hours per week) and when the employment began. If the certificate of employment is more than three months old, a payslip for the most recent month also needs to be attached
  • payslips for the last three months showing the number of hours worked, if you have part-time employment or temporary employment.

If your application is being submitted after the end of the application period, please write an explanation of why under "Other information".

Self-employed

  • copy of pages of your passport which states your citizenship and the passport’s period of validity, or copy of your British national identity card
  • documents that show that you are self-employed, for example F-tax certificate and certificate of registration, latest VAT return submitted to the Swedish Tax Agency or an extract from the tax account, or evidence that you are running a business, e.g. customer invoices, receipts for purchased materials, rental agreement for commercial premises, etc.

If your application is being submitted after the end of the application period, please write an explanation of why under "Other information".

If you are in the process of setting up your own business in Sweden but do not yet have a business, you can enclose copies of

  • documents which state the plans that are in place for the company and the preparations that have been made
  • service contracts, customer contact information or a rental agreement for commercial premises
  • transfer agreement and the most recent annual report.

Student

  • copy of pages of your passport which states your citizenship and the passport’s period of validity, or copy of your British national identity card
  • evidence of acceptance to an education programme at the upper secondary level or higher
  • certificate showing that you are enrolled in an education
  • European health insurance cards (EHIC). If you are ineligible for such a card, you need to take out a comprehensive health insurance policy that covers you during your time in Sweden, and enclose a copy of the policy. The copy must clearly state what is covered by the policy.
  • a written certificate where you assure that the maintenance is secured for you and your family while you are studying in Sweden. Sign the certificate, scan it and enclose it to your online application.

If your application is being submitted after the end of the application period, please write an explanation of why under "Other information".

Person with sufficient funds (also includes pensioners)

Always enclose copies of the following documents:

  • copy of pages of your passport which states your citizenship and the passport’s period of validity, or copy of your British national identity card
  • if you are not registered in Sweden in the Population Register, you need to enclose documentation confirming that you are covered by the social insurance system of another EU country. The authorities of the respective country must issue the document. If you are ineligible for such a card, you need to take out a comprehensive health insurance policy that covers you during your time in Sweden, and enclose a copy of the policy. The copy must clearly state what is covered by the policy
  • information on your housing costs in Sweden such as rental agreement showing rental costs or document confirming the purchase of a condominium or property. If you own your property, indicate the monthly costs associated with your residence.

If your application is being submitted after the end of the application period, please write an explanation of why under "Other information".

If your means of support consists of a salary or other form of compensation from abroad, you need to submit:

  • a pension statement if you are a pensioner
  • a copy of a valid employment contract and payslip from the employer for the last three months if you are employed
  • receipts for costs incurred commuting to a foreign country. Attach a copy of your monthly/weekly commuter card or similar
  • documentation of any allowances or other forms of income from abroad.

If you intend to support yourself using your assets, you need to submit

  • bank statements showing your available funds
  • information on other sources of disposable income.

If another person is supporting you in Sweden, you need to enclose

  • a copy of the identity card for the person who supports you
  • a letter in which the person who supports you certifies that he or she will continue to support you and states their relation to you (if you are not related, then close friends or similar)
  • details of the person’s income, assets and living circumstances. This also needs to state whether the person has any family members or other persons who are dependent on him or her for their support.

If your family members is to stay with you and you apply for them at the same time, you must also send in copies of the following documents.

Husband or wife

  • copies of the pages of your family members passport showing personal information and the period of validity of his or her passport, or a copy of the British national identity card if he or she is a British or EU/EEA citizen
  • documents showing the family relationship, for example marriage certificate.

Under "Other information", please also state whether you are currently in Sweden, and if so, specify the date when you entered Sweden.

Cohabiting partner

  • copies of the pages of your family members passport showing personal information and the period of validity of his or her passport, or a copy of the British national identity card if he or she is a British or EU/EEA citizen
  • documents which confirm that you have cohabitated, either in Sweden or abroad. For example extracts from the civil registry or other documentation showing that you both have been registered at the same address, documents which show shared utility accounts or insurance policies, bills issued to you jointly or bills that were issued individually but were sent to your shared address; for example telephone bills.

Under "Other information", please also state whether you are currently in Sweden, and if so, specify the date when you entered Sweden.

Children

  • copies of the pages of the child’s passport showing his or her personal information and the period of validity of their passport, or a copy of the national identity card if the child is a British or EU/EEA citizen
  • birth certificate or other document stating the parents’ names
    adoption documents if the child is adopted
  • optionally a separate sheet of paper with the child's views if the child is under the age of 18 years.

Under "Other information", please also state whether you are currently in Sweden, and if so, specify the date when you entered Sweden.

Parent who is financially dependent on you or your husband/wife/cohabiting partner

  • copies of the pages of your family members passport showing personal information and the period of validity of their passport or copies of the British national identity card if they are a British or EU/EEA citizen
  • document which demonstrates that you are related, or that your family member is related to your husband/wife/cohabiting partner; for example a birth certificate
  • documents which demonstrate the way in which your family member are dependent on you for essential needs.

Under "Other information", please also state whether you are currently in Sweden, and if so, specify the date when you entered Sweden.

Child over the age of 21 who is financially dependent on you or your husband/wife/cohabiting partner

  • copies of the pages of your family members passport showing personal information and the period of validity of their passport, or a copy of the British national identity card if they are a British or EU/EEA citizen
  • document which demonstrates that you are related, or that your family member is related to your husband/wife/cohabiting partner; for example. a birth certificate
  • documents which demonstrate the way in which your family member are dependent on you for essential needs

Under "Other information", please also state whether you are currently in Sweden, and if so, specify the date when you entered Sweden.

Parent/legal guardian of a child studying in Sweden

  • copies of the pages of your family members passport showing personal information and the period of validity of their passport, or copy of the British national identity card if they are a British or EU/EEA citizen
  • document which demonstrates that your family member is the parent/legal guardian of the child who is studying in Sweden; for example a birth certificate
  • document which demonstrate that the child is studying in Sweden.

Under "Other information", please also state whether you are currently in Sweden, and if so, specify the date when you entered Sweden.

If you have a right of permanent residence that the Swedish Migration Agency decided on or a permanent residence card issued by the Swedish Migration Agency, you only need to send in a copy of your passport or a copy of your national ID card; no other documents are needed.

Employed or unemployed

  • copies of the pages of your passport which states your citizenship and the passport’s period of validity, or copy of your British national identity card
  • all statements of earnings from the Swedish Tax Agency from the last five years
  • employer’s certificate for the last five years
  • if you have been unemployed at any time, you need to submit a certificate which indicates the dates on which you were registered as a job seeker with the Swedish Public Employment Service.

Self-employed

  • copies of the pages of your passport which states your citizenship and the passport’s period of validity, or copy of your British national identity card
  • tax account for the company from the Swedish Tax Agency for the last five years.

Student

  • copies of the pages of your passport which states your citizenship and the passport’s period of validity, or British national identity card
  • transcripts for the periods that you have been studying at upper secondary level or higher.

Own funds for support

  • copies of the pages of your passport which states your citizenship and the passport’s period of validity, or copy of your British national identity card
  • information on your housing costs in Sweden such as rental agreement showing rental costs or document confirming the purchase of a condominium or property. If you own your property, indicate the monthly costs associated with your residence
  • documents showing how you have supported yourself during your time in Sweden, for example pension payments, bank statements, tax assessment information for salary paid from abroad or other documents that demonstrate how you have supported yourself.

If any other person has provided support for you in Sweden then you need to enclose:

  • a copy of the identity card for the person who supports you
  • a letter in which the person who supports you certifies that he or she has supported you and states their relation to you
  • documents which confirm that he or she has supported you; for example bank statements.

Your family members

  • copies of the pages of their passport which states their citizenship and the passport’s period of validity, or copy of their British national identity card.

If you cannot complete an online application, you must complete the form, which you find a link to below, and send it to

Swedish Migration Agency
Box 3100
903 03 Umeå

If your family is applying at the same time as you, each family member must complete their own application.

Application for residence status for a British citizen, form 277011 Pdf, 841.8 kB, opens in new window.

Application for residence status for a family member of a British citizen, form 279011 Pdf, 872.6 kB, opens in new window.

Application for permanent residence status for a British citizen, form 281011 Pdf, 1.4 MB, opens in new window.

Application for permanent residence status for a family member of a British citizen, form 283011 Pdf, 863.2 kB, opens in new window.

Application for permanent residence status for a British citizen and his or her family member who has permanent right of residence or permanent residence card, form 285011 Pdf, 854.7 kB, opens in new window.

If you are applying for someone else, you need a power of attorney.

What is a power of attorney?

A power of attorney can be a signed letter in which the person applying for a permit allows another person to represent him or her. A power of attorney can, for example, give someone the right to apply, be informed of the reasons for a decision, or lodge an appeal for someone else. The power of attorney must be signed by the person who gives their power of attorney to another person, and must be presented in the original if required by the Swedish Migration Agency.

In order to give another person power of attorney, you will need to send a letter to the Swedish Migration Agency stating

  • that it is a power of attorney
  • the name, date of birth and address of the person giving someone else the power of attorney
  • what the person who has the power of attorney has to do
  • the name, personal identity number and address of the person who is given the power of attorney
  • the signature of the person giving someone else the power of attorney
  • the date and place where the power of attorney is signed.

Power of Attorney, form 107011 Pdf, 641.4 kB, opens in new window.

When we have received your appli­ca­tion

You will receive a certificate that you have submitted an application for residence status. During the time that you are waiting on a decision, you have the same rights as a European Union citizen and can continue to live, work and study in Sweden.

Follow your case in My page

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

You must show your passport

The Swedish Migration Agency must check your passport or British national identity card before a decision can be made. You may therefore need to show your passport or ID card at a Swedish embassy or consulate-general if you are outside Sweden, or one of the Migration Agency's service centres if you are in Sweden.

In some cases, you will not be required to show your passport or national ID card, for example, if we have already checked your them during a previous visit.

If you need to show your passport or national ID card, we will contact you with information on how and when to do so.

Proof of resi­dence status

If you are granted residence status, you will receive a card as proof that you have residence status. The card contains, among other things, your photograph along with your fingerprints. You will be photographed and have your fingerprints taken when the passport or British national ID card is checked.

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