Residence status for British citizens

The general application period for residence status ended on 31 December 2021. Certain groups still have the opportunity to apply for residence status. Here you can read about the current conditions for obtaining residence status and what applies to frontier work.

Appli­ca­tions after 31 December 2021

As of 1 January 2022, the following groups have the opportunity to apply for residence status:

  • Family members of a British citizen with residence status or permanent residence status.
  • Biological and adopted children who have at least one parent who is a British citizen with residence status or permanent residence status.

In these cases, the application must have been received by the Swedish Migration Agency within three months of the child’s arrival in Sweden. For children born in Sweden, this means three months from their date of birth.

An application submitted after 31 December 2021 by someone who does not belong to any of the groups mentioned above can sometimes be accepted under the Withdrawal Agreement, so long as the applicant can cite plausible reasons for submitting her/his application after the deadline. To determine whether plausible reasons exist, an individual assessment must be made. In addition to providing a plausible reason for submitting your application too late, you must:

  • be a British citizen, current family member of a British citizen, or former family member of a British citizen
  • have been in Sweden in accordance with European Union law before the end of the transition period, that is, before 31 December 2020
  • continue to live in Sweden after the end of the transition period and also continue to meet the requirements for the right of residence, meaning as an employee, sole proprietor, student, person with adequate funds or a family member of a person who meets these conditions.

If you applied before 31 December 2021 but have not yet received a decision regarding your application for residence status you have the right to live, work and study in Sweden until you receive a decision.

Read more about how to apply for residence status in Sweden

Read more about what applies to you as a family member of a British citizen

If you have proof of resi­dence status or perma­nent resi­dence status and want to renew your resi­dence status card

British citizens and family members of British citizens who have proof of residence status or permanent residence status have been given a residence status card. The card’s period of validity is five years.

If you wish to extend the period of validity of your residence status card, you need to book an appointment with the Swedish Migration Agency to provide fingerprints and be photographed again. Once you have been fingerprinted and photographed, your new residence status card will be sent to your address within a week.

If you have proof of residence status or permanent residence status but have not renewed your residence status card, you will retain your status for as long as you meet the requirements for right of residence. Please note that it facilitates entry and exit to and from Sweden if you renew your residence status card before it has expired.

If you have proof of resi­dence status and wish to apply for proof of perma­nent resi­dence status

If you have proof of residence status you can – if you wish– apply for proof of permanent residence status. Permanent residence status comes into affect after at least five years in Sweden with the right of residence. To get proof of permanent residence status you need to apply for it.

Read more about the rules for applying for proof of permanent residence status

Special rules for fron­tier workers

If you are a British citizen who at the end of the transition period and in continuation live in another country, but work in Sweden by being employed or by having your own company, you are considered to be a frontier worker. As a frontier worker, you do not need to apply for residence status to work in Sweden, however, you have a right to receive a certificate that you are a frontier worker. There is no deadline for applying for this certificate.

Read more about what applies to you as a frontier worker

If you live in Sweden, but work in another country, you do not count as a frontier worker, but rather as a resident of Sweden.

If you have applied for Swedish citi­zenship, but not yet received a deci­sion

If you have applied for Swedish citizenship, but not yet received a decision, you need to legalise your presence in Sweden by applying for a permit on some other basis while awaiting the decision in your citizenship case. If you applied for residence status before 31 December 2021 but have yet to receive a decision regarding your application, you have the right to live, work and study in Sweden pending a decision in your case. 

If you have a perma­nent right of resi­dence, perma­nent resi­dence card, perma­nent resi­dence permit or Swedish citi­zenship

For British citizens, certificates of permanent right of residence are not valid after 31 December 2021. The same applies to right of residence or permanent residence cards granted due to a person’s connection to a British citizen. You need to apply for a residence permit to legalise your stay in Sweden.

If you have a permanent residence permit or Swedish citizenship, you do not need to have residence status, but if you also have residence status, family members other than your spouse/cohabiting partner and minor children can apply to move to Sweden to live with you. This applies, for example, to parents or children over 21 who are financially dependent on you. The same also applies to the family members who are not EU/EEA citizens and want to visit you and usually apply for a visa to come to Sweden. In their case, the application is also free-of-charge in contrast to if you only have a permanent residence permit in Sweden or a Swedish citizenship.

If you plan on moving to Sweden

If you wish to live, work or study in Sweden and are not entitled to residence status, you can apply for a residence permit in accordance with national legislation. As a general rule, if you wish to live in Sweden you must apply for a residence permit from your country of origin or the country in which you have permission to live. If you are a family member of a Swedish citizen who used their free movement in the United Kingdom before 31 December 2020, you can apply for a residence card.

Read more about residence permit to live with someone in Sweden

Read more about work permit

Read more about residence permit to study or research in Sweden

If you want to travel

British citizens do not require a visa and only need a passport or national ID card upon entry to Sweden.

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