Planning to get married or become a cohabiting partner

If you are a citizen of a non-EU country and want to move to a family member in Sweden, you require a residence permit. You can be granted a residence permit if you are planning to marry or become the cohabiting partner of someone in Sweden.

The family member in Sweden must be a Swedish citizen, have a permanent residence permit, a right of permanent residence, a permanent residence card or have a temporary residence permit as a refugee or person in need of subsidiary protection, on the grounds of impediments to enforcement or exceptionally distressing circumstances, and is considered to have well-founded prospects of being granted a residence permit for a longer period. It is also a requirement that you can show that you have a serious relationship that was already established in the country of origin, but that you did not have the possibility of living together in the country of origin.

Both you and your family member must be 21 years or older in order for you to be able to obtain a residence permit in Sweden. Exceptions can only be made if there are particular reasons, for example if you have children together.

Future spouses or coha­bi­ting part­ners

You may be granted a residence permit if you are planning to marry or become the cohabiting partner of someone who lives in Sweden.

Go to online application

Instructions for online application

If your partner have a residence permit in Sweden in order to work or study you should apply for a residence permit as a family member for her or him.

Read more about how to apply as a family member to a person with a work permit in Sweden

Read more about how to apply as a family member to a person with residence permit as a student in Sweden

Main­te­nance requi­re­ment

The person you are to live with in Sweden must be able to support you both. He or she must also have suitable accommodation in terms of size and standard, where you can live together when you move to Sweden.

Read more about the maintenance requirements

You must be able to prove your iden­tity

In order to obtain a residence permit to move to someone in Sweden, you must be able to prove your identity. You usually do this with a valid passport.

If you want to move to Sweden in order to reunite with your family or family members, you may, in exceptional cases, obtain a residence permit even if you do not have an approved passport. However, this only applies to families with children who have lived together outside of Sweden. This applies only to you who cannot obtain a passport, or if the Swedish Migration Agency deems that the passport from your country of origin does not prove your identity, as well as if you are one of the following:

  • A child who wants to move to a parent in Sweden.
  • A parent who wants to move to a child who already lives in Sweden.
  • A parent who wants to move to a partner in Sweden with whom you have a child.

In order to obtain a residence permit, a DNA analysis must prove that the child and parent are related.

DNA analysis

A DNA test consists of you providing a saliva sample during a visit to the embassy or consulate-general. Your family member in Sweden (parent, child or partner) provides a DNA test during a visit to the Swedish Migration Agency. Using your DNA samples, a DNA analysis then shows whether you and your family member are related.

If an adult submits an application on behalf of a child who will move to a parent in Sweden alone, consent for a DNA sample to be taken from the child must be submitted alongside the application. The consent must be given in writing by the parent in Sweden.

The Swedish Migration Agency pays for the DNA analysis.

Alien's passport

If you do not have a passport, you must also apply for an alien’s passport. You can do this at the embassy or consulate-general in connection with submitting your application or during the interview. Contact the embassy or consulate-general for more information on how to apply for an alien’s passport.

Illustration av en mor och en dotter.

Vanida lives in Thailand and has met Olle from Sweden. They have decided that they want to live together in Sweden. Vanida applies for a residence permit online. As Vanida has a child from a previous relationship who will move with her to Sweden, she includes a residence permit application for the child in the same online application. She has also asked her ex-husband for approval to have the child move to Sweden. Olle is sent a questionnaire by email. When Olle has answered the questionnaire, the Swedish Migration Agency begins processing Vanida's application. Vanida gets an email with information about scheduling an interview at the Swedish embassy in Bangkok. Vanida's child must also come to the interview.

If Vanida is granted a residence permit she will also be issued with a residence permit card. This card proves that she has permission to live in Sweden and it contains information such as her fingerprints and photograph. Vanida therefore has her fingerprints and photograph taken at the interview. Vanida's child is also photographed but does not need to have fingerprints taken as the child is under 6 years of age. Vanida cannot move to Sweden until she has received her residence permit and the residence permit card is ready. She will receive the residence permit decision and residence permit card through the Swedish embassy.

Illustration of a man and a woman.

Kim and Charlie met online. Charlie visited Kim in China and they became a couple. While Kim is visiting Charlie in Sweden, they decide that they want to live together in Sweden. Kim submits a residence permit application to the Swedish Migration Agency.

The Migration Agency rejects the application as he must apply from his country of origin. Kim returns to China and applies online instead.

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