Residence permit to move to a spouse, registered partner or cohabiting partner in Sweden

If you are a citizen of a country outside the EU and want to move to a family member in Sweden, you will need a residence permit. You may be granted a residence permit if you are married, have entered into a partnership, or have been cohabiting with someone who now lives 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.

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.

Spouses, regis­tered part­ners or coha­bi­ting part­ners

You may be granted a residence permit if you are married, have entered into a registered partnership, or have been cohabiting with someone who now lives in Sweden.

Cohabiting partners are two persons who are not married but live together and have a “marriage-like” relationship with each other. It is not enough for you to have been living together when visiting as tourists, for example.

If you are married or a registered partner, your close relative should register your marriage or partnership with the Swedish Tax Agency.

Go to the online application

Read more about how to apply for a residence permit to move to a spouse, registered partner or cohabiting partner in Sweden

If your partner has a residence permit in Sweden in order to work or study you should apply for a residence permit as a family member to 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 a residence permit as a student in Sweden

If you are an EU citizen and want to move to a family member who is also an EU citizen, you may have right of residence. Then you do not need a residence permit.

Read more about right of residence for EU citizens' family members who are EU citizens

Main­te­nance requi­re­ment

The person you are to live with in Sweden must, in most cases, 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.

Certain people may be exempted from the maintenance requirement.

Read more about the requirement for maintenance and housing, and who is exempted

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 cannot prove your identity with a valid passport, you may, in certain cases, obtain a residence permit by proving a biological relationship with the person in Sweden. This applies to families with children who have lived together outside of Sweden.

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.

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