Permanent residence permits for doctoral students

If you have lived in Sweden and had a residence permit for doctoral studies for a total of four years over the past seven years, and are in employment or self-employed in Sweden, you may be able to get a permanent residence permit. Studies at a PhD-/doctoral level are studies that will lead to a licentiate degree, licentiate degree in design, doctoral degree or a doctoral degree in design.

If you are a British citizen

British citizens who want to work, study or move to someone in Sweden after January 1 2021 must apply for a residence and/or work permit.

British citizens who lived in Sweden with a right of residence until 31 December 2020, and who want to stay, must apply for a residence status.

Read more about residence status and how to apply

Read more about residence status for family members

Requi­re­ments for obtai­ning a perma­nent resi­dence permit

To obtain a permanent residence permit after you have completed your studies, you must

  • have lived in Sweden with a residence permit for doctoral studies for a total of four years over the past seven years. The period is counted from the day you submit your application for a permanent residence permit and seven years back
  • be planning to live in Sweden
  • apply no earlier than 14 days before your current permit expires
  • be able to support yourself financially via employment or self-employment
  • be living an orderly life.

Read about the special requirements in order to obtain a permanent residence permit

Requi­re­ments to use the e-service

In order to use the e-service, you need

  • copies of the pages in your passport that show your personal information, photograph, signature, passport number, passport-issuing country, the validity period of the passport, entry stamps and whether you have permission to live in countries other than your country of origin
  • a copy of your place of study’s earlier decision showing that you have been accepted for doctoral studies in Sweden
  • a certificate from your supervisor that you have studied or are still studying at doctoral level and giving the start and finish dates of your studies
  • documents showing that you can support yourself financially. If you are an employee, you must submit a copy of your certificate of employment and your most recent payslip (if you have started your employment). If you are self-employed, you must submit a copy of the registration certificate from the Swedish Companies Registration Office and a copy of your F-tax card. If you are supporting yourself financially in some other way, enclose documents in support of this
  • be able to pay a possible fee for the application with a credit card or charge card (fees for residence permits for studies).

Read more about the requirements for online application

Check that the information on the documents you send is clearly visible. On passport copies, the figures and characters at the top and bottom of the passport pages must also be clearly visible and legible. The documents should be translated into Swedish or English by an authorised translator. You must always send us a copy of the original document. 

Your family members may apply for a permanent residence permit at the same time as you do, but only after three years. They cannot be granted a permanent residence permit before you. They must meet the requirements for a permanent residence permit themselves, and will not automatically be granted one just because you have.

The Swedish Migration Agency will first examine your application for a permanent residence permit. The family’s application will then be examined. Your family must then first meet the requirements for being granted a permanent residence permit as a close relative of a person with a permanent residence permit.

This means that you, as a close relative, must in most cases meet a maintenance requirement.

Read more about the requirement for maintenance and housing

The family’s application for a permanent residence permit will not be examined until the requirements for an extended residence permit have been met for the family. They must meet the following requirements:

  • they must have held a residence permit for at least three years
  • family members who are aged 18 or over must be able to support themselves financially
  • family members who are aged 15 or over must be living an orderly life.

If members of your family are living with you in Sweden, apply together online. If you have already got a permanent residence permit, your family must make a separate application at a later date.

Read more about residence permits for family members

If you and your family are applying at the same time, you must also enclose

  • documents showing that your income is sufficient to support the whole family financially and that you have a home of sufficient size and standard for all of you to live in
  • copies of the pages in your family members' passports that show their personal information, photograph, signature, passport number, passport-issuing country, the validity period of the passport, entry stamps, and whether they have permission to live in countries other than their country of origin
  • copies of marriage certificates or the equivalent (applies to married couples or registered partners)
  • documents that show that you have lived together, such as a population registry certificate, joint rental contract or proof of joint purchase of your home if you have lived together outside Sweden
  • forms Declaration of Cohabitation, number 242011B, and Family Information, number 238011, which you should complete together
  • a birth certificate or other proof of birth for any children, showing the names of the parents
  • consent from the other guardian, if they are not also coming to Sweden, or proof that a family member is the sole guardian. This could be a court order, or a death certificate if the other parent has died. If there is joint guardianship, a copy of the other guardian’s passport or another form of identification must also be provided. This applies to children under 18
  • adoption papers if the child is adopted
  • power of attorney if you are representing all co-applicant family members who are over the age of 18.

Read more about residence permits for family members

The family members who are aged 18 or over must be able to support themselves financially in order to be granted a permanent residence permit. You must therefore also enclose:

  • If the family member is an employee: a copy of the certificate of employment and the most recent payslip (if the employment has started).
  • If the family member is self-employed: a copy of the registration certificate from the Swedish Companies Registration Office and a copy of the F-tax card.
  • If the family member is entitled to a pension: a decision from the Swedish Pensions Agency stating that he or she is entitled to income-based retirement pension, guarantee pension or financial support for the elderly.
  • If the family member is unable to support himself/herself financially but has special grounds, e.g. permanent impairment of working capacity: documents showing this, e.g. an investigation by the Swedish Public Employment Service, a decision on entitlement to sickness benefit or activity compensation from the Swedish Social Insurance Agency, or a medical certificate.

The documents should be translated into Swedish or English by an authorised translator. You must always submit both a copy of the original document and a copy of the translated document.

In order for the Swedish Migration Agency to be able to make a decision in your case, all information must be completed and all necessary documents must be included. This means that the processing time is shorter if everything needed is included from the beginning than if the application needs to be supplemented afterwards.

If you are not able to apply online, you must fill out the form Application for permanent residence permit for doctoral studies, number 117011, and Family details – Appendix to your application, number 239011. The application form specifies which documents to enclose.

Send your application to the Swedish Migration Agency, Box 3100, 903 03 Umeå.

Application for permanent residence permit for doctoral studies, form number 117011PDF

Family details – Appendix to your application, form number 239011PDF

Ansökan om permanent uppehållstillstånd för familjemedlem till doktorand, blankett nummer 256011PDF

In most cases you must pay a fee.

Application fees for residence permits

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 number 107011PDF

After you have sent the application

If you are in Sweden and have submitted an application for a permanent residence permit, you have the right to remain in Sweden until the Migration Agency has made a decision. If you are outside Sweden, the residence permit must have been issued before you travel to Sweden.

If you receive a permit you will also receive a residence permit card. The card proves that you have permission to be in Sweden and contains information such as your fingerprints and photograph. You must therefore book an appointment at the Migration Agency to be photographed and provide your fingerprinted as soon as possible. This needs to be done even if you previously have had a residence permit card since your photo and fingerprints are not saved.

Read more about residence permit cards

Book an appointment before you visit us

Check if your application has been registered or if a decision has been made in your case

Time to decision

In order to obtain an impression how long you need to wait for your decision, you can visit the page Time to decision. Note that the average time that is shown on the page is calculated based on previously decided cases in the same category. The time can vary from application to application.

Time to decision

Travelling abroad during the processing time

If you are travelling abroad as your permit expires, you may have trouble re-entering Sweden before your new permit is approved. You may need to await your new permit outside of Sweden. If you urgently need to return to Sweden before this, it is possible to apply for an entry visa. This visa allows you to travel back to Sweden and wait for the decision about your extension. Apply for a visa at a Swedish embassy or consulate-general in the country where you are now.

Working while studying

You may continue to work while you are waiting for the decision if you have had a residence permit for higher education and if you send us your application for a permanent residence permit before your current residence permit expires.

If you get a permanent residence permit, you will not need a work permit and you may continue to work.

The decision will be sent to your address in Sweden. If you have been photographed and have provided your fingerprints for the residence permit card at the Swedish Migration Agency, your card will be sent to your address in Sweden within one week.

If you do not live in Sweden, you will be given the decision by the Embassy or consulate-general that you have specified in your application.

Last updated: 2021-07-28