This information is for children who have come from Ukraine without their parents to apply for protection in Sweden under the Temporary Protection Directive.
Here we describe what it means to get a residence permit under the Temporary Protection Directive, as well as the support you have the right to receive during your time in Sweden.
The information can be used by children who have applied for protection under the Temporary Protection Directive, by other young people who want to know more about what this means, or by adults who want help explaining the issue to children and young people.
Residence permits under the Temporary Protection Directive
The EU has decided that people who have fled Ukraine can obtain a residence permit under the Temporary Protection Directive.
How long your residence permit is valid
If you are granted a residence permit under the EU’s Temporary Protection Directive, your permit will be valid until 4 March 2026. If the security situation in Ukraine has not gotten better by then, the Swedish Migration Agency may decide to extend the permit.
Residence Permit Cards (UT-kort)
Once the Swedish Migration Agency has decided to grant you residence permits, you will receive a residence permit card (UT-kort) that shows that you have the right to be in Sweden. The card also shows that you have the right to receive support under a law called the Act on Reception of Asylum Seekers and Others (LMA). This means, for example, that you have the right to financial help from the Swedish Migration Agency.
The Swedish Migration Agency will send you or your guardian the card or contact you and tell you where you can pick it up.
Coordination number
Once you have received a decision granting you residence permits, the Swedish Migration Agency will order you a coordination number from the Swedish Tax Agency. A coordination number is a personal identity number that makes it easier when, for example, you or your guardian need to have contact with the authorities or healthcare service. It is not the same as a Swedish personal identity number. You can get a personal identity number when you have lived in Sweden for one year.
If you want to go back to Ukraine
If you want to leave Sweden, you must notify your guardian or social worker and ask them to inform the Swedish Migration Agency. As long as your residence permit is valid, you have the right to travel in and out of Sweden. This means that as long as you have valid residence permits, you can come back to Sweden if you wish. But you can only get money from the Swedish Migration Agency while you are in Sweden.
If you decide to leave Sweden and move elsewhere, be sure to bring along
- a certificate that you have attended school here
- grades from school
- vaccination certificate(s)
- postal addresses, email addresses and telephone numbers of anyone with whom you want to keep in touch.
Your rights
In Sweden, you are considered to be a child until you turn 18. Children who have applied for protection under the Temporary Protection Directive have the same rights as all other children here.
All children have the same rights
The fact that all children have the same rights means, for example, that you have the right to live in safety, to go to school, and to have leisure time. You have the right to the healthcare and dental care you need. You get to make decisions about your own body, and no one can force you to have sex or get married. No one is allowed to hit you or threaten you.
The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) is the law in Sweden. It states what rights all children should have. Some of the most important rules in the Convention on the Rights of the Child are:
- All children have the right to live and develop.
- The best interests of the child should always be important.
- Children have the right to speak their minds.
- All children have the same rights.
When adults who are responsible for you make a decision that affects you, they need to listen to what you want and think about what is best for you. You have the right to say what you think and to be heard, but that doesn’t mean that things will always turn out the way you want.
Read more about your rights as a child in Sweden
You have the right to special support
Children who apply for protection without their parents, so-called “unaccompanied minors”, have the right to special support. It is the social services in the municipality where you live that must ensure that you get accommodation that suits you and your needs. You also get a “guardian” to speak for you when your parents cannot. You are entitled to this support even if you come to Sweden with an adult who is not your parent.
Authorities and people you will meet
You will meet people from many authorities and many different adults who are responsible for different things that affect you. Authorities are responsible for making sure that society functions in accordance with Sweden’s laws. Examples of authorities that you will have contact with are the Swedish Migration Agency and social services.
The Swedish Migration Agency
Among other things, the Swedish Migration Agency is responsible for:
- investigating your application and deciding whether you have the right to a residence permit
- providing you with financial aid if you do not have your own money and do not receive any money from your
- accommodation in Sweden
- deciding which municipality will be responsible for providing you with accommodation, schooling and a guardian
- helping you connect with your parents, if possible.
If you feel more comfortable talking to a man or a woman in contact with, for example, the Swedish Migration Agency or the municipality, you can say so.
The municipality
Among other things, the municipality is responsible for making sure that:
- you get someplace to live that suits you and your needs
- you can go to school
- you get a guardian.
Social services
In each municipality, there is something called ‘social services’. Social services work according to rules on how society should help everyone who needs support. It is the social services that decide where you will live. All unaccompanied minors are assigned a contact person at the social services called a ‘social worker’.
Guardian
If you are under the age of 18 and come to Sweden without your parents, you will be assigned a guardian. You will not live with your guardian, but he or she is responsible for helping you with a number of things that your parents would otherwise have done.
For example, a trustee must:
- be present when you have contact with authorities, such as the Swedish Migration Agency or social services
- handle the contact with your school
- help you make an appointment with a doctor, dentist or psychologist
- be responsible for your finances if you are under 16 years of age.
Read more and watch videos about what a guardian does (in Swedish)
External link.
Interpreter
You have the right to an interpreter when you go to important meetings. This includes when you meet with the Swedish Migration Agency, someone who works for the municipality, or when you visit the doctor.
The interpreter can speak both Swedish and the language you and your family speak. It is the interpreter’s job to translate everything that is said in the room and not say anything more. It is important that you and the interpreter understand each other and that you dare to say everything you want to say while the interpreter is there. If you do not understand the interpreter, you need to tell them. Also tell us if you and the interpreter are related or know each other in some other way. If you prefer to have a man or a woman as an interpreter, you should say so in advance.
Obligation of secrecy
Everyone who works at the Swedish Migration Agency, in the municipality, and in the healthcare service or schools has an obligation of secrecy. That means they are not allowed to share what you have said with anyone who does not have the legal right to know. Only the people working on your case have the right to know what you have said. Interpreters are also bound by an obligation of secrecy.
A guardian, on the other hand, is not bound by an obligation of secrecy. This is because a guardian, just like a parent, needs to be able to talk to various authorities about you.
Anyone who has an obligation of secrecy may break their obligation of secrecy so that they can talk to another responsible adult if they think you are in any sort of danger.
Accommodation
The municipality is responsible for arranging accommodation that suits you and your needs.
Accommodation right after you arrive in Sweden
When you apply for protection, the Swedish Migration Agency will contact the municipality, which will arrange temporary accommodation for you. After a few days or weeks, you will find out which municipality will have long-term responsibility for you and make sure that you can go to school and get the support you need during your time in Sweden
If you have relatives or friends in Sweden with whom you want to live (or if you want to live near them), you should tell the Swedish Migration Agency or the municipality as soon as possible.
You can live in different kinds of places
The municipality is responsible for finding you good accommodation. There are different kinds of accommodation arrangements. For example, you could live with relatives or friends, with a family that takes children and young people in need of help into their home, or together with other young people in a home where there are staff to help you.
If you want to live with relatives in Sweden, the social services in the municipality where you are placed must approve this arrangement. Before social services makes a decision, they will investigate whether the family is able to take care of you.
If something happens that makes you feel unsafe where you live, tell your guardian or social worker immediately.
Health
You have the right to the healthcare and dental care you need. These services are free for all children in Sweden. If you fall ill or feel unwell and need to see a doctor or dentist, your guardian or someone from your accommodation can help you book an appointment. Remember to bring your residence permit card with you to your appointment.
Health exam
Everyone who applies for protection in Sweden under the Temporary Protection Directive is offered a health exam. The purpose of the health exam is to make sure that you receive help and treatment as soon as possible if you need care.
During the exam, you will receive information about how the healthcare system in Sweden works. You will answer questions about your health and will be offered tests.
Take the opportunity to ask any questions you might have, and don’t be afraid to tell healthcare staff how you are feeling. The healthcare staff are bound by an obligation of secrecy, and the health exam does not affect your case with the Swedish Migration Agency.
Eye exam
If you need eyeglasses, your guardian can make an appointment with an optician for an eye exam. Children and young people aged 8 to 19 can receive an allowance of up to SEK 800 for eyeglasses and contact lenses from the region to which they belong. Your guardian can contact an optician shop for more information about this allowance. If you need to buy eyeglasses that cost more than the eyeglass allowance, the Swedish Migration Agency can grant a special allowance to cover the cost. In this case, the optician must sign a piece of paper that your guardian submits to the Swedish Migration Agency together with an application for a special allowance.
Dental care
You have the right to receive both preventive dental care and the treatment that the dentist decides you need. Dental care is free for all children in Sweden.
Violence and sexual abuse
Many people who apply for protection have been subjected to violence or sexual abuse, in their country of origin or while fleeing to Sweden. Such experiences can make you feel bad both physically and mentally, but help is available. For example, you can talk to the healthcare staff during your health exam, to staff at your youth guidance centre, or to the school nurse or counsellor at your school. They can help you get the right care.
All forms of violence and sexual assault are illegal in Sweden. It is always the person who has harmed you who is responsible, and you can never be punished for being subjected to violence or sexual abuse. This applies regardless of what relationship you have with each other. It also applies, for example, to rape within a marriage and when parents beat their own children. When an adult has sex with a child under the age of 15, it counts as rape. In Sweden, it is also illegal to force or trick someone into getting married, and children under the age of 18 are not allowed to marry.
If you are subjected to violence or sexual abuse or are afraid of being married off, call the police at Contact the police at 114 14 or talk to an adult you trust. If you are in immediate danger, call the police at 112.
Genital mutilation
Genital mutilation (or ‘female circumcision’, as some people call it) is when you cut or stitch up a girl’s vulva or damage it in some other way.
Genital mutilation is completely prohibited in Sweden and is seen as a serious crime. A person who has been subjected to genital mutilation can have both physical and mental problems. If someone has done this to you and you have problems because of it, you can get help from the healthcare service. Talk to your school nurse, the staff at your youth guidance centre, or your health centre.
Read more about genital mutilation
Sexually transmitted diseases
You have the right to knowledge about how to protect yourself from sexually transmitted diseases and how to avoid infecting others. Examples of sexually transmitted diseases include chlamydia, hepatitis, gonorrhoea and HIV. If you know that you have such a disease, you must inform the healthcare staff during your health exam, so that you can receive care and avoid infecting someone else. If you are unsure whether you are infected, the healthcare staff can take samples.
Contraception and maternity care
In Sweden, maternity and obstetric care are free of charge for people who have applied for protection under the Temporary Protection Directive. You also have the right to free contraceptive advice, so that you can choose whether you want to become a parent. Both girls and boys have the right to information on how to protect themselves and others from pregnancy. Girls who have become pregnant and do not want to have the child have the right to terminate the pregnancy through an abortion.
Mental illness
When you have been forced to flee your home to a new country, it is common to feel worried about what your future will bring. Some people may also feel bad because they have experienced frightening things or because they miss their family. Examples of symptoms of poor mental health include anxiety, difficulty sleeping or feeling sad and depressed.
You can get help and support from the healthcare service where you live. You can also talk to the counsellor or school nurse at your school.
Disability
A disability is when you have an injury or an illness that makes it difficult, for example, to move, hear, speak or understand things. If you have a disability, you have the right to receive practical support in your everyday life, at school or when you talk to the Swedish Migration Agency. Having a disability does not affect your application for protection in Sweden. If you have (or if you think you have) a disability, you can tell the healthcare staff during your health exam.
More information about health
On www.1177.se/other-languages External link., there is information in several languages about various diseases and how the healthcare system in Sweden works. You or an adult you trust can also call the healthcare information hotline at telephone number 1177. Then you can talk to a nurse who can answer questions and give advice on where to turn to get the right care.
The website www.youmo.se External link. provides information for young people about health, relationships, sex and much more, in several languages.
The website www.mybody.rfsu.se External link. has short informational films for those who want to know more about their body, sexuality and health. The films are available in many different languages. Here you can find, among other things, films about contraception, childbirth and pregnancy.
Kvinnofridslinjen (Sweden’s National Women’s Helpline) offers advice and support to women subjected to threats and/or physical, psychological and sexual violence. Call 020-50 50 50. They can arrange for an interpreter in just a few minutes. You can also read more at kvinnofridslinjen.se External link.. The information is available in several languages.
Call the police at 114 14 if you want to report a crime, such as someone hitting you or sexually assaulting you. You can also call the police if you are afraid of being married off or circumcised. If the situation is urgent, call 112.
School
You have the right to go to school just like all other children who live in Sweden. School is free of charge. In Sweden, all children must go to school. It is the municipality that is responsible for your schooling, and your guardian who must ensure that you can start school as soon as possible.
Compulsory school
Compulsory school consists of primary and lower secondary school. It lasts ten years, and you usually start the year you turn six. The first year of school is called preschool. It involves a lot of play and creative activities to prepare young children for their future schooling. In compulsory school, all students study more or less the same subjects.
Upper secondary school
Upper secondary school is a voluntary education where students have the opportunity to choose a specialisation to prepare for professional life or continued studies at a university or college. In order to study at an upper secondary school, you must have completed your compulsory school studies.
Finances
When you apply for protection in Sweden under the Temporary Protection Directive, you have the opportunity to apply for financial aid from the Swedish Migration Agency if you do not have your own money. There are two forms of financial aid: daily allowances and special allowances.
Daily allowances
If you are entitled to a daily allowance, you will receive a sum of money per day, which is paid out once a month. Among other things, this money should cover your personal needs, such as clothes, shoes, medicine and things that you want to do in your leisure time. Sometimes you get money from the people who manage your accommodation, and then the Swedish Migration Agency does not pay a daily allowance.
Special allowances
If you have a special need for something your daily allowance cannot cover, you and your guardian can apply for a special allowance. For example, you might need eyeglasses, winter clothes or something else that you cannot do without.
Your guardian is responsible for your finances
If you are under the age of 16, it is your guardian who fills out the application and is responsible for your money. Once you turn 16, you have the right to apply for and be responsible for your daily allowance and any special allowance. You will receive your own bank card to which your daily allowance and special allowances will be deposited.
When you turn 18
According to Swedish law, you become an adult the day you turn 18. This means that you do not have the same right to support and help as an unaccompanied minor.
You will be called to a meeting
Just before you turn 18, you will be invited to a meeting where you will receive information about how your rights and obligations will change when you turn 18 and become an adult.
Guardian
An important difference between being an unaccompanied minor and an adult who has been granted protection under the Temporary Protection Directive is that once you turn 18, you usually do not have the right to a guardian. The guardian’s assignment ends because you are of legal age and no longer need a legal guardian. You can handle your contact with the authorities yourself and sign all necessary papers.
Accommodation
The Swedish Migration Agency is responsible for arranging temporary accommodation for all people who have applied for protection and who need it. The municipality where you live may require the Swedish Migration Agency to take over responsibility for arranging temporary accommodation for you as soon as the municipality is informed that you have turned 18.
You can choose to arrange accommodation yourself, for example by staying with relatives or friends. Then you have to pay for your accommodation yourself.
If you cannot arrange for accommodation yourself, you can live in one of the Swedish Migration Agency’s temporary accommodations while the Swedish Migration Agency looks for a municipality that can arrange new accommodation for you. You might live in a large building together with many other people who have also applied for protection, or in an apartment in an ordinary residential area.
If you have already lived in Sweden for a while and you have started school here, we will try to arrange for you and your family to stay in the same municipality in which you already live, but we cannot guarantee that this will be the case.
Talk to the Swedish Migration Agency if you need help arranging accommodation.
Finances
When you turn 18, you become responsible for your own finances.
Healthcare and dental care
All children have the right to free dental care and healthcare. In contrast, adults who have applied for protection under the Temporary Protection Directive only have the right to emergency medical and dental care and care that cannot wait. It is the staff at the hospital, health centre, or dental clinic that assesses whether you should receive care.
Adults must pay for doctor’s appointments and medications. Show your residence permit card and you will pay a lower price.
School
If you are studying at upper secondary school, you have the right to continue attending school as long as you have a residence permit under the Temporary Protection Directive. Your right to continue your upper secondary studies applies even if you need to move to accommodation in another municipality.
If you are not studying at upper secondary school but still want to study, you can ask the Swedish Migration Agency about ‘early interventions for asylum seekers’ (also called TIA). People who have been granted a residence permit under the Temporary Protection Directive may also take part in such activities.
Your rights as a child in Sweden
Children who apply for protection have the same rights as all other children in Sweden. For example, all children have the right to go to school, to receive care when they need it, to live in safety, and to say what they think. Here you can read about the rights and special rules that exist to protect children.
Children are particularly vulnerable and need extra protection. The age limit for being considered a child or an adult can differ between different countries. In Sweden, you are considered to be a child until you turn 18.
The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) is the law in Sweden. The Convention on the Rights of the Child states what rights all children should have. There are also other laws in Sweden that exist to protect children.
You have the right to be free from violence
All children have the right to be free from violence. No adult is allowed to strike, kick, push, pull your hair, or threaten you.
Contact the police by calling 114 14 if you are being subjected to violence. If you are in acute danger, call the police at the number 112.
Child marriage is prohibited
Different countries have different age limits for when you are considered an adult and when you are considered a child. The rules for getting married also differ from country to country.
A child cannot marry
In Sweden, you are a child until the day you turn 18, and before that you cannot get married.
This is because it is believed that children should not bear the responsibility of a marriage. Early marriages can make children feel bad both physically and psychologically, because a child can be prevented from developing into their own, independent person and living the life to which they have a right.
Once you have reached the age of 18, you decide for yourself whether you want to get married and, if so, to whom. No one is allowed to force or trick someone into marriage. It is illegal to try to force or trick a child into travelling to another country to get married. This is a crime that can lead to imprisonment. It is also illegal to force a child to live in a relationship similar to a marriage. When an adult has sex with a child under the age of 15, it counts as rape.
If someone is under the age of 18 and married
If either of the people in a marriage were under the age of 18 when they married, the marriage will not be valid in Sweden.
If you are under the age of 18 and apply for asylum together with the person that you are married to instead of with your parents, you are considered an unaccompanied minor. You will then be appointed a guardian who will help you in your contact with the authorities.
Read more this and watch videos about what a guardian does (in Swedish) External link.
Where to turn
If you have questions or need help, you can talk to a teacher, counsellor or healthcare professional. You can also contact the Swedish Migration Agency or social services. If you have a guardian, you can also turn to them.
If you are afraid that you or someone you know will be married off, you can call the police at 114 14.
You have the right to freedom from honour related violence and oppression
In some families and extended families, it is important that the family maintain a good reputation. There may be rules about what clothes you can wear, who you can hang out with, that you cannot be together with and marry whomever you want, study what you want, or pursue the profession you want.
Both girls and boys are affected
These rules tend to be the strictest for girls, but there are also rules that apply to boys. If the rules cause you to be poorly treated or punished, this is known as “honour-related violence and oppression”. The poor treatment or punishment may include beatings, threats, or being called mean names. Exposing a child to honour-related violence and oppression is a violation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and Swedish law.
Sometimes children are forced to control their siblings because the family is worried that rumours about them will spread. But all people have the right to live their own life, the way they want to live it. This applies regardless of your religion or cultural background, what country you come from, or who your family is. All children have the right to live their own lives, and should not have to control anyone else.
Where to turn
If you or someone you know is being subjected to honour-related violence or oppression, you can turn to a teacher at your school, the social services in your municipality, or the Swedish Migration Agency for help. There are also various organisations that can provide support and information about honour-related violence and oppression.
GAPF – National Organisation against Honour-Related Violence (In Swedish) External link.: Here you can get support if you or someone you know are being subjected to honour-related violence or oppression. You can call 08‑711 60 32, send an email, or use the chat function.
Love is Free (In Swedish) External link.: Here you can get support via chat and email if you have questions about honour-related violence or oppression, your rights, love, forced marriage or genital mutilation.
Tris – Girls’ Rights in Society (In Swedish) External link.: Here you can get support if you feel limited by your family or relatives or are subjected to threats or violence when you try to make your own choices. Call 010‑255 91 91.
The equal value of all people
In Sweden, there are many laws that state that all people are equal and have the same rights. We are entitled to have the same rights and opportunities in life no matter who we are, what we look like, where we come from, what we believe in, who we fall in love with, or how we function.
There are laws to prevent someone from being discriminated against or having their rights violated. As human beings, we are allowed to feel, think and believe as we please, but we are not allowed to do whatever we want. The Fundamental Law on Freedom of Expression states that all people have the right to express their thoughts, opinions and feelings, as long as they do not infringe on the rights of someone else. We must all respect the right of our fellow human beings to their own identity and their own life choices.
Gender equality
Gender equality means that boys and girls are equal and should have the same opportunities in life. It also means that adult men and women should have the same rights and obligations. They should have equal power to influence society and their own lives.
100 years ago, this was not the case in Sweden. Back then, women didn’t have much power to make decisions about their own lives. It was mostly men who got an education and worked while women stayed at home, taking care of the children, cleaning and doing laundry. A lot has changed since then.
In most families in Sweden today, both parents go to work or study and the children go to preschool, kindergarten, school and after-school care during the day. In the home, both parents often help each other to clean, do laundry, shop and cook, and they take care of the children together.
In order for society to be as fair as possible and give women and men equal power to influence society and their own lives, the Swedish Parliament has decided on various gender equality goals.
The goals state that
- men and women should have the same opportunity to be financially independent, so that no one is forced to be financially dependent on anyone else
- boys and girls should have equal access to education and the right to choose what educational path they wish to pursue
- men and women should have equal rights to make decisions about their bodies, and men’s violence against women must be eradicated
- household chores should be evenly distributed between men and women. This also means that sisters and brothers in the same family should have equal responsibility for helping with household chores.
Gender identity and sexual orientation
In Sweden, everyone has the right to their own gender identity and sexual orientation. Your gender identity is the gender(s) you feel you are, regardless of what others expect. Your sexual orientation describes the gender(s) of the people to whom you are attracted and fall in love. You have the right to love and be with whomever you want, regardless of whether the person is the same gender or a different gender than yourself.
You don’t have tell other people about your sexual orientation or gender identity unless you want to. There is no sexual orientation or gender identity that violates the law. On the contrary, it is illegal to treat someone unfairly or inferiorly, for example in school or in an organisation, because of the person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.
Where to turn
There are several different organisations and youth guidance centres to which you can turn if you want to know more or if you need support.
Through this organisation, you can connect with other LGBTQI+ people, participate in activities and get support. They also have a network for people who are new to Sweden, RFSL Newcomers External link..
UMO – about sex, health and relationships External link.
UMO is a website for everyone aged 13–25 years where you can read more about sexual orientation and gender identity.
For adults that are important to a child who has sought protection under the Temporary Protection Directive
As an adult, you play an important role
It is sometimes said that people who apply for protection, and especially unaccompanied minors, are strong. That if they can get to the other side of the world on their own, they can probably do anything. But even the strongest and most hardened children need safe adults around them, so that they can just be kids. Refugee children are no exception, and when they don’t have their parents with them, or if their parents are exhausted, confused or perhaps traumatised, other important adults are needed to offer these children some security and calmness in an uncertain situation.
Every child is different, and every person who applies for protection has a unique story. Some children have been refugees for a long time and may not have seen their relatives for years. Others have been separated from their parents recently. Some have contact with their close relatives, while others do not know where to start looking. All children who have applied for protection are full of questions and concerns. Some have questions about their situation and ask for help. Others bottle up their worries and dare not ask about them.
As an adult, you play an important role. You are a person who can guide and support the child in their current situation. You can read these pages together with the child. Together, you can review the various stages that you go through when you have applied for protection under the Temporary Protection Directive.
An important adult can be
- a parent
- another legal guardian
- a guardian
- a relative
- a teacher
- a school counsellor
- someone from a non-governmental organisation (NGO)
- an employee of the Swedish Migration Agency.
More information and support
BRIS, Children’s Rights in Society, is an organisation that works for children’s rights. You can contact BRIS if you need an adult to talk to.
Call the BRIS helpline for young people: 116 111
www.bris.se/for-barn-och-unga (In Swedish) External link.
Save the Children is another organisation that works for children’s rights.
www.raddabarnen.se/rad-och-kunskap/barn-och-unga (In Swedish) External link.
The Swedish Red Cross is an organisation that works to protect and help people in need. The Swedish Red Cross can help you look for your relatives.
www.rodakorset.se/en/get-help/ External link.
The Ombudsman for Children is an authority that ensures that other Swedish authorities comply with the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Here you can learn more about your rights.
Youmo is your online youth guidance centre online. Here you can read about sex, health and relationships in several different languages.
www.youmo.se/sprakvalsida External link.
RFSL works to promote the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex people. RFSL Newcomers works with asylum seekers and new arrivals.
www.rfsl.se/newcomers/asyl/ External link.
Kärleken är fri (Love is Free) is a chat-based support service for young people subjected to honour related violence and oppression.
www.raddabarnen.se/rad-och-kunskap/karleken-ar-fri/ (in Swedish) External link.
Kvinnofridslinjen (Sweden’s National Women’s Helpline) offers advice and support to women who have been subjected to threats and physical, psychological and sexual violence. The information is available in several languages. You can also call 020‑50 50 50. They can arrange for an interpreter in just a few minutes.
www.kvinnofridslinjen.se/en/home/ External link.
Kollpåsoc.se is a website with information about your rights and opportunities for support from social services.
www.kollpasoc.se/en/ External link.
Min rätt – Din roll (My right – Your role) is aimed at unaccompanied minors, their guardians, and other actors who play different roles in helping these minors. Here you can get more information about these various roles and what rights you have. For example, you can watch short videos about what a guardian should help you with.
rfs.se/om-rfs/projekt/min-ratt-din-roll (In Swedish) External link.
The videos What happens now? is for unaccompanied minors in Sweden and who live in an accommodation or in a family home. In the videos you will find out what will happen during the first time in Sweden, who you can meet and how the asylum process works. You can watch the videos alone or together with an adult. The videos are available in several languages.
Informationsverige.se is a portal for new arrivals in Sweden. Here you can get information about how Swedish society works - for example, in terms of accommodation, education and healthcare.
www.informationsverige.se/en External link.
Lära svenska is a page on informationsverige.se about how you can learn Swedish on your own.
www.informationsverige.se/en/jag-ar-asylsokande/lara-svenska External link.
What do the words mean?
A person in need of subsidiary protection is someone who has applied for asylum in Sweden and been granted subsidiary protection status. These people are usually granted a residence permit for 13 months.
Asylum means sanctuary. When a person applies for asylum, he or she seeks protection in a country other than his or her country of origin.
The asylum process is the various steps that an asylum seeker goes through – from application to decision.
An asylum seeker is a person who has arrived in Sweden and applied for asylum, but who has not yet received a final answer to their application.
An asylum investigation is an interview where you can say why you want protection in Sweden.
Rejection of an asylum application means that the Swedish Migration Agency has said ‘no’ to granting a person’s application for asylum.
Children are all people under the age of 18.
A decision in an asylum case is when the Swedish Migration Agency has decided whether or not an asylum seeker can stay in Sweden.
Daily allowance is an allowance from the Swedish Migration Agency that an asylum seeker can apply for if they do not have their own money.
Judgement. Most of the Swedish Migration Agency’s decisions can be appealed in the courts. When a court makes a decision, this is called a judgement.
A refugee is a person who has applied for asylum and been granted refugee status. This means that you meet the requirements of the UN Convention on the Rights of Refugees, the so-called ‘Geneva Convention’. These people are usually granted a residence permit for 3 years.
A guardian is a person who must look after the interests of asylum-seeking children when their parents are unable to do so. It can be a man or a woman.
Identity means who a person is. When the Swedish Migration Agency asks about your identity, we mean your name, how old you are and where you come from.
Legal force means that the decision can no longer be appealed.
The Swedish Migration Agency is the authority in Sweden that examines applications from people seeking asylum. The Swedish Migration Agency also examines applications from people who want to visit or move to Sweden, or who want to become Swedish citizens.
Authorities ensure that society functions as it should according to the laws decided by the Parliament.
Public counsel is a person who knows Swedish laws. This counsel will help you with your asylum application. A public counsel is a lawyer or law graduate and does not work at the Swedish Migration Agency.
Social services are available in every municipality. They work according to a law called the Social Services Act. The Social Services Act deals with the right to health and social care that everyone in the municipality has. It contains rules for how society should assist people who need help but who cannot get it from anyone else.
Obligation of secrecy means that people who work at, for example, the Swedish Migration Agency are not allowed to tell share what you have said with anyone who does not have the right to know.
A residence permit means that a person has received a ‘yes’ to their application to live in Sweden.
When someone lodges an appeal, this means that they write to an authority or court and inform them that he or she does not agree with what the authority or court has decided. The person says they want the authority or court to change the decision.