How does travelling abroad work?
Christmas is approaching, and with the holidays come questions about travelling abroad. What applies to someone who has a residence permit – or has applied for one – and is planning to travel abroad? Or, what happens if someone who has been granted protection in Sweden wants to travel to their home country?
Published 18 December 2025
In general, a person who has or is seeking a residence permit in Sweden can travel abroad, but travel abroad can also affect a case in various ways. A basic requirement for travelling is having a valid passport and a residence permit card (UT-card). Furthermore, different rules apply depending on the type of permit one has, how long it is valid, and whether one has a pending application with the Swedish Migration Agency and has not yet received a decision.
Anyone planning to travel abroad needs to know what applies to their own permit, as it can affect both re-entry and future permits. For example, if you are abroad, you may need to visit an embassy for investigation and submission of biometric data by having your photograph taken and providing fingerprints.
Things to consider when renewing your temporary residence permit
A temporary residence permit grants the right to stay in Sweden for a limited time. During that time, one may enter and exit the country as long as the permit is valid and one can present a valid UT-card.
If the residence permit expires during the trip abroad, it may be difficult to return. It can take time before a new residence permit decision is granted – and one may be forced to visit a Swedish embassy/consulate for investigation of the case. It is also not certain that a new residence permit or visa will be granted.
If you are waiting for a decision on a new residence permit
A person who has applied for an extension of their residence permit may complicate the investigation of the case by travelling abroad. This can lead to delays or require visiting Swedish authorities abroad. In some cases, for example, if asylum has been granted in Sweden, it may also affect the possibility of receiving an extended residence permit. The right to protection in Sweden applies only to people who are currently in the country.
Example 1
Setareh has been granted a temporary residence permit in Sweden to live with her husband and wants to travel to Iraq for an extended period.
A long stay abroad can affect the processing of Setareh's application for an extension of her residence permit.
Travelling abroad with a permanent residence permit
The main rule is that permanent residence permits are revoked if one no longer lives in Sweden. Shorter vacation trips usually do not affect the residence permit. A person with a permanent residence permit can be away from Sweden for up to one year and still keep their residence permit.
However, a longer stay abroad may lead to the Swedish Migration Agency assessing that residence in Sweden has ceased and that the residence permit is revoked.
Anyone who wants the residence permit to remain valid, even if residency in Sweden has ceased, must notify the Swedish Migration Agency no later than one week before leaving the country.
If you are travelling abroad when you have a permanent residence permit in Sweden
If the residence permit is revoked
If the permanent residence permit is revoked, one must apply for a new one to be able to move back to Sweden. One can then apply for a residence permit, for example, because one has a connection (tie) to Sweden. The Swedish Migration Agency then assesses, among other things, the nature of the connection to Sweden and how long one has lived in Sweden versus in another country.
Example 2
Ahmed, a refugee from Somalia who has been granted a permanent residence permit in Sweden, wants to travel to Somalia to visit his relatives for two weeks.
Since Ahmed has been granted protection in Sweden due to the situation in Somalia, he should not return to his home country.
By travelling to his home country, Ahmed risks having his protection status revoked as the Swedish Migration Agency no longer will regard him as in need of international protection.
Asylum grounds and protection status entail special rules
People who have been granted protection in Sweden due to the situation in their home country should not travel there. By doing this, they risk losing their status of protection as the Swedish Migration Agency no longer will regard them as in need of international protection.
Read more about asylum seekers and to travel abroad
Families with permits to live with someone
If one has a residence permit to live with their family in Sweden, but stays abroad for an extended period, it may affect the processing of an application for a new permit.
How international travel affects the possibility of an extended work permit
A work permit is tied to a specific employment for the first two years – after that, to a specific profession. One can travel without affecting the residence permit as long as one still has the employment. Longer stays outside Sweden can affect the possibilities of obtaining an extended residence permit or a permanent residence permit.
A work permit requires working within the framework of the employment or profession for which the permit was granted – the assessment of such trips is made based on their extent and purpose.
Once a permanent residence permit has been obtained, there is no longer a link between the permit and the employment. Instead, the rules for permanent residence permits, as previously described in the text, apply.
Example 3
Ranjani is an Indian engineer with a work permit employed at a Swedish IT company. She is going home to India for a month over Christmas and New Year.
Ranjani's work permit is tied to her employment at the IT company, and she can travel abroad without affecting her residence permit.
If she were to stay in India for a longer period, it could, in the future, affect her possibilities of obtaining an extended residence permit or a permanent residence permit.
Students
If students travel abroad during the semester for reasons unrelated to their studies, it can, in some cases, affect the residence permit. The length of the trip is crucial; an individual assessment is made where the authority considers, among other things, the absence in relation to the permit duration, the reason for the absence, and how far the person has progressed in their studies.
Rules for applying for citizenship
An application for Swedish citizenship generally does not affect the right to travel; this is governed by the residence permit.
However, travel can affect the possibility of becoming a Swedish citizen. One of the requirements is that one must have lived in Sweden for a certain period. This period is called the period of habitual residence, and it can be affected by international travel. This is rarely a matter of a few weeks of vacation, but longer and/or repeated stays abroad can be significant and counted off the period of habitual residence. Longer and/or repeated stays abroad can also indicate that one no longer primarily resides in Sweden, and may thus also affect the starting date from which the period of habitual residence is calculated, in addition to the current residence permit.
Travel to the home country for individuals who have protection status may also be significant in citizenship cases, as it can lead to the Swedish Migration Agency assessing that the need for protection no longer exists. This can affect both the current permit and the application for citizenship.
Contact the Swedish Migration Agency in advance
In many cases, travelling with a Swedish residence permit is straightforward, but the details make a big difference. The type of permit, its validity period, any pending applications, and the planned duration of the stay abroad affect the possibilities of returning and retaining the residence permit. By knowing the rules for the individual case, unnecessary problems can be avoided, and the trips become both safer and easier.
If uncertain about a planned trip, the Swedish Migration Agency recommends contacting the authority well in advance.
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