Apply for protection under the Temporary Protection Directive

You have fled the war in Ukraine alone or with your family and want to apply for protection in Sweden.

The information on this page is aimed at people who have fled the war in Ukraine and want to apply for protection in Sweden under the EU’s Temporary Protection Directive.

Requirements for temporary protection under the EU’s Temporary Protection Directive

These requirements must be met in order for you to be granted a residence permit with temporary protection under the Temporary Protection Directive:

You must be in Sweden

You must be one of the following

a Ukrainian citizen
a person who had international protection or equivalent national protection in Ukraine prior to 24 February 2022
an accompanying family member of someone belonging to either of the two groups described above.

You must show your identity and citizenship
If you do not have a passport or a national ID card, you can present other documents that state your identity and citizenship. For example, you can present a driving licence, birth certificate, citizenship certificate or military service book.

You must have lived in Ukraine and left the country because of the war on 24 February 2022 or later
Even if you were already in Sweden when the war in Ukraine broke out, you may still be entitled to protection under the Temporary Protection Directive, if you were legally in Sweden before 22 December 2023. You must belong to one of the three groups listed above. If you have been convicted of a crime punishable by at least two years’ imprisonment, your application may be rejected.

Prepare this before you apply

You must attach copies of these documents to your application. Make sure that the information in the documents you include is clearly visible.

Correctly made copies of your passport
Read more about what the passport copies must show

Correctly made copies of your co-applicant family members’ passports
Read more about what the passport copies must show

Can my family members also get residence permits?

Your family members can get residence permits under the Temporary Protection Directive if they came to Sweden with you. Your co-applicant family members do not need to be Ukrainian citizens, but each must have a valid passport or other identification document.

When you apply for a residence permits for yourself, you can apply for residence permits for your family members at the same time.

If you have committed a crime

People who have committed serious criminal offences (such as war crimes or other serious crimes), or who pose a threat to the security of Sweden, cannot be granted a residence permit under the Temporary Protection Directive, nor can they be granted asylum under Swedish law.

If you need accommodation and financial aid

If you cannot arrange your accommodation on your own, you are entitled to accommodation provided by the Swedish Migration Agency once you have applied for a residence permit under the Temporary Protection Directive.

For how long can I be granted a residence permit?

The EU has decided that the Temporary Protection Directive will be extended until 4 March 2027. The decision was made on 15 July. If you received a residence permit decision before 15 July 2025, your permit is valid until 4 March 2026. Before your residence permit expires, you will receive information about what you must do if you want to stay in Sweden.

What does it cost to apply?

It costs nothing to apply for a residence permit under the Temporary Protection Directive.

How long must I wait for a decision?

It usually takes a few weeks for the Swedish Migration Agency to check whether you are entitled to protection. We will contact you if we need more information.

Can I work or study with this residence permit?

If you are 16 years of age or older and are granted a residence permit in Sweden, you have the right to work, and children are allowed to attend school.

If you have been granted a residence permit under the Temporary Protection Directive in another EU country

Your residence permit with temporary protection under the Temporary Protection Directive in one EU country does not automatically apply in other EU countries. Different EU countries may have different rules about who can receive protection under the Temporary Protection Directive. If you wish to live in Sweden, you must apply to the Swedish Migration Agency for protection.

If you do not meet the requirements

If we see in your application that you do not meet the requirements for a residence permit under the Temporary Protection Directive, we will ask you if you want to apply for asylum or a residence permit on another basis.

Have you witnessed war crimes?

The Swedish police have a team investigating war crimes that may have occurred during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, after 24 February 2022. Contact them if you were a civilian in Ukraine and have been a victim of a war crime or witnessed other civilians who have been victims of war crimes.

E-mail registrator.kansli@polisen.se and mark your message with “to the War Crimes Investigation Team”, or call the police’s Contact Centre at phone number 114 14.

Increased risk of violence, abuse and human trafficking

When many people must flee their country simultaneously, the risk of being subjected to various forms of violence and oppression increases. This means that people fleeing the war in Ukraine are at a particularly high risk of being exploited. This is especially true of women and children.

Notify the police if you are the victim of a crime. In case of emergency situations and ongoing crimes, call 112. If the matter is not urgent, you can contact the police at +46 77 114 14 00.

Information on human trafficking in English and Ukrainian on the website of the Swedish Gender Equality Agency External link.

Help for people who have been subjected to sexual abuse or other physical or mental abuse

Illustration of a young woman making an application on the computer.

You apply

You apply for protection digitally, via our e-service. If you do not have an email address, postal address or telephone number, you should visit the Swedish Migration Agency's service center and submit your application. If you are a child who has come to Sweden without your parents/legal guardians, you should visit the Swedish Migration Agency's service center to submit your application.

If you are applying for an extension, it is important that you do so before your current permit expires. As long as you submit your application before your current permit expires, you have the right to stay in Sweden until we make a decision.

When you apply for an extension, you book an appointment in the e-service to be photographed and fingerprinted at one of our service centres, as you will need a new residence permit card if you are granted an extended residence permit.

Illustration of a woman sitting at a computer and having received confirmation from the Swedish Migration Board.

You receive a confirmation of your application

Once you have applied in the e-service, you will receive an email confirming that you have applied. The email contains the names of all the people for whom you have applied.

When you apply for an extension, you will also receive an email with a confirmation of your booked appointment to be photographed and provide fingerprints.

Each person for whom you have applied will also receive their own letter, sent to their home address, confirming that the Swedish Migration Agency has received the application. The letter contains the person’s name and case number, as well as information that they are entitled to accommodation and financial aid as long as they are still registered at one of the Migration Agency’s reception units. This letter can be good to have if you need to prove to an authority or employer that you have applied for a residence permit.

Log in to My page

By logging in to My page, you can access information about your application and use our services.

My page

Illustration of a man looking at an application.

The Swedish Migration Agency reviews your application

The Swedish Migration Agency reviews your application. We will contact you if we need more information.

Illustration showing how a person provides their fingerprints.

You must be fingerprinted and photographed

In order to receive a residence permit card as proof that you have the right to be in Sweden, you need to be photographed and fingerprinted.

If you have applied for the first time, you will receive information about how to do this when you receive a decision.

If you have applied for an extended residence permit, you booked an appointment in the e-service to be photographed and fingerprinted. If you have applied for several family members, everyone must come to the appointment.

Illustration of a young woman holding a decision.

You receive our decision

When the decision has been made, we will send it to you by post. The decision will tell you whether you have been granted a residence permit or if your application has been rejected. Anyone you have applied for will get a decision sent to them.

When you receive the decision, you can find out the reasons on which we based it. If your application is rejected and you are currently in Sweden, you must prepare to leave the country.

You have received a decision – Protection under the Temporary Protection Directive

Have you assembled all documents?

Before you start your application, you must have assembled the documents you will need to attach.

See which documents you must attach under the Important to know tab

Requirements for applying in the e-service

To apply in the e-service, you must

be a citizen of Ukraine
be over 18 years old
be in Sweden
have an email address
have a mobile phone
have a digital copy (photo) of a valid passport or other identification document for each adult for whom you are applying.

If you apply for a residence permit for any family members at the same time, you can add

up to three adult co-applicant family members
up to ten children under the age of 18 of whom you are the parent/legal guardian.

If the family consists of more people than this, you need to make several applications. Each person can only make one application in the e-service.

E-service for applying for residence permits with temporary protection

Apply for the first time.

To the e-service

By logging in you accept the terms of use

What does it cost to apply?

It costs nothing to apply for a residence permit under the Temporary Protection Directive.

If you cannot apply in the e-service

If you cannot apply in the e-service, you must visit the Swedish Migration Agency in person to apply.

You can apply for a residence permit for temporary protection under the Temporary Protection Directive, and get assistance with accommodation or financial aid, at the following service centres or units of the Swedish Migration Agency:

Boden – Service Centre
Gothenburg, Kållered – Unit for Arrival
Malmö – Unit for Asylum Applications
Norrköping – Service Centre
Stockholm, Sundbyberg – Service Centre
Sundsvall – Service Centre

You cannot make an appointment to submit your application.

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