You want to extend Long-term residents in another EU country

You have long-term resident status in another EU country and want to extend your residence permit to live in Sweden.

  • Important to know
  • Apply

If you have long-term resident status in the EU and want to continue living in Sweden after your permit has expired, you must submit an application to extend your permit. Apply no sooner than two months before your current permit expires.

If you have a family that also wants to extend their residence permit, they can read more on the page entitled You want to extend – Family of long-term residents in another EU country.

These requirements must be met in order for you to be granted an extended residence permit.

You must have a valid passport

You must have long-term resident status in the EU country in which you previously lived
You must have been granted the special residence permit known as an EC/EU residence permit for long-term residents.

You must be able to account for your occupation in Sweden
You must work, run your own business, study or have sufficient financial means to support yourself.

You must attach copies of these documents to your application. Make sure that the information on your submitted documents is clearly visible.

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

A colour copy of your residence permit card
A colour copy of your valid residence permit card showing that you have an EC/EU residence permit for long-term residents in another EU country.
Read about the EC/EU residence permit card

Documents showing that you can support yourself financially

You need to submit documents showing how you can support yourself financially. The documents you must attach depend on your occupation.

If you work in Sweden, you must attach

If you run your own business in Sweden, you must attach

  • a certificate from the population register showing that you are registered for F-tax, see www.skatteverket.se External link.
  • a certificate of registration from the Swedish Companies Registration Office External link.
  • the most recent VAT report (if your company is required to report VAT)
  • the company’s tax account statements for the past three months
  • proof that you run a business, such as invoices to customers, receipts for purchased materials, and a rental contract for the business’s premises.

If you have purchased a business in Sweden, you must attach

  • the transfer agreement
  • the most recent annual accounts or annual report.

If you are studying in Sweden, you must attach

  • your certificate of admission to a course or programme at least at upper secondary level. Please note that you cannot be granted a residence permit for enrolment in Swedish for Immigrants (SFI) courses. If you have started your studies, you must submit a registration certificate or equivalent document proving that you have started them
  • a certificate showing that you are covered by the social security system of your country of origin. The certificate must be issued by the authorities in your country of origin and must state that you are covered by the social security system of another EU country. If you cannot obtain such a certificate, you must take out comprehensive private health insurance that is valid during the time you are in Sweden
  • an assurance that you have sufficient funds to support yourself during your period of study.

If you are retired or have sufficient funds to support yourself financially in Sweden, you must attach

  • documents showing how you support yourself, such as pension statements or bank statements
  • documents showing your accommodation cost.

If you provide or are a recipient of a service, you must attach a certificate, contract or similar documentation stating the type of service and how long you will provide or receive it. The document must be written and signed by the person receiving or providing the service.

Power of attorney – if someone else will be applying for you

A representative can apply for you, if you grant them power of attorney. In that case, the person who applies for you must attach a copy of the power of attorney to your application.

Power of attorney (107011) pdf, 535.3 kB.

Read more about power of attorney

If you are an employee or self-employed person, or if you live here with other sufficient means of supporting yourself, you can be granted a residence permit for a maximum of five years.

If you are a student, you will be granted a permit for the duration of your studies, but for a maximum of one year at a time.

Once you have had a residence permit in Sweden for five years, you can apply for long-term resident status in Sweden. You can do this even if you apply to extend your current residence permit. The Swedish Migration Agency will then examine both applications.

If your current residence permit will soon expire, it is a good idea to apply to extend that permit, even if you have applied for a long-term resident status in Sweden. Otherwise, you risk having to leave Sweden if your application for long-term resident status in Sweden is rejected and you do not have a valid residence permit or an open application for a continued residence permit in Sweden.

Keep in mind that you will need to pay the application fee for both applications.

Read more on the page You want to apply – Long-term residents in Sweden

It is not possible to say exactly how long you will need to wait for a decision. There are many things that affect the waiting time, for example whether your application is complete to begin with or whether we need to request more information, or whether we need to check with other authorities when investigating your case.

Here we show statistics on how long it has taken for people who have applied for the same permit as you. The statistics are based on cases decided in the last 12 months.

75% of recently decided cases have been decided within:14 months

Adults: SEK 1,500
Children: SEK 750

The following people pay no fee to apply:

  • family members of Nordic citizens
  • EU/EEA citizens and their family members
  • Swiss citizens and their family members
  • Japanese citizens

Family members of Swedish citizens must pay an application fee.

News

2026-04-13

Easier to renew your permanent residence permit card

It will now be easier to renew your permanent residence permit card. You will automatically receive information and a request to book an appointment via My page well in advance of your current card expiring.

The Swedish Migration Agency is responsible for considering applications from people who want to live in Sweden, seek protection or become Swedish citizens. Our work is based on Swedish laws and international conventions, with a focus on legal certainty and effective reception and return.