Foreign citizens living in Sweden can apply for citizenship after 5 years of permanent residency. This is one of the most important conditions that one must meet in order to become a citizen of this country. However, there are also other requirements to be considered, even if they are not of legal nature.
If you want to apply for citizenship in Sweden and need information and support in securing a passport, you can rely on our immigration lawyers. We are at your disposal with tailored services in this sense.
Table of Contents
2 ways of securing Swedish citizenship
Foreigners can become citizens of Sweden in one of 2 ways:
- via application to the Swedish Migration Agency;
- by notice.
Both of them fall under the naturalization procedure of obtaining a Swedish passport.
| Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Residency options | Temporary and permanent residency are available in Sweden |
|
Ways to acquire citizenship |
– Ancestry; – naturalization; – marriage. |
|
Living requirement for citizenship by naturalization |
Swedish citizenship is available after 5 years of permanent residency |
| Living requirement for citizenship by marriage | After 10 years of marriage |
| Conditions for citizenship by ancestry |
Ancestry or descent is a way to citizenship in Sweden for those with Swedish parents |
| Citizenship by investment availability (YES/NO) |
No, there is no direct way to secure a Swedish passport by investment |
| Special requirements for EU citizens (if any) |
No, however, Danish, Finnish, Icelandic, and Norwegian citizens can acquire citizenship through notification |
| Special citizenship requirements for non-EU citizens (if any) |
No, the same citizenship requirements for EU citizens apply to non-EU ones |
| Documents to obtain citizenship by naturalization |
– Proof of residency or relation with a Swedish citizen; – local address; – good knowledge of the Swedish language and culture |
| Timeframe for obtaining citizenship | The minimum waiting period is 10 months (the Swedish Migration Agency offers a calculator for the computation of such information) |
| Access to dual citizenship (YES/NO) |
Yes, Sweden allows dual citizenship |
| Benefits after obtaining Swedish citizenship |
– Voting rights; – access to free healthcare and education; – free travel to more than 160 countries. |
| Fastest way to secure citizenship |
Ancestry is the fastest way to Swedish citizenship |
| Best way to obtain citizenship in Sweden |
Naturalization is the best and safest way to citizenship in Sweden |
| Support in filing for citizenship (YES/NO) | Yes, our immigration lawyers in Sweden can help with the application for citizenship. |
Even if it is also possible to obtain citizenship through marriage and even investment, they also fall under the same naturalization process, as applicants must first obtain permanent residency in Sweden.
The easier path to citizenship is notification, which is available for minor children and young adults. Also, citizens of North European countries also benefit from special criteria when it comes to citizenship in Sweden. The last pathway to citizenship is ancestry.
From this point of view, this country is quite different from others which is why it is recommended to request the assistance of a specialist when seeking to naturalize. Our immigration lawyers in Sweden are at your disposal with customized services in this sense.
Requirements to obtain citizenship in Sweden
As mentioned at the beginning of this article, living in Sweden for a minimum period of 5 years based on a permanent residence permit is the main legal requirement for obtaining passport. Apart from that, here are the other criteria under which the immigration authority will consider your application:
- to be at least 18 of age when filing for citizenship;
- having led a peaceful life in Sweden and respecting the local regulations;
- possess a valid Swedish permanent residence permit, be an EU citizen or a close relative of an EU citizen and possess the right of residence or a residence card at the moment of the application.
If you need assistance in submitting your application for a Swedish passport, do not hesitate to request our immigration services.
How to apply for citizenship by ancestry in Sweden
You may apply for Swedish citizenship by descent if one or both of your parents are Swedish citizens.
Even if a child is born outside of Sweden, their citizenship in Sweden is determined by their parents at birth. When a child is born to Swedish parents, they automatically become citizens of Sweden.
However, exceptions apply to children of Swedish parents born prior to April 1st, 2015. In this situation, the parent would have to provide the Swedish Migration Agency with a statement of Swedish citizenship.
Foreign children adopted by Swedish parents before the age of 12 get Swedish passports immediately. When adopted, children who are older than 12 must go through the usual naturalization procedure.
The declaration of citizenship in Sweden
You can ask for a citizenship declaration if you are unsure of whether you still have Swedish citizenship or have lost it. The following situations can lead to such uncertainties:
- you acquired Swedish citizenship at birth and you are older;
- you lost it because you were born abroad and have never resided in Sweden;
- you lost it when you acquired another citizenship.
In order to obtain such a document, you must file the Application for Citizenship Declaration form. If you reside abroad, you must submit your application to the Swedish embassy or consulate in your new country of residence.
Once your situation has been clarified, the Swedish Migration Agency will send the decision to your home address or, if you live abroad, to the embassy or consulate. Our immigration lawyers in Sweden are at your disposal with such services for foreign citizens who do not know what their current citizenship status is.
Loss of Swedish citizenship
When you turn 22, if you are a Swedish citizen born outside of Sweden, never lived there, and did not have a strong connection to the country (before that age), you can lose your citizenship.
In order to prevent that from happening, you can apply to the Migration Agency to maintain your Swedish citizenship. You must do this between the ages of 18 and 22, but no later than. If you lived in Sweden for any period of time before turning 22 or often traveled there before that age, you do not need to submit an application.
However, if it does happen and you lose Swedish nationality, it is worth noting that starting April 2015, you may restore it if you lost it as a result of becoming a citizen of another nation before July 1, 2001, by filing a request to the Migration Agency.
This is also possible if:
- you have lost your Swedish citizenship if you applied for another nationality;
- you have lost your citizenship as a child because your parents moved to another country
- you may have lost if you entered the public service of another country.
With respect to losing this status in the present, there are cases that can lead to it, such as committing a serious offence, lying to the authorities in a way that harms Sweden’s economic integrity, etc.
You can rely on our specialists if you find yourself in any of the situations above and need professional assistance.
Swedish citizenship for Nordic applicants
North European countries, meaning Denmark, Iceland, Norway, and Finland, have special relations that apply both from economic and social points of view. Nordic people can become citizens of Sweden by application.
Should this be your case, you must know that at the time of the application:
- you need to provide a valid identification paper;
- you must be at least 18 years old;
- you must have spent at least 2 years residing in Sweden.
- you must have had a good behavior.
Feel free to address our immigration law firm in Sweden for guidance in obtaining citizenship as a Nordic citizen.
Sweden citizenship by investment
While there is no specific program, investors who want to start their own businesses in Sweden can do so and obtain permanent residency. The requirements are quite simple in terms of financial conditions, and citizenship can be obtained the usual route.
If you are a foreign entrepreneur and need assistance in relocating here for business purposes, we can help you apply for the necessary residence permit and then for Swedish citizenship.
How many foreigners live in Sweden?
According to statistics, in 2022, the majority of immigrants in Sweden were in fact Swedish citizens returning home. Their number was around 9,900. Also:
- the total number of immigrants in 2022 was 102,400, many of them coming from Germany, Poland, India, and Syria;
- in terms of foreign-born population, nearly 200,000 of the births in 2022 were from parents of Syrian descent;
- also, the number of children born to Finnish citizens was 133,083.
Please mind that the Swedish government plans on changing citizenship requirements by prolonging the minimum residence period. For this purpose, we kindly invite you to get in touch with us!
