Swedish citizenship – requirements, rules and legal assistance

The rules on Swedish citizenship changed substantially on 6 June 2026. Among other things, the changes introduced longer residence requirements in Sweden, a self-support requirement, and requirements concerning knowledge of the Swedish language and Swedish society.

The new requirements also apply to many people who submitted their applications before 6 June 2026 but whose cases had not been decided before the legislative changes entered into force. It is therefore important not to assess an application solely on the basis of the rules that applied when the application was submitted.

AdamLaw Juristbyrå can help you assess whether you meet the requirements, identify potential issues, and supplement or appeal a Swedish citizenship case.

Requirements for Swedish citizenship

As a general rule, an adult may be granted Swedish citizenship if the person:

• has reached the age of 18,

• can prove their identity,

• holds a permanent residence permit or another legal status that may be accepted,

• has been habitually resident in Sweden for a sufficient period of time,

• has led, and can be expected to continue leading, an orderly and respectable way of life,

• is able to support themselves financially, and

• has sufficient knowledge of Swedish and of Swedish society.

As a starting point, all requirements must be met when the Swedish Migration Agency makes its decision. It is therefore not always sufficient that the requirements were met when the application was submitted.

Act (2001:82) on Swedish Citizenship – consolidated version

SFS 2026:447

Permanent residence permit or another acceptable status

As a general rule, the applicant must hold a permanent residence permit in Sweden.

Nordic citizens are not required to hold a permanent residence permit. For EU and EEA citizens and their family members, a right of residence may be treated as equivalent to a permanent residence permit. Residence status under the Withdrawal Agreement for British citizens may also be accepted.

Following the legislative amendment of 12 July 2026, certain persons may also apply while holding a temporary residence permit. This includes certain persons whose permits have been granted on the basis of:

• refugee status or subsidiary protection,

• exceptionally distressing circumstances,

• lasting impediments to enforcement,

• long-term resident status in Sweden, or

• family ties to a person holding such a permit.

In these cases, the applicant must normally have well-founded prospects of obtaining a permanent or otherwise lasting right of residence. The assessment is forward-looking and is made individually.

Identity must be proven

As a general rule, a person applying for Swedish citizenship must prove their identity. This is normally done by presenting a passport from the applicant's country of origin or another identity document issued by a competent authority.

The Swedish Migration Agency assesses, among other things:

• how the document was issued,

• whether it contains a photograph,

• whether the applicant personally applied for or collected the document,

• whether the information contained in the document is reliable, and

• whether the information is consistent with information previously provided by the applicant.

The fact that an identity document has expired does not automatically mean that it lacks evidentiary value.

For persons from certain countries, including Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia and Eritrea, the Swedish Migration Agency applies specific assessments concerning identity documents. Particular identity-related difficulties may also arise for stateless Palestinians.

When identity cannot be proven

In certain cases, an exception from the requirement to prove identity may be made if the applicant:

• has been habitually resident in Sweden for at least ten years,

• has used the same identity throughout that period,

• makes the stated identity probable, and

• has no genuine possibility of obtaining acceptable identity documents.

Changes to information such as date of birth, place of birth or nationality may have significant consequences. The Swedish Migration Agency will then assess why the information was changed and whether there are circumstances that cast doubt on the identity.

Personal appearance and identity verification

A person applying for Swedish citizenship must normally appear in person before the Swedish Migration Agency for an identity check.

The Swedish Migration Agency sends a specific notice or information explaining when and how an appointment should be booked. Applicants should therefore not book an appointment before the Agency has requested them to do so.

An exception may be made where there are special reasons, for example a serious illness or a physical or mental disability that prevents the person from attending in person.

The Swedish Migration Agency may also take a photograph and, for persons aged six or above, fingerprints in order to verify identity.

Period of habitual residence – how long must you have lived in Sweden?

As a general rule, an adult must have been habitually resident in Sweden for at least eight years.

Habitual residence means that the person is actually settled in Sweden and intends to remain here. Being registered in the Swedish Population Register or holding some form of residence permit does not automatically mean that the entire period may be counted as habitual residence.

Shorter residence periods apply to certain groups:

• Nordic citizens: two years.

• Former Swedish citizens: two years.

• Stateless persons: five years.

• Persons with refugee status: seven years.

• Persons who have not reached the age of 21 when applying: seven years.

• A person who is married to or cohabiting with a Swedish citizen: seven years, provided that the relationship has lasted for at least five years and the Swedish partner has been a Swedish citizen for at least five years.

Being married to or cohabiting with a Swedish citizen therefore no longer normally means that citizenship can be granted after three years.

Which periods may be counted?

Time spent in Sweden with a residence permit that forms a basis for settlement may normally be counted as habitual residence. Time spent with a permit for, for example, visits, au pair work or ordinary studies is normally not counted.

Time spent as a doctoral student may in certain cases be counted if the circumstances show that the person intended to remain in Sweden after completing their studies.

If the applicant has received a final and non-appealable refusal-of-entry or expulsion decision, the period before that decision is normally not counted. The period of habitual residence may instead begin when the person later receives a residence permit that forms a basis for settlement.

Time spent in Sweden under a false identity cannot be counted as habitual residence.

Travel and stays outside Sweden

Short holiday trips normally do not affect the period of habitual residence.

If a person has been outside Sweden for more than six weeks during a year, the Swedish Migration Agency normally deducts the entire period spent abroad from the period of habitual residence.

If the person has moved away from Sweden and become resident in another country, the period of habitual residence is interrupted. A new period may begin when the person settles in Sweden again.

Self-support requirement

As a general rule, a person applying for Swedish citizenship must be able to support themselves through their own income from:

• employment, or

• self-employment or business activities.

The income must be sufficient and may not be merely temporary.

The minimum requirement corresponds to three income base amounts per year. For 2026, this means an annual income of at least SEK 250,200 before tax, corresponding to SEK 20,850 per month.

The amount changes when the income base amount is adjusted. It is therefore important to check the applicable amount for the year in which the Swedish Migration Agency decides the case.

In addition, the applicant must not have received social assistance for more than a total of six months during the relevant three-year period.

Income that normally does not count

The self-support requirement must be met through the applicant's own income. The following normally cannot be used to satisfy the requirement:

• the income of a spouse or cohabiting partner,

• savings or other assets,

• property,

• investment income,

• unemployment benefits,

• activity support,

• establishment benefits,

• special employment subsidies,

• new-start jobs, or

• establishment jobs.

Temporary benefits that are directly connected to ongoing employment may in certain cases be treated as equivalent to salary.

For business owners, there must be actual and sufficiently stable personal income from the business activity. Turnover or funds held in a company are not automatically the same as personal income.

Exceptions from the self-support requirement

An exception may, among other things, be relevant for persons who:

• are entitled to income-based old-age pension, guarantee pension or maintenance support for the elderly,

• are studying full-time with satisfactory academic results at a Swedish university or university college,

• are enrolled in a programme leading to a Higher Vocational Education qualification,

• attend upper secondary school, or

• cannot reasonably be expected to satisfy the requirement because of a disability or other personal circumstances.

Exceptions are assessed individually. It is normally the applicant who must show that the conditions for an exception are met.

Knowledge of Swedish and Swedish society

As a general rule, persons between the ages of 16 and 66 must demonstrate sufficient knowledge of Swedish and of Swedish society.

Persons aged 67 or older are not subject to the knowledge requirement.

Knowledge of Swedish

Knowledge of Swedish may, among other things, be demonstrated through a passing grade in:

• Swedish or Swedish as a second language from compulsory school,

• Swedish or Swedish as a second language from upper secondary school,

• municipal adult education,

• the highest course in Swedish for Immigrants, SFI,

• certain courses at a folk high school, or

• equivalent education in another Nordic country.

During the transitional period, knowledge may also be demonstrated through, for example, Tisus or another reliable language test showing knowledge at the required level.

The planned Swedish citizenship language test is being introduced gradually. It is therefore important to distinguish between the knowledge requirements that already apply and the possibility of demonstrating knowledge through a specific citizenship test.

Knowledge of Swedish society

Knowledge of Swedish society may be demonstrated through a passing grade in social studies or basic social sciences from, among other things:

• compulsory school,

• upper secondary school,

• folk high school studies at upper secondary level, or

• municipal adult education.

A person who cannot demonstrate the required knowledge through educational qualifications may be given the opportunity to take a specific citizenship test in social studies.

The Swedish Migration Agency informs the applicant about the possibility of taking the test when this becomes relevant. The applicant may therefore not always be able to register for the test on their own initiative before the Agency has processed the case.

Exceptions from the knowledge requirements

An exception may be made if, because of a disability or other personal circumstances, it cannot reasonably be required that the person demonstrate the relevant knowledge.

Medical or other specific evidence is normally required to explain why the person is unable to meet the requirement. It is not sufficient that learning Swedish is difficult or takes a long time.

Orderly and respectable way of life

A person applying for Swedish citizenship must have led, and be expected to continue leading, an orderly and respectable way of life.

The assessment is broader than merely checking whether the person appears in the criminal records register. The Swedish Migration Agency may take into account, among other things:

• criminal offences committed in Sweden,

• criminal offences committed in other countries,

• unpaid taxes, fines and charges,

• debts registered with the Swedish Enforcement Authority,

• unpaid maintenance obligations,

• information in the Schengen Information System,

• security threats,

• links to certain organisations or groups, and

• other serious circumstances relating to the person's conduct.

An offence committed abroad may also affect the citizenship case if the conduct would also constitute an offence under Swedish law.

Qualifying period after criminal offences

A criminal conviction does not always constitute a permanent obstacle to Swedish citizenship. However, a certain period must normally pass after the offence or the sentence imposed.

This is referred to as a qualifying period.

The length of the qualifying period depends, among other things, on:

• the nature of the offence,

• the length of the sentence,

• whether the sentence has been served,

• whether fines have been paid,

• whether the probationary period following conditional release has expired, and

• whether the person has reoffended.

Examples of the Swedish Migration Agency's normal guidelines include:

• day fines: normally at least two to four years, depending on the number of day fines,

• suspended sentence: normally at least four years from the date the judgment became final,

• probation: normally at least five years,

• one month's imprisonment: normally at least seven years,

• one year's imprisonment: normally at least ten years,

• two years' imprisonment: normally at least eleven years after completion of the sentence.

A longer period may be required in cases involving repeated offending. The assessment is always individual.

An ongoing criminal investigation or information in the register of suspected offenders may also cause the Swedish Migration Agency to postpone its decision or conclude that it is not yet possible to predict that the applicant will continue to lead an orderly and respectable way of life. A suspicion is, however, not the same as a final criminal conviction and must be assessed in light of the circumstances of the individual case.

Debts and payment defaults

Unpaid debts registered with the Swedish Enforcement Authority may lead to refusal. This applies both to debts owed to the State and to private debts that have proceeded to enforcement.

Even after the debts have been paid, the Swedish Migration Agency may require the person to have remained debt-free for a certain period. The Agency states that approximately two years of documented financial conduct is often required after the debts have been paid.

The circumstances in which the debt arose may also be relevant. For example, there may be special circumstances if the person has been subjected to economic abuse or has otherwise lacked genuine control over their finances.

Children and Swedish citizenship

Since 6 June 2026, children must as a general rule have their own application for Swedish citizenship. A child can no longer simply be included as a co-applicant in a parent's application.

The application is submitted by the child's legal guardian.

The residence requirement depends on the child's age and circumstances:

• Nordic children: two years,

• stateless children under the age of 15: two years,

• other children under the age of 15: three years,

• children aged 15 or older: normally five years.

Children aged 15 or older must also satisfy the requirement concerning an orderly and respectable way of life.

Children aged 16 or older are, as a general rule, subject to the requirements concerning knowledge of Swedish and Swedish society.

Children are not required to satisfy a separate self-support requirement.

If the child has reached the age of 12 and is a foreign citizen, the child's consent to becoming a Swedish citizen is normally required.

Stateless children born in Sweden

Special rules apply to stateless children born in Sweden. In certain cases, the child may acquire Swedish citizenship by notification instead of through an ordinary application.

The requirements depend, among other things, on the child's age, period of habitual residence and residence permit.

It is important first to determine whether the child is genuinely stateless in the legal sense. The fact that the child does not have a passport or that the parents experience difficulties registering the child does not automatically mean that the child is stateless.

Nordic citizens

Citizens of Denmark, Finland, Iceland or Norway may apply for Swedish citizenship after two years of habitual residence in Sweden.

In certain cases, a Nordic citizen may instead acquire citizenship by notification. Notification normally requires five years of habitual residence and that the person has not, during that period, been sentenced to a custodial sanction.

Notification is therefore not necessarily the quickest option. An individual comparison should be made between an application and a notification.

Former Swedish citizens

A person who was previously a Swedish citizen may normally apply for citizenship after two years of habitual residence in Sweden.

Former Swedish citizens who have subsequently remained continuously citizens of another Nordic country may also have specific possibilities to reacquire Swedish citizenship by notification after taking up habitual residence in Sweden.

Loss of citizenship at the age of 22

A person born outside Sweden may lose Swedish citizenship upon reaching the age of 22 if the person:

• has never been habitually resident in Sweden, and

• has not otherwise stayed in Sweden under circumstances demonstrating a sufficient connection to the country.

Citizenship is not lost if this would result in the person becoming stateless.

A person who risks losing citizenship may apply before their 22nd birthday to retain it.

Since 6 June 2026, certain persons who have already lost Swedish citizenship at the age of 22 may also apply to reacquire it with effect from the date on which the citizenship was lost.

The assessment can be complex and may be affected, among other things, by the person's connection to Sweden and the consequences the loss of citizenship has had under Swedish law and EU law.

Dual citizenship

Sweden permits dual and multiple citizenship.

This means that, under Swedish law, a person normally does not need to renounce their previous citizenship in order to become a Swedish citizen.

However, the other country may have rules under which the previous citizenship is automatically lost or must be renounced. This must be checked under the law of the other country.

Applications submitted before 6 June 2026

The legislative amendments of 6 June 2026 were introduced without general transitional provisions for pending applications.

This means that the new requirements apply to all cases decided by the Swedish Migration Agency after 6 June 2026, even if the application was submitted earlier.

A person who met the previous requirements when the application was submitted may therefore be refused if they do not meet the new requirements when the case is decided.

This may, for example, concern an applicant who:

• has five but not eight years of habitual residence,

• does not satisfy the self-support requirement,

• lacks approved educational qualifications or test results,

• does not meet the new requirements applicable to a relationship with a Swedish citizen, or

• is affected by the stricter requirements concerning an orderly and respectable way of life.

Refusal and appeal

A decision by the Swedish Migration Agency concerning Swedish citizenship may be appealed to a Migration Court.

The appeal must normally have reached the Swedish Migration Agency within three weeks from the date on which the applicant was notified of the decision.

An appeal should not merely express dissatisfaction with the decision. It should clearly state:

• which decision is being appealed,

• what change is requested,

• why the decision is incorrect,

• which legal provision is relevant, and

• what evidence is relied upon.

A judgment of the Migration Court may, in certain cases, be appealed to the Migration Court of Appeal. Leave to appeal is normally required for the Migration Court of Appeal to examine the case.

Request to conclude a case

If a case has not been decided within six months, the applicant may submit a written request asking the Swedish Migration Agency to conclude the case.

The Swedish Migration Agency must then, within four weeks, either:

• decide the case, or

• reject the request in a separate decision.

Such a request may normally be made only once during the Agency's processing of the case.

It is important first to assess whether the case is complete and whether the applicant meets all the requirements. Otherwise, a request to conclude the case may result in the Swedish Migration Agency issuing a swift refusal based on the material already available.

When should you engage a lawyer?

Legal assistance may be particularly important if:

• your identity has been questioned,

• you do not have an acceptable passport,

• you have changed your name, date of birth or other identity details,

• you have spent longer periods outside Sweden,

• it is unclear which period may be counted as habitual residence,

• you have held different types of residence permits,

• you are or have previously been self-employed or a business owner,

• your income is variable or temporary,

• you have received social assistance,

• you have debts registered with the Swedish Enforcement Authority,

• you have been convicted of or are suspected of a criminal offence,

• the Swedish Security Service has provided information in your case,

• your application has been refused, or

• your case has been pending for a long period of time.

Legal assistance from AdamLaw Juristbyrå

AdamLaw Juristbyrå works with Swedish citizenship cases and migration law.

We can assist you with, among other things:

• a legal assessment of whether you meet the requirements,

• calculation and investigation of your period of habitual residence,

• identity-related issues,

• assessment of the self-support requirement,

• business owners and variable income,

• criminal offences, suspicions and qualifying periods,

• debts and financial conduct,

• supplementary submissions to the Swedish Migration Agency,

• requests to conclude a case,

• appeals to a Migration Court, and

• applications for leave to appeal to the Migration Court of Appeal.

Every citizenship case is assessed individually. The information on this page is general and does not replace a legal assessment of the circumstances of an individual case.

Last legally reviewed: 22 July 2026.

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