EU long-term resident status in Sweden

Long-term resident is a legal status that means that you receive certain rights, similar to those of EU citizens. You also get more opportunities to move to another EU country, for example to work, study, start your own business, or live on your pension.

If you are granted long-term resident status in Sweden, you will simultaneously be granted a residence permit which is valid for five years. You will not be able to be granted a permanent residence permit later, neither as a long-term resident nor on any other grounds.

If you have a permanent residence permit when you are granted long-term resident status in Sweden, you will retain your permanent residence permit.

As a long-time resident in Sweden, you do not need a work permit.

When you apply, you must have resided in Sweden with a residence permit, or been legally resident in Sweden on another basis, for the last five years without interruption.

You count the time from the day you received your residence permit. If you are a refugee, a person in need of subsidiary protection or the equivalent according to previous regulations, you can instead count the time from the date on which you applied for international protection.

You count the time from the date on which you were granted right of residence.

All the time you have spent in Sweden with a residence permit can be included, except for residence permits for temporary stays (such as visits or time spent here while studying at a lower level than the doctoral (third-cycle) level.

Being a legal resident on another basis means that you have stayed in Sweden with right of residence or permanent right of residence.

If you have children who have resided in Sweden for less than five years with a residence permit or on other legal grounds, they cannot be granted long-term resident status in Sweden.

Being outside Sweden for periods longer than six consecutive months, or ten months in total during the five-year period, are counted as an interruption. Business trips and travel within Europe are also included.

A gap between periods in which you had a permit may also count as an interruption.

You must have a valid passport

You must work, run your own business, or have sufficient funds to support yourself and your family in the long term, both now and in the future. If you are married or have a cohabiting partner, your partner's income can also be included in the calculation of your family's income.

You must have a valid residence permit when you submit your application for long-term resident status in Sweden.

Ansökan om ställning som varaktigt bosatt i Sverige [Application for long-term resident status in Sweden] (138011, only in Swedish) pdf, 820.1 kB.

Submit the application and attached documents to: Migrationsverket

Adults: SEK 1,000 Children: SEK 500

Your family members do not automatically get long-term resident status when you get it. They must meet the requirements themselves.

If you are granted long-term resident status in Sweden, you will simultaneously be granted a residence permit which is valid for five years.