Residence permit based on Swedish ancestry or other ties

In exceptional cases, people of Swedish origin can be granted a residence permit. This applies to people who previously had Swedish citizenship but lost it, as well as to people who have parents or grandparents who were Swedish from birth.

If you have previously lived in Sweden with a permanent residence permit, you can be granted a residence permit because you have ties to Sweden.

To be granted a residence permit, it is not enough that you have Swedish ancestry. You must also be able to show your ties to Sweden by having spent lengthy periods in the country, having Swedish education, or through your knowledge of the Swedish language.

If you have lived abroad for no more than three years, then to be granted a new residence permit in Sweden, you must have previously lived here (with a residence permit) for at least four years.

If you have lived abroad for over three years, then to be granted a new residence permit, you must have previously lived in Sweden (with a residence permit) for at least ten years or have other grounds for being granted a new residence permit.

In exceptional cases, people of Swedish origin can be granted a residence permit. This applies to people who previously had Swedish citizenship but lost it, as well as to people who have parents or grandparents who were Swedish from birth.

If you have previously lived in Sweden with a permanent residence permit, you can be granted a residence permit because you have ties to Sweden.

Documents proving your ties to Sweden

Correctly made copies of your passport

In order for the Swedish Migration Agency to be able to assess whether you are entitled to a residence permit, it is important that you describe the specific reasons why you want to move to Sweden.

If you have previously held a permanent residence permit in Sweden, we will also take into account the reasons why you left the country.

All submitted documents should be in Swedish or English. If you have translated your documents, the translation should be certified. You must also include a copy of the document in its original language.

You can be granted a residence permit for a maximum of two years, but never for longer than your passport is valid.

Your residence permit can be extended.

Yes, if you are granted a residence permit in Sweden, you will also have the right to work and study.

If you have any children under the age of 18 who will accompany you to Sweden, you must apply for a residence permit for each of them in your application.

If you have children over the age of 18 who want to come to Sweden with you, each child will need to submit their own application.

When the Swedish Migration Agency examines your application, we will also take into account whether you have your own family in your country of origin or other strong ties to your country of origin. Your connection to Sweden will then be compared with your ties to your country of origin.

For example, if you have started a family in a country outside Sweden, it will be more difficult for you to get a residence permit through your ties to Sweden.