Family member in Sweden

Your family members must submit their application to a Swedish embassy or consulate in their country of origin or of residence or electronically on the Migration Agency’s website.

Swedish Migration Agency

Moving to someone in Sweden

They cannot submit their application while visiting Sweden. Neither can you submit it in Sweden on their behalf.

Your family members must show:

• a passport and photographs;
• proof of the family relationship.

More on documents required

In some cases you may have to prove that you can maintain your family member/members in Sweden.

More on the maintenance requirement

A permanent residence permit is granted to your spouse, partner or registered partner or relative if you lived together for at least two years in your country of origin.

Otherwise, a residence permit of two years (or shorter but for at least one year) will be granted and is renewable.

After two years, family members can be granted a permanent residence permit.

If the relationship ceases to exist, the residence permit is in principle not renewed. The Migration Agency may also withdraw the residence permit. A case-by-case examination is made to check any particular reasons for not withdrawing the permit.

Decisions can be appealed before the Migration Agency for administrative review and further before one of the three Migration Courts. The appeal must be made within three weeks of the date you were given the decision.

A further appeal can be brought before the Migration Court of Appeal.

Leave to appeal must be granted by the Migration Court of Appeal in case of precedence exemption or extraordinary exemption.

After two years, your family members shall be granted a permanent residence permit. Grounds for rejection include:

• suspicion of future misconduct or criminal behaviour;
• past criminal record;
• false information about civil status;
• threat to public order and security.