How to immigrate to Sweden in 2021

Standard of living in Sweden

1. A developed labor market with a low unemployment rate not exceeding 5%. You can seek support from the government agency SwedishLaborMarketAdministration, which helps you find a suitable job.
2. The average salary after deducting all taxes is 2,700 euros.
3. The retirement age is the same for everyone – 61 years. In order for an immigrant to receive a state pension, he only needs to live in the country for 3 years. A person who has never worked and lives in Sweden until the age of 61 will receive 800 euros, a set of products and benefits for utilities. The funded pension is formed through deductions from wages. Maximum payments are due to people with 40 years of experience.
4. Sweden is a country where people live happily and long. The average life expectancy for men is 81 years, for women – 84 years.
5. Real estate, as in many European countries, is expensive. A square meter of housing will cost from 1,500 to 3,000 euros, depending on the city. Maximum prices are in the capital. The rent for a two-room apartment (1-bedroom apartment according to the European calculation system) will range from 350 to 1000 euros.
6. Product prices are relatively high, but do not exceed the average European level in general.
7. Medicine in Sweden is of a high standard and it is free. The only exception is ambulance calls. If your call turns out to be false or you have a simple situation that does not require an emergency, you will be issued a fine. Otherwise, the ambulance will be just as free.
8. Higher education is at a high level and is supported by the state. Anyone, including a foreigner, can receive an interest-free loan for education from the state. If the debt is not paid before retirement, it will simply be cancelled.
9. Kindergartens and schools are free. Moreover, children are given tablets or laptops while studying.

Reasons for moving to Sweden

The entire procedure for moving to Sweden on a permanent basis includes four successive stages:

1. Registration of a visa (short-term or long-term);
2. Obtaining a residence permit (residence permit);
3. Obtaining permanent residence (permanent residence);
4. Obtaining citizenship of an EU country - a Swedish passport.

To move to Sweden for permanent residence, a Russian will need a compelling reason. Almost everyone can apply for a visa, including tourists (only citizens who provide false information are refused). It is somewhat more difficult to obtain a residence permit, and both Russians with relatives who are European citizens, as well as students, job seekers and some other categories can apply for it. But permanent residence can be obtained only on the basis of the following three reasons:

• Job. To move on this basis, a citizen of the Russian Federation requires a work permit. There are two subtypes of this procedure for emigration from Russia to Sweden: worker - when a Russian is employed by a Swedish company, on a permanent or temporary basis;
• entrepreneurial - when a Russian opens a business in Sweden;

Thus, the main ways to obtain permanent residence in Sweden remain employment or reunification with relatives/marriage to a citizen or resident of this European country. The same applies to citizenship.

Finally, Swedish migration legislation allows its citizens to have dual citizenship. Therefore, Russians are not obliged to give up their Russian passports.

Pros of living in the country

1. Sweden has excellent ecology; they care about nature not in words, but in deeds.
2. The stores are filled with high quality goods.
3. It is safe to keep money in banks in the country; the financial system is very stable.
4. Medicine in the country is free, kindergartens and schools are free, education in universities can be achieved through interest-free loans from the state.
5. Really high level of income of the population relative to all neighboring countries.
6. Visa-free travel to countries within the European Union.
7. You can communicate with Swedes in English, almost all of them speak it.
8. Calm, measured pace of life. Worldly happiness is valued here more than the race for wealth.

Grounds for obtaining Swedish citizenship

The rules for obtaining Swedish citizenship are laid down in the 2001 Act. Let's look at the most popular options for immigration to the Scandinavian Peninsula.

Naturalization

Once you have lived in the kingdom legally for long enough (mainly for work), you can apply for citizenship. Citizens of neighboring countries need to live only two years: Denmark, Iceland, Finland, Norway. Refugees and stateless persons must live legally in Sweden for 4 years, and all other categories of migrants - 5 years.

Family reunion and marriage

The option of moving to the Scandinavians to start a family is the fastest and easiest way to immigrate. The Swedes recognize both official and civil unions. In addition, same-sex marriage is allowed here.

The receiving partner must prove the ability to provide the other half with a place of residence and finances.

For family reunification, a temporary residence permit is initially issued for 2 years. At the end of the “probationary” two-year period, the couple will face a series of interviews. If the union passes the fictitious test, the foreign partner receives permanent residence.

Reunification of other relatives (not spouses or partners) is not provided for under Swedish law. Exception: children under 18 years of age and parents of minor Swedish citizens.

By birth

Infants whose father or mother are Swedish citizens automatically become subjects of the Swedish king. It does not matter whether the parents are alive at the time of the child’s birth or not.

Children of foreigners do not have rights to citizenship immediately after birth. They can become Swedish citizens only if they permanently reside in the country from 13 to 18 years of age and have permanent residence. To do this, they need to submit an application to the Migration Service between the ages of 18 and 20 years.

Starting a business, investing

In Sweden, you cannot receive benefits when obtaining citizenship only for opening a business (even a large one) or purchasing real estate or shares. Investors can become subjects of the king only on a general basis: having lived on the Scandinavian peninsula for 5 years and fulfilling other conditions for naturalization. Relaxation has been made only in the timing of obtaining permanent residence. Owners of legally operating successful companies can obtain permanent residence after 2 years.

Refugees

Swedish authorities rarely grant asylum to foreigners. So in 2021, 120 people from Russia, 3 from Belarus and 22 from Ukraine received it. Applicants for refugee status must prove that they are being persecuted in their country of origin due to their ethnic origin, political opinions, or sexual orientation. Asylum can also be granted to those who are experiencing hostilities in their immediate area of ​​residence or who are at direct risk of torture.

Disadvantages of living in the country

1. High taxes, reaching 30%.
2. For a good life it will be necessary to learn Swedish.
3. High cost of real estate and transport.
4. Cold climate.
5. The difficulty of making close friends in this country. The locals are reserved and may seem very cold when you first meet them.
6. It is imperative to verbalize consent to sexual intimacy every time. Otherwise, you can get accused of harassment, or even rape.
7. The time spent studying at a local university is not taken into account when applying for permanent residence and calculating the period of residence in Sweden.
8. Loyalty to migrants. Many refugees from the Middle East and Africa came here.

Living in Sweden: advantages and disadvantages

Coat of arms of Sweden
Moving to successful Sweden seems like a fairy tale with a happy ending, where life is stable and prosperous, and the state tirelessly takes care of the citizens living in it.

Sweden is actually one of the countries with a stable economy and better living conditions. Nevertheless, life there is characterized in different ways for immigrants.

When considering moving to Sweden, you should carefully weigh all the pros and cons.

Ways to move to Sweden for permanent residence

There are five main ways to move to Sweden. Let's list them in order.

1. Education. Anyone can legally stay in Sweden for the duration of their studies at a local university.
2. Job. Official employment will provide you with permanent residence. In order to hire a foreigner, a Swedish employer must prove that there are no suitable candidates on the local labor market. Your salary must be at least 13,000 CZK excluding taxes. In addition, your employer must guarantee contracts for: health and life insurance, insurance against loss of source of income and insurance for employer pensions. However, if you terminate your employment contract, you will have to reapply for a work permit in Sweden. You will be given 3 months to find a new employer, during which you must find employment and reapply for a permit.
3. Political refuge. If your life is in real danger in your country of residence, you can fly to Sweden and ask for political asylum. Until the authorities make a decision about your fate, you will live in one of the specialized camps supported by the state.
4. Business. For those who are ready to open their own business in the country, investing their own money and creating jobs.
5. Family reunification. If one of the marriage partners has a residence permit or Swedish citizenship, he can transfer his partners here. Similarly, parents and minor children can be brought under this program.

How to legally travel to Sweden?

Immigrating to Sweden to obtain citizenship is a more difficult task than just going on a trip. But there are several immigration options, each of which is completely legal and will allow you to stay in Sweden in the future.

Family reunion

The method is suitable for spouses, cohabitants, future newlyweds and children under 18 years of age. If we are talking about a married couple, then it will be necessary to prove that the marriage is not fictitious - to answer various questions, for example, how the couple met and the like.

Submission of documents is carried out in the applicant’s home country. It could also be a relative inviting you to Sweden - in this case, he must fill out a special form.

A questionnaire containing complete information about the family can be downloaded HERE

To obtain a residence permit, a married couple will need the following documents:

• Marriage certificate,
• copy of spouse's passport,
• Swedish Personbevis – an extract from the Swedish population register (provided by the inviting relative).

See what a residence permit looks like in Sweden:

If we are talking about a residence permit for children, then it is necessary to establish an official guardian. He will take full responsibility for collecting documents and will also write an application.

In addition to the application and questionnaire, you will need:

• parental consent for the child to travel abroad (if the minor is moving alone/accompanied by only one parent),
• child's birth certificate.

An unmarried couple will need any documents proving the long-term relationship.

Employment

Emigration to Sweden for work accounts for 70% of all approved applications for a residence permit. But you shouldn’t move to Sweden first and then look for a job. The essence of a residence permit for work is precisely the invitation from a Swedish employer. His company must be registered in accordance with all laws, the vacancy must be posted in the public domain, and the salary must be at least 13 thousand crowns. A Russian resident is allowed to be invited to a position only on the condition that no one from Sweden or the EU has been found within a week.

According to Swedish law, you are required to work in one specialty and for one employer for at least 2 years. Your residence permit is given for the job originally declared; a change in activity will lead to the fact that you will need to work for 2 years again. You will have to open a Swedish bank account to receive your salary, go through several embassies, and then get insured with a social agency.

For a residence permit for work you will need:

• It is recommended to submit your application for a residence permit in electronic form,
• if your family is moving with you - copies of their passports and the same application for a work residence permit,
• a copy of your passport,
• work permit from the employer.

The application can be filled out on the website of the Swedish Migration Agency www.migrationsverket.se/4.2bbf7de914c17a2ed261974.html

Education

Studying will not help you stay for permanent residence in Sweden - after completing your studies you will go home. But if during your studies you started a family or got a job, you have the opportunity to obtain a residence permit using the methods described earlier.

According to the documents, everything is simple - an application from you for a residence permit, a bank statement proving that you are able to support yourself financially while studying (7 thousand crowns per month - minimum), and another document from the educational application proving that you are enrolled in full-time education. The certified document should be sent to you from Sweden, make a copy of it and attach it to other extracts.

Business

For this type of residence permit, several conditions must be met. The applicant must provide a business plan, prove the existence of a distribution network, and that the products will be sold in Sweden. The entrepreneur is given two years to make a profit.

It is necessary to provide evidence that a businessman with a family (or without it) is able to provide for his own living (the minimum amount of savings is 250 thousand crowns, approximately 800 thousand rubles). A company can be the simplest individual entrepreneur. In this regard, the Swedish authorities do not impose any restrictions, the main thing is profit and sales of products within the country.

An entrepreneur is given a residence permit for 2 years, after which he can apply for permanent residence in Sweden, but checks will be carried out. Your business must fully justify itself and the funds spent and be registered according to the law.

Political refuge

The probability of obtaining such a residence permit is extremely low. Dissatisfaction with the political situation and dislike for officials cannot become a reason for relocating from Russia. And if you leave with your whole family, your chances increase slightly, despite Europe's loyalty to such cases.

To acquire refugee status, you must provide documentation that you are leaving a dangerous area, for example, due to hostilities or deliberate persecution. Then you will end up in a refugee camp (which is definitely not a good thing).

How to obtain political asylum in Sweden, watch the video:

How to get a residence permit in Sweden

Those wishing to obtain a Swedish residence permit must contact the consulate in their homeland. You cannot get it in Sweden. Anyone planning a trip longer than 3 months must:

1. Go to the Swedish consulate in your country. Submit your application along with all required documents.
2. Pay the consular fee at the consulate cash desk.
3. Go through the procedure to collect biometric data.
4. Wait for a decision from the Swedish Migration Department regarding your case.
5. If successful, after some time you will receive the document from the consulate in the form of a plastic card.

Required documents

The following documents are submitted to the embassy along with the application:

• Passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation.
• A foreign passport with a validity period of at least 1 year at the time of application.
• Proof of housing in Sweden. This could be an agreement to buy or rent an apartment, or a certificate about allocating you a place in a university dormitory.
• Medical insurance with a coverage amount of at least 30,000 euros.
• Medical certificate confirming the absence of dangerous diseases.
• Demonstration of financial status at the time of travel. A bank statement or sponsorship letter will do.
• Photo 3.5 x 4 cm
• Documents confirming your right to receive a residence permit, such as an agreement with an employer, a university certificate, or a marriage certificate.

Deadlines for obtaining a residence permit

The applications themselves are studied carefully and for a long time. You can expect approval from the Swedish authorities from 2 to 9 months. After this, you will be invited to the consulate, where you will submit your biometric data and receive the coveted plastic residence permit card.

Price

Your costs directly depend on the method you choose to move to permanent residence.

1. Education. The cost of reviewing the application is 100 euros. It will be possible to apply for permanent residence after 5 years. Only time spent in graduate school counts towards your accommodation. Consular fee – 1000 CZK.
2. Business. Opening a new company and hiring a Swedish manager will cost you 10,000 euros. Additionally, you will have to incur expenses of 1,250 euros for each partner, and if moving the whole family - 2,250 euros.
3. Family reunification. Approval of an application can take from 8 months to 2 years. The fee for a minor child is 80 euros, and for each adult – 160 euros.

Features of obtaining a residence permit

Many people who decide to emigrate to one of the countries of the European Union dream of leaving and obtaining the coveted residence permit status. Obtaining this status is an important step towards citizenship. He gives a lot. It is important to take into account that obtaining a residence permit in the Swedish state differs in this regard from other states. Thus, immigration police officers delve quite deeply into each situation.

For this reason, the period for which an applicant can obtain a temporary residence permit may vary greatly.

It is noteworthy that the period depends not only on the reasons that prompted the person to leave their homeland and go to Sweden. The applicant undertakes to submit the application for the acquisition of a residence permit while in the territory of his native state. For this purpose, he must visit the Swedish consulate and undergo an interview.

Sample Swedish driving license

The period for which the relevant permit is issued is twelve months. But much more often the document is issued only for six months.

How to eventually become a Swedish citizen

The following have the right to apply for citizenship:

1. Residents of any country who have been permanently residing in the country legally for at least 5 years.
2. Refugees who have been in Sweden for at least 4 years.
3. Residents of Nordic Council countries after 2 years of residence in Sweden.

The Nordic Council includes countries such as: Sweden, Finland, Norway, Iceland, Denmark.

In addition, the applicant for citizenship must:

• Be an adult.
• Have no violations of the law, both in Sweden and in Russia.
• Be in the country on the legal grounds listed above.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the Swedish language.
• Have a medical certificate confirming the absence of dangerous diseases, such as AIDS, tuberculosis, schizophrenia, drug addiction.
• Demonstrate the intention to fully integrate into Swedish society.
• Know and respect the Constitution of the country and its laws, flag and coat of arms.

Methods of acquiring citizenship

• Marriage. One of the fastest ways to become a citizen of this country. You must legally reside in the country for at least 3 years, and at least live married to a citizen for at least 2 years. The receiving party must confirm its own financial solvency and the ability to accept a foreigner. The country's authorities have a sharply negative attitude towards fictitious marriages, the purpose of which is to obtain permanent residence or citizenship. The couple will be monitored by special services for some time, and the neighbors' opinions will be collected from you. If a fictitious marriage is discovered, your Swedish partner will go to prison and you will be deported from the country. The consular fee will be 11,000 CZK.
• Birth and adoption. If at least one parent has Swedish citizenship at the time of the child's birth, the child automatically receives citizenship. Children under 12 years of age can obtain citizenship if local residents adopt them. Foreigners who gave birth to a son or daughter in Sweden will not help their children become citizens of the country. Unlike the USA, there is no automatic issuance of status.
• Naturalization. First, a foreigner needs to apply for a D visa, then apply for a residence permit. Further, with this status, he must live continuously for 5 years in the country, without leaving for more than 3 months during the last year. After this, he can obtain permanent residence status and then apply for citizenship.
• Refugees. Sweden has received quite a few such people from countries at war or in armed conflict. Refugees will be able to obtain citizenship 4 years after being granted refugee status in the country. Before their application is approved, they will live in a special camp for several months. The current application approval rate among all nations is 41%. If we take Russians separately, then only 13% of them are approved. Refugees are recognized as those who face a real threat in their homeland. Whether it be military action, persecution for race, religion, sexual orientation. Simple discomfort from living in your home country does not fit this point.
• Special merits to Sweden. The Swedish monarch can, by decree, confer citizenship on any person whose contribution to the well-being of the country turns out to be significant. These could be scientists, world-class athletes, great musicians and artists.
• Restoration of citizenship. If a person, in the past, already had Swedish citizenship, and he, for example, renounced it in order to obtain this status in another country, it is enough to collect documents for repatriation and, calmly, without any exams, restore his passport and status citizen.

Complex issue

The standard of living in Sweden is very high. In addition, immigration legislation is democratic and friendly towards refugees. This is a sufficient reason for the whole family to emigrate. However, emigrating to Sweden is not entirely easy. The tightening of the immigration issue is largely due to the high risk of a terrorist threat.

Of course, the strange young people who have squeezed into the ranks of refugees prefer Germany and France. But prosperous Sweden, which also has a substantial Muslim diaspora, is also at risk.

Map of Sweden showing roads, airports and main cities

Today, immigration to Sweden is possible for the following reasons:

1. Getting an education.
2. Reunion with family members.
3. Refugee.
4. Connecting with your spouse.
5. Employment.
6. Political refuge.

Emigration due to employment

Immigration to Sweden can be carried out if the applicant:

• has its own business in the territory of this state;
• there is evidence that he was accepted as an employee;
• there are documents confirming that he was invited for seasonal work;
• There are documents confirming that his services are needed to help with housework.

In order to obtain Swedish citizenship, you must have a work permit in hand. If the applicant plans to stay in Sweden for more than ninety days, he must apply for a residence permit in Sweden.

Sample of a Swedish residence permit

It is important to understand that getting a job in Sweden is very difficult. In January of this year, the rules for the employment of foreigners were tightened. Now the Swedish employer is obliged to provide all evidence that there are no applicants for the current position in the European Union, and this is not so easy.

An important nuance

It must be remembered that emigrating for the purpose of employment if the applicant is neither a qualified physician nor a good IT specialist is an extremely risky idea. It would be better to wait a little, but then find yourself a stable place. Otherwise, the consequences may be unpredictable.

The easiest way to get the coveted document is to reunite family members. An entrepreneur can also freely emigrate, confident that he can invest in the Swedish economy and provide jobs for ethnic Swedes.

Emigration due to family reunification

Today, immigration to Sweden against the backdrop of the reunification of all family members is a fairly popular method of obtaining citizenship. It is important to understand that not everyone falls into this category. You can go to the Swedish state and receive a passport over time:

1. Spouse or partner of a Swedish citizen.
2. The bride or groom of a Swedish citizen.
3. The applicant's mother or father, if he has not yet reached the age of eighteen.

Only the applicant who wishes to subsequently obtain a residence permit in Sweden should submit documents.

Submission of documents is carried out on the territory of the country of which the applicant is a citizen. You also need to wait at home for a response from the diplomatic staff.

If the applicant can prove that the marriage with a Swedish citizen was not fictitious, then he has the opportunity to submit an application for a residence permit.

Emigration for refugees

Purely formally, Sweden, like other European countries, is loyal to people forced to seek asylum as a family. At the same time, a person applying for a residence permit, and then citizenship, must strictly comply with refugee status.

That is, a hypothetical refugee undertakes to provide all documents confirming that he has left a troubled and dangerous region. Such a region could be a state in which hostilities are actively taking place.

If the applicant submits all the necessary documents, he is offered to settle in a refugee camp. In the camp there is a possibility of encountering refugees who came from North Africa or the Middle East. Such a clash is unlikely to end well.

Another pitfall is that no one can give exact guarantees of permission to stay in Sweden as a refugee. Every year the failure rate becomes higher.

Today, the Swedish authorities are doing everything to discover and eliminate all existing loopholes for those who may be dangerous. The next point is not without interest. Thus, when a family is in a hurry to leave a dangerous region and settle in Sweden, none of its members will receive refugee status if they passed through stable states in transit.

Refusals and cancellations of work permits

Your work permit may be revoked if you knowingly entered false information when filling out the documents. In addition, if you quit your job or employment standards are no longer met at your workplace, this will also lead to the cancellation of the permit.

You should also know that you must begin your work within 4 months, starting from the first day your permit is issued. Otherwise, it will also be revoked.

In addition, you will be given a period within which you must leave the country.

You will have the right to challenge this through an appeal procedure, which you can attend in person, personally send a person representing your interests under a power of attorney.