How to obtain Swedish citizenship and passport for a Russian citizen in 2021

Sweden is a country with a fairly developed economy and, accordingly, a high standard of living. As a member of the Schengen Agreement, it is part of the European Union. For many years, this state has occupied a high position in the thematic rankings in terms of quality of living.

Moving to permanent residence and citizenship in Sweden means for an immigrant a stable economic situation and tomorrow, high wages in the European labor market, sufficient social support for the population by the state, and guarantees a secure old age with decent care from the government.

Stockholm - the capital of Sweden

Sweden has its own King - Carl 16 Gustav. State political positioning – constitutional monarchy.

Sweden is in the top 15 best countries for emigration.

Benefits of Swedish citizenship

Having a foreigner's passport in hand, a person can freely travel throughout all countries of the Eurozone.

Pros of Swedish citizenship:

a simplified process for conferring citizenship of any European Union (EU) country;
comfortable working conditions that meet European standards and priority employment for a good position with a salary exceeding the average European level;
high standard of social protection for each person thanks to government subsidies;
opening Swedish bank accounts, as well as accounts in any EU country;
free Swedish education;
Sweden University Rankings
free medicine;
expedited and simplified processes for registering a visa to visit the USA or Canada;
the opportunity to participate in public elections both at the local level and in the highest government of Sweden. Opportunity to be elected yourself;
enlistment in the Swedish armed forces under a highly paid contract, as well as in the ranks of the police, the right to enroll in government positions;
protection of the state in difficult situations outside Sweden.

If a person is incapacitated, then the state takes over his full maintenance at a high level.

Medicine in Sweden is represented by leading specialists in this field, so many women come to this country even to give birth.

The birth of a child within this country does not in any way affect the citizenship of the baby, but the presence of a mark on the place of birth on his birth certificate gives him the right to cross the border according to a simplified scheme.

Sweden is a leader among countries in terms of the level of medicine. More details in the next video.

Conditions for obtaining citizenship

Anyone from anywhere in the world can become a Swede if they meet certain criteria. Issues related to the topic of citizenship are regulated by local law.

The government of this Kingdom considers the following to be an important factor for granting the status of an official resident of Sweden:

reverence for the state Constitution;
studying and observing the traditions of the Swedish population;
readiness to adapt to society on the principles of respect and adherence to national principles;
knowledge of the state symbols of the Kingdom;
knowledge of the administrative state apparatus;
awareness of historical events, etc.

The decision to grant citizenship is considered individually by the highest leadership of the Kingdom.

Grounds for obtaining Swedish citizenship

As in most EU countries, there are several ways to become a full-fledged resident of Sweden.

Ways to obtain Swedish citizenship

Ways to obtain Swedish citizenship in 2021:

upon birth or adoption;
based on family ties;
through the naturalization of man;
as a result of an official marriage with a resident of Sweden;
if the person is a refugee;
for services to the Kingdom;
upon restoration of citizenship.

A foreigner can be considered a Swedish resident if he has documents permitting permanent residence in the territory of this country.

Today, obtaining Swedish citizenship is possible under the following conditions:

The applicant undertakes to provide a document allowing him to permanently reside in the territory of this state.
The applicant undertakes to live in the territory of this power for at least 5 years.
The applicant undertakes to submit certificates proving the absence of a criminal record in the territory of the Swedish state.

If there is a serious administrative offense, an immigrant will not be denied citizenship, but the period for consideration of his application may increase significantly.

Sweden on the map of Europe

A person has duties and rights similar to those that apply to subjects of the Swedish state. The resident gains the right to vote, be elected and serve in the army or police.

Granting Swedish citizenship to children

According to existing legislation, Swedish citizenship is automatically issued to a child born on the territory of this state. It is noteworthy that only one of the child’s parents can be a Swedish citizen.

To do this, you need to provide a marriage certificate with a resident of Sweden. If the applicant does not have this document in his hands, then the issue will be resolved individually and will depend on the place of birth of the baby.

Adoption

Until the age of 12, a child adopted by Swedish parents or parents who have accepted Swedish citizenship is automatically also considered a Swede. The adoption procedure requires obtaining official approval for this process from the authorized bodies of the Kingdom and is formalized in strict accordance with the law.

In Sweden, children's rights are considered one of the most important issues in public policy. An educational video is provided below.

When a child reaches the age of 12 or older, he will be able to become a resident of the country officially on the principles of naturalization. The teenager must apply on his own behalf to wish to become a Swede, and the authorities are obliged to accept his request unless there are exceptional grounds for the contrary.

State support for families with children

For each child under 18 years of age, the state pays parents an allowance equivalent to 10,000 Russian rubles. If the parents' salary is less than 1,000 euros (€), an additional cash benefit is due.

Kinship ties and family reunification

In 2021, as before, the shortest way to obtain Swedish citizenship is through kinship with a citizen of this state.

For former Swedish citizens, if they have lost their citizenship, there is also a simplified procedure for its restoration. Sometimes a person leaves the country against his own will. Thus, Swedish companies with branches all over the world offer specialists to move to a foreign country for a long period of time.

Passport of a native of Moscow who received Swedish citizenship

Marriage registration

The basis for a preferential path to obtaining citizenship can be marriage to a Swedish citizen. It is important to remember that the spouses must prove that their marriage was not fictitious. Swedish authorities sincerely interested in population growth.

According to Russian emigrants, government officials check how the newlyweds are living about once a quarter. To do this, neighbors are interviewed and other “tests” are carried out. The verification is completed after a two-year period, and you must live in the Kingdom for at least 3 years.

Swedish law also allows same-sex marriage. In this case, the couple also needs to prove in fact that their union is real.

Punishment for a fictitious marriage

If a fraudulent marriage is suspected, the immigration officer will visit the couple more often. If there are neighbors who confirm the assumption that the marriage is fictitious, the husband and wife will be charged with fraud in the area of conferring citizenship.

The native Swede will be subject to imprisonment. A prison sentence for his partner is also possible, but in most cases she will be expelled from the country with a lifelong entry ban.

Swedish marriage certificate

In case of divorce, the immigrant will return to the previous conditions for obtaining official status as a resident of Sweden.

Human naturalization

The naturalization conditions contain several criteria by which an applicant will be assessed for the status of an official resident of Sweden.

Requirements for consideration of an application for Swedish citizenship:

permission issued by government authorities for a residence permit, as well as permanent residence in Sweden for a period of at least 5 years;
availability of documentary evidence of residence in Sweden for at least 5 years continuously.

An application for naturalization may be granted when the applicant:

several years ago he was already a Swedish citizen;
can present documents confirming the fact of marriage with a citizen of this power;
provides other “respectful” documents (this point is discussed with diplomats individually).

Residence permit in Sweden

Labor immigration

To cross the Swedish border, you must have an invitation from an employer from Sweden and a long-term contract.

Through refugee status

Refugees and stateless people are those categories of people who have the right to become a Swedish citizen under a simplified system.

The Geneva Convention defined refugee status back in 1951. Political refugee status was established in 1990 in the protocols of the Dublin Agreement. Sweden is actively involved in a program to protect these categories of people.

For those who are persecuted in their own country for political or religious reasons, or are subject to life-threatening discrimination on racial or national grounds, Sweden provides free housing and social benefits. However, now refugees can be placed in a general camp due to the large influx of refugees in recent years.

Sweden has long been known for its liberal immigration policies. This led to hundreds of thousands of refugees flocking to this country. Details in the next video

The residence of a refugee, as well as the period of his residence in the territory of the state for more than 4 years, is considered a sufficient basis for the purpose of obtaining citizenship. In 2021, 65,000 applications from refugees to become residents of Sweden were considered.

Forced immigrants can bring their own family to Sweden. All of them are exempt from exams and tests.

Privileges for people from certain countries

Immigrants from Norway, as well as Finland, have preferential conditions for the process of conferring Swedish citizenship. The requirement for the period of their permanent official presence on the territory of the state has been reduced to 2 years.

Special services to the country

Merits that increase the prestige of the country at the international level in the political, economic, scientific, cultural spheres before the Kingdom guarantee the issuance of a Swedish passport on individual terms. The decision to officially recognize a foreigner as a Swede in this case is made personally by the monarch.

Carl XVI Gustaf – King of Sweden

Documentation

Russians should check the exact list of documents at the consulate. It will definitely include:

Russian Federation passport.
International passport (if it is not the first, then the expired ones must also be presented).
Certificate from the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation confirming no criminal record.
Residence permit or permanent residence.
Information about the amount and source of income.
Certificate from the Swedish tax office confirming the absence of debt.
A paper from a medical institution about the state of health.
Confirmation from the country's police of no criminal record.
Certificate of registration at the place of registration in Sweden.
4 color photos.
Housing lease agreement or certificate of ownership of real estate.

Military personnel, businessmen, refugees and other categories of applicants will have to confirm their status. Without exception, all documents must be submitted with a translation certified by an accredited bureau.

Tests

During the interview process with applicants for citizenship, the immigration service checks their knowledge of Swedish and knowledge of information about cultural, legislative, and social norms. You don't have to take this test:

Refugees and their households.
Children under 18 years old.
Former subjects.
Foreign students studying at a university in Swedish.

If the applicant is over 65 years old, then his language knowledge will not be tested, but he will have to pass a test for integration into society. The procedure takes place orally and in writing. Successful completion - with 60% correct answers. The test for integration into society can be passed successfully if you know the national anthem, correctly name the names of prominent politicians, and understand local traditions (holidays, norms of behavior, legislation).

Consideration of the application

Life in Sweden begins with compliance with entry rules. It is necessary to obtain a long-term national visa category D and a Schengen zone visa.

Swedish citizenship in 2021 is assigned as a result of consideration of the relevant application. This document is considered when the applicant:

submits all certificates confirming his identity;
submits all documents confirming the fact that he has reached 18 years of age;
has a permanent residence permit in Sweden;
is law-abiding;
has official continuous experience and an income level that allows him to refuse subsidies from the Kingdom in the form of social support for the family;
undergoes a thorough medical examination in Swedish clinics, including for a number of socially dangerous diseases, for example, AIDS, schizophrenia, tuberculosis, drug addiction, etc.
lives permanently on the territory of this power. Departure from the country for a total duration of no more than 9 months is allowed;
is fluent in the state language, communicates fluently in it and writes text competently.
Certificate confirming your level of Swedish language proficiency

The waiting period for obtaining Swedish citizenship is 10 years.

Filing an application

To complete the application, documents are translated into Swedish and notarized. Having collected the entire package of papers, the applicant contacts the embassy. It is possible to submit an application online using the Migration Service website.

List of documents for application:

internal national passport (+ copy);
valid foreign passport (+ copy);
certificate of no criminal record;
information about permanent residence;
passport photos;
medical insurance;
a certificate confirming the availability of official income;
an extract from the tax service confirming the absence of debts;
other certificates (if necessary).

The online submission procedure consists of the following steps:

Preparation;
sending copies electronically;
payment of consular fees;
contact of the migration service with the receiving party;
visit to the embassy;
waiting for a decision;
registration of a card for a residence permit.

To submit documents in paper form, you need to collect them. The applicant pays the necessary fees and charges to the bank. Then you need a mandatory visit to the embassy. After waiting for the period of consideration of the application and a positive decision, a residence permit is issued.

Bureaucratic nuances are reduced and take little time. Online submission speeds up the process of submitting and reviewing the application.

Passport issue for foreigners

In some cases, the country's authorities may issue a passport because he does not have citizenship of any country or even nationality. This is relevant if a person is not able to obtain Swedish citizenship. It is noteworthy that a passport is issued when the applicant is able to confirm his position with accompanying documents.

Advantages

The foreigner's passport meets all European Union criteria. That is, since 2005, the passport has been equipped with a digital photo of the applicant and a digital electronic chip in which all current data is stored. Fingerprints will be required. A foreigner's passport is valid for 5 years. Its extension is not provided for by the country's legislation.

Such a passport does not provide grounds for consular protection when a person travels outside the Kingdom, and upon return he will need to provide permission or a residence permit.

Interesting video: interesting facts about Sweden.

What documents need to be collected

In order to obtain a Swedish passport, the applicant must contact the diplomatic office with an application drawn up on a special form and a package of prepared documents.

The package of documents for registration of Swedish citizenship includes:

personal national passport and its photocopies;
a valid foreign passport and an expired passport;
a certificate indicating that there are no problems with the law in your home country;
reporting from the tax service of your country about the absence of debts;
a document confirming the absence of problems with the police in the Kingdom;
a certificate from the civil register;
a certificate indicating the presence of a permanent residence permit or permanent residence in Sweden, a document confirming registration at the place of residence;
a lease agreement for residential space or a certificate of ownership of it;
consent of parents or guardians (relevant for persons 18 years of age);
a certificate of income and its amount;
Bank account statement
the results of a medical report in the prescribed form issued in Sweden;
four photographs for documents;
other certificates (the list must be clarified in advance).

Additional documents may include birth or marriage certificates. The authorities have the right to request from the applicant a military ID, an expanded package of financial statements and certificates.

All documentary information submitted along with the application must be translated into Swedish by a certified specialist from an accredited agency.

Requirements for the execution of some papers require their certification by a notary, with the exception of those issued in the European Union.

How to obtain Swedish citizenship for a Russian citizen: procedure

Russian citizens can obtain a Swedish passport only after living in the country for at least 10 years. At the same time, they need to collect a package of documents, pass a Swedish language test and go through the process of integration into society.

Application procedure

You can apply for citizenship on the official website of the Swedish Migration Agency (www.migrationsverket.se).

Register on the portal.
Fill out a special form.
Pay the fee.
Print the form.
Sign with your own hand.
Send by mail to the country's migration agency.

IMPORTANT: The form must be completed exclusively in Swedish. If this requirement is violated, the application will be rejected.

How to include children in your application

An applicant for citizenship has the right to include his own children in the application, subject to the following conditions:

Children have not reached the age of 18.
They live in the country.
The applicant is the sole guardian of the children or another guardian does not object to their inclusion in the application.

A separate fee for children is not paid, and a passport and a decision on guardianship are added to the list of required documents (if there is sole custody and provided that the child was born abroad).

List of required documents

The application for citizenship must be accompanied by a basic package of documents:
Russian passport.
A valid foreign passport and, if available, all previously held passports.
Photo of the established sample (4 pcs).
Certificates confirming no criminal record in both countries.
Certificate from place of employment indicating the amount of income.
A document confirming the legality of residence in Swedish territory (residence permit or permanent residence permit).
A document issued by the fiscal authority of the Kingdom confirming the absence of debts.
Medical report from the Swedish clinic.
A document confirming the ownership of housing or an apartment rental agreement.
Certificate of registration in Sweden at a specific address.

REFERENCE: Depending on the method by which citizenship is obtained, a marriage certificate or birth certificate of children, a document confirming the existence of a business, as well as additional ones: military ID, letters of recommendation may be added to the list of documents.

Taking tests

All foreigners wishing to obtain a Swedish passport undergo a personal interview with an immigration representative, during which their knowledge of the Swedish language is tested and their level of integration into society is determined. The following are exempt from testing:

Refugees and members of their families.
Children under 18 years of age.
Persons who already had citizenship and are now restoring it.
Students from other countries who studied at a Swedish university in their national language (take only the integration test).
Citizens over 65 years of age (pass only the integration test).

Applicants for citizenship must pass two language tests - written and oral. During the written exam, a foreigner must give correct answers to most of the questions. During the oral part of the exam, the applicant's command of the language and communication in it are tested.

The integration test is conducted in Swedish. The candidate is asked to recite the text of the national anthem, the main constitutional provisions and name the king and prime minister. In addition, a foreigner must understand the traditions of the people and be ready to follow them.

NOTE: Tests can be taken several times, but not earlier than three months after the last attempt.

Timing and cost

The Swedish Migration Service reviews applications for citizenship from three months to one year. The cost of the state fee when submitting an application is 1500 SEK.

The currency of Sweden is Swedish krona (SEK). The rate is 1 SEK = 7.56 rubles.

Reasons for refusal

The percentage of refusals to issue Swedish citizenship is quite high. According to statistics, every fourth request is rejected. Main reasons:

Presence of a criminal record in the biography.
The applicant is a defendant in a criminal case.
A low level of income on which the candidate and his family cannot live without state support.
The applicant has serious illnesses.
Incorrect execution of documents or submission of not all required papers.
Negative results of language proficiency and integration tests.

What to do in case of refusal

The refusal to issue citizenship is a decision of the Swedish monarch and is not subject to appeal. However, you can submit your documents again. This can be done only 6 months after an unsuccessful attempt, before that, having eliminated, if possible, the reason for the refusal.

Buying property and investing in Sweden

Owning real estate on Swedish territory does not oblige the authorities to recognize its owner as a Swede, but serves as a significant argument when considering a request to recognize him as such.

Business immigration implies confidence in a sufficient level of knowledge of complex Swedish tax legislation, which allows you to keep the country's economy at a high level. At the same time, the procedure for registering a business is quite simple.

It should be understood that the tax amount in this country does not contain exceptions, for example, in the form of expenses exceeding income. It is inevitable and does not depend on whether the person worked all the days of the season. But there is a low level of tax rates and corruption, which makes the process of doing business stable, safe and transparent.

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Business investment gives the right to an immigrant, regardless of nationality, to locate a company in any part of the Kingdom.

The VAT rate here depends on the field of activity and varies from 25% to 12% or 6%. The basis of the economy is private industrial production, occupying 90% of the market, two automobile concerns “Saab” and “Volvo”. Information technology, services in various fields, and biomedicine are in demand on the market as investments.

Swedish tax system

Investments can guarantee a visitor a residence permit, but this is not enough to grant citizenship. Also, you must confirm that you have enough money in your bank account to live in Sweden for a 2-year period.

Family reunion

It is also worth knowing about the concept of “family reunification” when moving to Sweden. Foreign citizens can obtain approval for permanent residence in the country if, before moving to the Kingdom, the entire family lived together in the same territory and carried out joint household activities, but some of its members moved to Sweden. In other cases, the migration department grants a temporary permit to remain in the country for a period of one year, which can be extended for another year, and if the family is still living together after the next two years, citizens can be issued a residence permit in the country.

Dual citizenship in Sweden

Many people are interested in the question of whether dual citizenship is possible on the territory of the Swedish state.

In 2001, the Swedish government updated a number of regulations. Dual citizenship has now become possible.

As an exception, the issue is resolved positively in relation to children born while their Swedish parents were abroad. Maintaining dual citizenship is relevant until a person reaches the age of twenty-two.

If by this time the person does not personally make a request to retain Swedish citizenship, it may be revoked.

Often, a newly made Swedish citizen strives to retain his previous citizenship. If something doesn’t work out for a Swedish citizen on the territory of his new homeland, he can always return home without any problems.

Sweden is on the list of countries where second citizenship is allowed

Denial of Swedish citizenship

Some categories of people will never receive Swedish citizenship.

List of persons for whom the assignment of citizenship is subject to prohibition:

intelligence officers from foreign countries;
military personnel from other countries;
a person with a criminal past, including one suspected of links to terrorism. If the Swedish Criminal Code does not have an equivalent article under which a person is prosecuted in his homeland, then the assignment of official status as a resident of Sweden is possible;
persons who violated migration rules.

The percentage of civilians who do not have problems under any prohibitive clause, but are refused recognition as Swedes, is growing. According to statistics, every fourth application process ends in refusal.