Residence Permits for Students

The permit must be entered in your passport before your arrival in Sweden.

For a stay of less than three months, no residence permit is required, but foreign nationals of certain countries must obtain visas in order to enter Sweden. The Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs maintains a list of countries whose citizens must obtain a visa in order to enter Sweden (PDF). Visas are granted for no longer than three months. If you are a citizen of a country belonging to the EU, please contact the Embassy of Sweden for further details.

For persons residing in New York, New Jersey or Connecticut, applications for residence permits with all required documents (see below) may be delivered in person during visiting hours or sent directly to the following address:

Consulate General of Sweden
445 Park Avenue, 21st floor
New York, NY 10022

All other applicants should refer to the website of the Embassy of Sweden in Washington, DC.

Please note that when submitting the application to the Consulate General in New York, the money order/certified check (personal checks are not accepted) should be made payable to the Consulate General of Sweden, and not to the Embassy of Sweden. Applicants applying in person may also pay the fee by credit/debit card or in cash.

All applicants are also required to submit a prepaid self-addressed return envelope for shipment of the passport with the visa to the applicant, or pay an extra $10 or $17 for FedEx delivery, or submit a prepaid FedEx slip. It is not possible to pick up the passport at the Consulate General in New York.

Requirements
Requirements differ for doctoral studies or research, college/university studies, upper secondary or high school (gymnasium) as well as continuing or adult education (folkhögskola). In each case, all required documents are listed on the website of the Embassy of Sweden.

Important Notice
On May 20, 2011, an EU regulation enters into force in Sweden which means that residence permit cards (so-called UT cards) will replace the current permit stickers in passports. If your residence permit is approved and issued after May 20, 2011, you will be required to visit the Embassy of Sweden in Washington, D.C., to submit biometrics (fingerprints and photos) for this new residence permit card (UT card), You will be notified if this new procedure is applicable to your case.

For more information regarding the new UT cards, please visit the website of the Embassy of Sweden.