Facts

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Arbeta & bo i Sverige / Work & Live in Sweden

Application for Work and Residence Permits

Thai citizens who wishes to live in Sweden must apply for Residence and Work Permit before entering Sweden.

Please Note!

Residence permit cards
All EU countries have now started to issue a residence permit card (UT-card) from the 20 May this year. The cards will replace the current stickers and keep the same safety standards as passports.

The purpose of residence cards is that they will be safer than today's stickers. The cards will have a chip with the holder's biometrics in the form of a photo and of two fingerprints.

UT-cards will have the same format as an ordinary credit card. They will be issued for all forms of residence. Each card will carry the title RESIDENCE on the language of the country that issued the card. The cards are valid for five years.

EU countries have jointly decided that UT-cards are introduced and the rules of the cards are same throughout the EU.

For more information about UT-cards, read the Factsheet UT-cards on the right margin or visit The Migration Board's website

How to apply:

Online

Since the 4th of September 2011 it's possible to apply on the Migration Board's website for a residence permit in Sweden due to family ties. This means you can receive a decision sooner.

The online service will initially be run as a trial and will only work for persons applying for the first time and who are resident in the geographical areas under the responsibility of the Swedish embassies in Moscow and Bangkok. If it turns out well the idea is that all applicants will be able to use the service from 1 december 2011.

Read more at The Migration Board's website

At the Embassy

Two sets of duly completed application forms should be submitted to the embassy, either in person or by a representative. The application should not be submitted by mail, fax or E-mail.

The application fee must also be paid before an appointment for interview is made. After the interview is completed, the application will be forwarded to the Swedish Migration Board for further processing. The process of sending the application normally takes around 3-4 weeks. The processing time in Sweden varies a lot depending on where in Sweden the Reference Person is living. If the applicant does not show up for his/her interview and does not notify the embassy, the application will be forwarded to the Swedish Migration Board who will then cancel the case.

Regarding applications for children under the age of 18, there will be an interview with the child. Should the child be too young or immature, an interview will be made with the custodian or any other person who is taking care of the child in Thailand.

On the interview day you will also have to show your documents in original.

An application for adult should contain the following documents in two sets, both in Thai and translated to English/Swedish by an authorized translator/translation office.

Mandatory documents:

  • Application form (completed in English or Swedish)

  • Family details - Appendix to the application

  • Two colour photos not more than six months old, passport-seized (45 mm x 35 mm), full face and taken against a light background

  • Valid passport and copies of the following pages:
    – First page
    – Extension of validity
    – Amendments to name
    – Stamps in and out
    – Old visas or extensions to Sweden

  • Id-card

  • Personbevis from the Reference Person with purpose of Familjebevis (an extract from the Swedish Population Register)

Documents required if relevant
(Documents in thai must be translated to English or Swedish by an authorized translator and submitted in two copies):

  • Certificate of Name Change

  • Marriage Certificate

  • Divorce Certificate

  • Civil Status Certificate

  • Medical Certificate, in case of pregnancy

An application for children under the age of 18 year should contain the following documents in two sets, both in Thai and translated to English by an authorized translator/translation office:

  • Application Form for children under 18 year (completed in English or Swedish) signed by custodian or legal representative

  • Family details - Appendix to the application


  • Two colour photos not more than six months old, passport-seized (45 mm x 35 mm), full face and taken against a light background

  • Valid passport and copies of the following pages:
    – First page
    – Extension of validity
    – Amendments to name
    – Stamps in and out
    – Old visas or extensions to Swedish

  • Birth Certificate

  • Custody paper

Documents required if relevant
(Documents in thai must be translated to English or Swedish by an authorized translator and submitted in two copies):

  • Certificate of Name Change

Application Fee:

Since July 15, 2001 an application for Residence and Work Permit is subject to a fee.

The fee for adults is around 1500 SEK. Students and other applicants who does not have a family tie in Sweden are subject to a fee of around 1000 SEK. Children below the age of 18 are subject to a fee of around 750 SEK. Children who does not have a family tie are subject to a fee of around 500 SEK. A bank deposit slip is handed out at the embassy in conjunction with the submission of the application. The fee is paid at a bank office located in the same building as the embassy. It is not possible to transfer the fee to the embassy account. Note that the fee is for administrative costs and will not be returned in case of rejection.