Live in Sweden

To apply for a residence permit please contact one of the other Swedish Embassies in the region that handle migration matters (Amman, Damascus or Tehran). Please note that the Embassy in Ankara and the Consulate General in Istanbul do not accept application for residence permits from Iraqi citizens. For more information about each Embassy's procedure in this matter please refer to their respective websites. Embassy of Sweden in:
> Amman
> Damascus
> Tehran

Below you will find general information about residence permits.

If you are married or cohabiting or intend to marry or cohabit with someone who is permanently resident in Sweden

Once you have presented your application, you will be summoned to an interview at the Embassy / Consulate. You will need to bring some form of documentation proving your relationship to the person in Sweden, such as letters, photographs or the marriage certificate. You should also bring your passport and two passport photographs.

If you are under 18 years of age, unmarried and your parents are residents in Sweden

You must be able to show that you lived together in your country of origin/domicile before your parent or parents moved to Sweden.

If you are a parent or some other close relative of a person who is now resident in Sweden

In exceptional cases, other relatives may qualify for residence permits by reason of family ties. You must be able to show that you lived together with your relative immediately prior to his/her move to Sweden and that you are dependent on that person in such a way that it is difficult for you to live apart. This means that you must be financially, socially or emotionally dependent on the relative who lives in Sweden.

A relative of a refugee or of a person who has been granted asylum for some other reason can, in exceptional cases, be granted a Swedish residence permit if the two have had a very close relationship, even if they have not lived together in their former country of domicile.

What does it cost to apply?

You may be required to pay an application fee. If your application is denied, the fee will not be refunded.

Who decides my case?

The Embassy / Consulate sends your application to the Migration Board in Sweden for decision. The Embassy / Consulate will also notify you of the decision of the Migration Board.

The residence permit must be entered in your passport before your arrival in Sweden. You cannot travel to Sweden and wait for a decision there.

How long will I have to wait for a decision?

It can take a long time for a decision to be reached.

Once you have presented your application, the Embassy / Consulate will summon you for a personal interview. 

When the interview has taken place, the Embassy / Consulate forwards your application to the Migration Board in Sweden for a decision. The Migration Board then makes additional enquiries, either by inviting the relative in Sweden to a personal interview or by sending him/her a questionnaire by post. The questions must be answered in writing and sent back to the Migration Board.

How long is the permit valid?

You can be granted a permit valid for 6, 12 or 24 months depending on the circumstances in your case. If you wish to live longer in Sweden then your permit is valid you should apply for an extension of the permit well in time before your previous permit expires.

If you are a of working age, you will automatically be granted a work permit as well.

Asylum

Only asylum seekers who are physically present in Sweden may have their grounds considered by the Swedish Migration Board. Sweden's missions abroad are obliged to accept asylum applications, but it should be emphasized that such applications are always rejected by the Swedish Migration Board since the applicant is not physically present in Sweden.
People who are not physically present in Sweden and who would like to apply for asylum should contact the nearest UNHCR office.