Citizenship
Do you want to become a Swedish citizen? If you are a citizen of one of the Nordic countries you apply for Swedish citizenship through a notification to the County Administrative Board. Others apply through the Swedish Migration Agency.
Adults
You can be granted Swedish citizenship if you:
- have reached the age of 18,
- have lived in Sweden for the past five years, and
- have not been sentenced to prison or detention during the past five years.
Young adults 18–20 years old
You can be granted Swedish citizenship if you:
- have turned 18 but are under 21, and
- have lived in Sweden without interruption since the day you turned 13.
If you are between 18 and 21 years old you can choose to submit a notification pursuant to the rules for adults or for young adults. The notification fee is lower if you apply pursuant to the rules of young adults.
Children
You can be granted Swedish citizenship if you:
- have not turned 18, and
- have lived in Sweden for the past three years.
The notification is submitted by the person, or persons, who have legal custody of the child. Children who have reached the age of 12 must give their consent.
Unmarried children under the age of 18 automatically become Swedish citizens if
- both legal guardians, at the same time, notify that they want Swedish citizenship,
- one sole legal guardian notifies that he, or she, wants Swedish citizenship or
- one legal guardian notifies that he, or she, wants Swedish citizenship and the other legal guardian already is a Swedish citizen.
How do I submit a notification?
You submit a notification by:
- Fill out and send the application form (anmälningsblankett) and your identity card to the County Administrative Board.
- Pay the fee for your notification to the County Administrative Board.
Keep in mind that you should not send your passport to the County Administrative Board.
You can order an ID card (identity card) from the Swedish Tax Agency (Skatteverket). It is not allowed to be older than two months. The ID card’s purpose should be “apply for Swedish citizenship” (ansökan om svenskt medborgarskap).
Find the application forms on the Swedish Migration Agency's web site (in Swedish only):
Citizenship for adult Nordic citizens
External link.
Citizenship for young adult Nordic citizens between 18 and 21 years External link.
Citizenship for children who are Nordic citizens External link.
Regaining Swedish citizenshop External link.
Notification fees
- Adults SEK 475.
- Up to 20 years SEK 175.
Pay the fee for your notification to the County Administrative Board’s Bank Giro account. Enter your name, the first six digits in your social security number (YY-MM-DD) and a note that it is about Swedish citizenship. When the payment has been registered the processing of your notification will begin.
Regaining Swedish citizenship
If for any reason you have been released from, or lost, your citizenship you may, under certain circumstances, regain it through notification to the County Administrative Board.
Dual citizenship
If you are a citizen of one of the Nordic countries you can have a dual citizenship. Finish, Icelandic, Norwegian and Danish citizens retain their Finish, Icelandic, Norwegian or Danish citizenship when they become Swedish citizens.
What happens after I submit my application?
- Your notification is registered and assigned a reference number.
- You need to pay the fee before your case can be handled.
- A case officer processes your case and prepares proof of your Swedish citizenship.
- The decision is sent to your home address or your digital inbox.
- A copy of the decision is sent to the Swedish Tax Agency.
- If your application is rejected, a decision will be drawn up. If a service receipt is included in the decision, you need to sign the receipt when you have obtained the decision. Send the receipt back to the County Administrative Board as soon as possible.
- If you are not content with the decision, you may appeal within three weeks after you were given notice about the decision. Each decision has instructions on how to appeal.
Please, contact the County Administrative Board if you have questions regarding the processing of your case or the permit.
