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You want to apply Children who were born abroad before 1 April 2015 with a Swedish father

You are the Swedish father of a child under the age of 18 who was born abroad before 1 April 2015, and want to file a notification of Swedish citizenship for the child.

It is the child’s father who must file a notification of citizenship for the child. If the child has more than one parent/legal guardian, all their parents/legal guardians must approve the notification.

Children who have reached the age of 12 must consent to become a Swedish citizen by signing the notification.

Before 1 April 2015, but after 1 July 2001, there were different rules than those that apply today.

Children with a Swedish mother

A child with a Swedish mother always became a Swedish citizen. It did not matter if the child was born in Sweden or abroad.

Children with a Swedish father and a non-Swedish mother

A child of a Swedish father and a non-Swedish mother always became a Swedish citizen if the child was born in Sweden. If their father was married to their mother, the child acquired Swedish citizenship at birth, regardless of where in the world the child was born.

Children of a non-Swedish mother who was the spouse, registered partner, or cohabitating partner of a Swedish woman

A child of a non-Swedish mother who was the spouse, registered partner, or cohabitating partner of a Swedish woman also became a Swedish citizen if the child was born in Sweden and an insemination had taken place with the Swedish woman’s consent according to the provisions of the Children and Parents Code.

Swedish citizenship through the parents’ marriage

When a non-Swedish woman had children with a Swedish man and the child was born abroad, the parents had to be married to each other in order for the child to receive the father’s Swedish citizenship.

If the parents were unwed at the time of the child’s birth but later married, the child then became a Swedish citizen (provided that the child was under the age of 18 and themselves unwed at the time of their parents’ marriage). The process by which such a child became a Swedish citizen is known as “legitimation”. It is the Swedish Tax Agency that registers the child as a Swedish citizen. The child was then considered to have acquired Swedish citizenship on the date their parents married.

The Swedish Tax Agency External link.

In order for the child to become a Swedish citizen, they must meet certain requirements. Before you file a notification for your child, the following requirements must be met.

  • The child must be less than 18 years old

  • The father must have been a Swedish citizen at the time of the child’s birth

  • Paternity must have been established in a valid manner

If the child has reached the age of 15, additional requirements apply

If the child has reached the age of 15, the following requirements also must be met in order for the child to become a Swedish citizen:

  • It must have been proven probable that the child’s identity is correct

  • The child must not be reasonably suspected or convicted of certain crimes

    The child must not be reasonably suspected or convicted of a crime for which the punishment under Swedish law is four or more years in prison. The child also must not be convicted of repeated crimes. The exception to this requirement is if the repeated crimes were of a less serious nature according to Swedish law, or if they were committed a long time ago. This applies regardless of whether the suspected or committed crimes took place in Sweden or another country.

  • The child must not pose a threat to Sweden’s national security or public safety

  • The child must not be affiliated with certain groups or organisations

    The child must not be affiliated with groups or organisations that have committed abuse against other people.

You must attach copies of the following documents to your notification. Make sure that the information on your submitted documents is clearly visible. All copies must be certified.

  • Certificate of paternity or other equivalent document

  • Passport or equivalent document for you as the child’s father
    The document must show your citizenship at the time of the child’s birth. If you are not currently listed in the Swedish Population Register, you must also attach documents showing your citizenship at the time of notification.

  • Custody decision for the child

    If you as the father has sole custody of the child or if someone other than you or the mother is the child’s legal guardian, you must submit a custody decision for the child.

  • Birth certificate

    If the child lives abroad.

  • Identity document

    If the child has reached the age of 15.

If the child to whom the notification relates has their own children who live in Sweden, then under certain conditions, they can automatically become a Swedish citizen. For information on what conditions must be met, see the page Automatic citizenship for children.

It is not possible to say exactly how long you will need to wait for a decision. There are many things that affect the waiting time, for example whether your application is complete to begin with or whether we need to request more information, or whether we need to check with other authorities when investigating your case.

Here we show statistics on how long it has taken for people who have applied for the same permit as you.

75% of applications receive a decision within:9 months

Notification fee: SEK 475

You will not receive a refund if your notification is rejected.

News

2025-03-05

The Swedish Migration Agency's new website has now been launched

On 5 March, the Swedish Migration Agency launched a completely new version of migrationsverket.se, with a new structure and a more user-friendly navigation. The purpose of the new website is primarily to make it easier for visitors to find the information they need.

The Swedish Migration Agency is responsible for considering applications from people who want to live in Sweden, seek protection or become Swedish citizens. Our work is based on Swedish laws and international conventions, with a focus on legal certainty and effective reception and return.