Residence permits for Swiss citizens
If you are a Swiss citizen, you may move to Sweden to work, study, start your own business or, for example, live on a pension from your country of origin. If you wish to stay for longer than three months, you will need a residence permit.
On your entry to Sweden, you will require a valid passport.
You may begin working or studying as soon as you arrive in Sweden. You do not need to wait for your application to be processed. However, you must register for taxes and contributions with the Swedish Tax Agency, and you may need to register your business with the Swedish Companies Registration Office, before you start running your own business. If you are a student, you may work as well as study without having to apply for a specific work permit.
Read more at the Swedish Tax Agency website
External link, opens in new window.
Read more at the Swedish Companies Registration website External link, opens in new window.
How to apply
You fill in the form Application for residence permit for citizens of Switzerland and their family members, 147011, and send it to:
The Swedish Migration Agency
Box 3100
903 03 Umeå
It is free of charge for Swiss citizens to apply for a residence permit.
The Migration Agency's visiting addresses and opening hours
Postal addresses to the Migration Agency's Permit Units
Enclose the following documents with your application
When you apply, you should enclose copies of the pages in your passport which show your personal information, photograph, signature, passport number, passport issuing country, the period of the passport's validity and whether you have permission to live in countries other than your country of origin. It is also possible to submit a national ID card. For the passport or the national ID card to be approved, it must have a signature. Read more about making correct passport copies.
If you are an employee, you must also enclose
- a certificate of employment from your employer.
Read more about which details the certificate of employment should include
If you have your own business, you must also enclose
- F-tax card and certificate of registration from the Swedish Companies Registration Office
- the most recent VAT report
- evidence that you run the business, for example, customer invoices, receipts for materials that you have purchased and rental contracts for the business' premises.
If you have bought a business in Sweden, you must also enclose
- the transfer agreement
- the most recent annual report.
If you are a student, you must enclose
- certificate of admission to a course which is at upper-secondary school level (gymnasium) or higher. Please note that you cannot be granted a residence permit to study Swedish for Immigrants (SFI)
- certificate that you have comprehensive medical insurance which is valid during the time you are in Sweden
- an assurance that you have enough money to support yourself.
If you have sufficient means you must include
- documents which show how you support yourself (for example, pension statements or bank statements showing your assets).
If you are a provider or recipient of services
You should send a certificate, contract or something similar showing what sort of services these are and how long you will offer or be in receipt of these. The document should be written and signed by whoever is in receipt of or offers these services.
Shorter processing times for complete applications
For the Swedish Migration Agency to make a decision about your application, all the details need to be filled in and all necessary documents attached. This means that the processing time will be shorter if all the necessary information is included from the start than if information is added afterwards.
Note that the Migration Agency may in some cases need to further examine your application even if you have included all the required information and documents.
When we have received your application
You must show your passport or national ID card
The Swedish Migration Agency must check your passport or national ID card before a decision can be made. You may therefore need to show your ID documents at a Swedish embassy or consulate-general if you are outside Sweden, or one of the Migration Agency's service centres if you are in Sweden.
In some cases, you will not be required to show your passport or national ID card, for example, if we have already checked your ID documents during a previous visit.
If you need to show your passport or national ID card, we will contact you with information on how and when to do so.
Residence permit card
If you are granted a permit for more than three months you will receive a residence permit card. The card is proof that you have permission to be in Sweden and contains, amongst other things, a photograph of you. You will be photographed and have your fingerprints taken when you visit us to show your passport or national ID card. You need to do this, even if you have previously had a residence permit card. This is because the Swedish Migration Agency does not save your photograph.
Read more about the residence permit card
The Migration Agency's visiting addresses and opening hours
After the decision has been made
When a decision has been made, it will be sent to your address in Sweden. If you are an employee, self-employed or have sufficient assets to support yourself, you may be granted a permit for up to five years. If you are a student, you may be granted a permit covering the length of your studies, but for a maximum of one year at a time. When the residence permit card is ready, it will be sent to your home within about a week.
If you would like to continue living in Sweden after your permit has expired, you should submit an application to extend your permit.
Read more about extending your permit
The Migration Agency may withdraw a permit
The residence permit can be withdrawn if you gave a false identity when you applied for the residence permit, or if you knowingly lied or failed to mention something that was significant for your residence permit.
Permits for your family
Your family may be granted residence permits for the same period as you. Who counts as family members depends on what basis you have for your residence permit.
Residence permits for family members
Are you an employee, self-employed person, provider or recipient of a service or do you have sufficient resources to support yourself? Then the following counts as family members:
- your partner (cohabiting partner, spouse, or registered partner)
- your or your partner's unmarried children under the age of 21
- your or your partner's children over the age of 21 to whom you or your partner have a maintenance obligation
- your or your partner's ascendants to whom you or your partner have a maintenance obligation.
If you are a student, family members counts as:
- your partner (cohabiting partner, spouse or registered partner)
- your or your partner's children to whom you or your partner have a maintenance obligation.
Other members of your family who are not listed above, can also get a residence permit for the same period as you
- if you have a maintenance obligation to them, or
- if you are part of the same household.
Your family may begin working or studying as soon as they arrive in Sweden. They do not need to wait for your application to be processed. Those who are students may work as well as study without having to apply for a special work permit.
Read more about moving to someone in Sweden
How your family applies
Each family member, even children, fills in the form Application for residence permit for citizens of Switzerland and their family members, 146011, and send this or hand it in to one of the Swedish Migration Agency's permit units within three months of their arrival.
The Migration Agency's visiting addresses and opening hours
Postal addresses to the Migration Agency's Permit Units
Your family need to enclose
- copies of the pages in their passports which show their personal information, photograph, signature, passport number, passport issuing country, the period of the passport's validity and whether they have permission to live in countries other than their country of origin. For the passport to be approved, it must have a signature. Read more about making correct passport copies
- copies of marriage certificates or the equivalent (valid for married couples or registered partners)
- documents which show that you have lived together in your country of origin (valid for cohabiting partners)
- birth certificates for children
- consent from the other parent/legal guardian, if they are not also coming to Sweden.
- documents from the competent authority in the country in which you lived together which certify that you or your partner have a maintenance obligation to your family member (applies to persons to whom you have a maintenance obligation)
- documents from the competent authority of the country in which you lived together certifying that the family member is part of the same household
(applies to other family members who are part of the household).
Extending your permit
If you would like to continue living in Sweden after your permit has expired, you should submit an application for an extension of your residence permit. It is important that you submit your application before your current permit expires.
How to apply
You fill in the form Application for residence permit for citizens of Switzerland and their family members, 146011, and send this or hand it in to one of the Swedish Migration Agency's permit units. Apply 30 days before your current permit expires. Each family member, even children, must submit their own application.
The Migration Agency's visiting addresses and opening hours
Postal addresses to the Migration Agency's Permit Units
Enclose
- copies of the pages in your passport which show your personal data, the period of validity and whether you have permission to live in countries other than your country of origin.
- documents which show that you are an employee, student or self-employed, that you have sufficient assets to support yourself or that you are a provider or recipient of services. More information on which documents you should send can be found on the application form.
When we have received your application
If you have submitted an application for an extension, you have the right to continue to live in Sweden until the Swedish Migration Agency have made their decision.
You may need to show your passport
The Swedish Migration Agency may need to check your passport before a decision can be made. You will then need to visit one of the Swedish Migration Agency's service centres to show your passport.
In some cases, you will not be required to show your passport, for example, if we have already checked your passport during a previous visit.
If you need to show your passport, we will contact you with information on how and when to do so.
Residence permit card
If you are granted a permit for more than three months you will receive a residence permit card. The card is proof that you have permission to be in Sweden and contains, amongst other things, a photograph of you. If you need to show your passport or national ID card, you will be photographed at the same time. You need to do this, even if you have previously had a residence permit card. This is because the Swedish Migration Agency cannot save your photograph.
Read more about the residence permit card
The Migration Agency's visiting addresses and opening hours
After five years in Sweden
If you have had a residence permit for five years and wish to continue living in Sweden, you can apply for the long-term resident status in Sweden. You must have lived in Sweden continuously for five years and can prove that you have supported yourself and your family. In conjunction with the decision regarding long-term resident status, you will also be granted a permanent residence permit. If you meet the conditions for long-term resident status, your family can also be granted a long-term resident status. Please note that all family members must have had a residence permit for five years.
After the decision has been made
The decision will be sent to your address in Sweden. When the residence permit card is ready, it will be sent to your home within about a week.
The Migration Agency may withdraw a permanent permit
Your permanent residence permit can be withdrawn if you leave Sweden. If you notify the Swedish Migration Agency that you wish to retain your permanent residence permit, you can remain abroad for up to two years without your permit being affected.
If you have not returned to Sweden after two years the Migration Agency may withdraw your residence permit. The residence permit can also be withdrawn if you gave a false identity when you applied for the residence permit, or if you knowingly lied or failed to mention something that was significant for your residence permit.
If the Swedish Migration Agency refuses your application
If the Swedish Migration Agency refuses your application, you may appeal the decision within three weeks of the day you received it. Information on how to do this can be found in the decision.