Social introduction for adults who have applied for protection under the Temporary Protection Directive in Sweden.
If you have had temporary protection for one year, you can be registered in the Swedish polpulation register and are then entitled to more support from society, for example that your newborn child who has not had a residence permit for more than a year can be registered in the national population register with you.
Read more about new rules for population registration for those who come from Ukraine
External link.
You have the right to live wherever you want in Sweden if you arrange your accommodation yourself, but your choice of residential area may affect your possibility of receiving financial aid from the Swedish Migration Agency.
Read more about how your address may affect your right to financial aid
If you choose to arrange a accommodation yourself you will be responsible for the costs for the accommodation. The Swedish Migration Agency will not pay your rent.
You must inform the Swedish Migration Agency how we can reach you. This means that you need to make sure that your address and phone number are up to date.
Use the Address Notification/Change of Address, Mot93 form (in Swedish)
Pdf, 692.6 kB. to make an address notification or a change of address.
If you are not able to continue to live in your own accommodation and need help from the Swedish Migration Agency to find accommodation, you cannot choose where to live.
Once you have told the Swedish Migration Agency’s staff that you need help with accommodation, we will look for a municipality that can offer you accommodation. If you have already lived in Sweden for a while and you have started working or your children have started school, we will try to arrange for you to stay in the municipality in which you already live, but we cannot guarantee that this will be the case. You may need to move to another municipality. Please note that you will only receive one offer of accommodation in a municipality. If you decline the accommodation you are offered, you cannot get a new offer at a later date.
Both the Swedish Migration Agency's accommodation and the accommodation offered to you by the municipality can vary. It may be an apartment where you cook your own food, a room where you share a kitchen with many others, or a larger accommodation centre where the food is served in a common dining room.
Anyone who needs help with accommodation must be prepared to share a room with other people. In most cases, family members will be able to live together. Single people will share a room with others of the same sex but people with special needs may be able to live alone. In shared accommodation, pets are normally not allowed.
If you have an income or money of your own, you will be required to pay for the accommodation the Swedish Migration Agency or the municipality arranges for you.
In order for everyone to feel comfortable and get along, there are rules on how to use the common areas.
In all accommodations, you must
If you have applied for protection under the Temporary Protection Directive, you are allowed to bring pets in the Swedish Migration Agency’s accommodations in certain places, but you must follow the directives of the Swedish Board of Agriculture regarding the entry of dogs, cats and other pets from Ukraine.
The Swedish Migration Agency wants to ensure that everyone living in our temporary accommodation facilities feels safe in their living environment. It is therefore important that everyone respects each other and show each other consideration, regardless of religion, gender, culture or sexual orientation. All Migrationsverket accommodations have security officers.
If you are subjected to threats, violence or other abusive treatment, contact the police authority at the place where you live or, in case of emergency call 112.
Everyone who is granted a residence permit under the Temporary Protection Directive is offered a health examination that does not cost anything. You will receive an invitation with an appointment from the healthcare centre.
As an adult you are only entitled to emergency care and care that cannot wait. It is the healthcare system that determines what care you can receive, not the Swedish Migration Agency. Children (under the age of 18) are entitled to all medical care.
Always turn primarily to your nearest healthcare centre if you become ill. You should contact a hospital if you become acutely ill or have an accident.
See the film Healthcare External link.
The “Start Talking About” films are jointly produced by MILSA education platform and InformationSverige.se.
As an adult, you have the right to emergency dental care and dental care that cannot wait. You should always turn to the Public Dental Service for dental care. When the Public Dental Service is closed, you should primarily contact an emergency dentist who is connected to the Public Dental Service and, secondly, another emergency dental clinic.
At the midwife clinic, midwives work with health screenings for women who are pregnant. These visits are free of charge. As a woman, you have access to free contraception advice as well as free antenatal care. You also have the right to care in case of abortion but you then pay the same fee as those who live permanently in Sweden.
To get cheaper medical care, dental care and medicine on prescription, you need to show your residence permit card (UT-card).
Visits to doctors at a healthcare centre or dentist in the Public Dental Service costs 50 SEK if you show your UT-card. The same cost applies to the majority of prescription medication. Visits to a nurse or physiotherapist cost 25 SEK.
Healthcare may require you to pay the full cost of care unless you can demonstrate that you are a refugee under the Temporary Protection Directive.
Emergency room visits to hospitals and specialist treatments you received after referral from the hospital cost more. You pay the same fee as people who are permanently residing in Sweden.
The care is mostly free for children, but in some healthcare regions, you have to pay a fee for emergency care even for children. Medication for children under 18 years of age is free if it has been prescribed.
If during the course of six months you have paid more than 400 SEK for doctor visits, sick trips and prescription medicine, you can apply for a special grant. The Swedish Migration Agency can then reimburse you for any costs that exceed SEK 400.
Emergency visits to healthcare facilities and dental services costs are not covered by the 400 SEK rule. Also, prescription drugs that cost more than 50 SEK are not included in this rule. However, you can apply for a special grant directly when you have had costs for emergency visits to hospitals or for medications that cost more than 50 SEK. In case of emergency visits, the Swedish Migration Agency can only grant a special grant for the part of the fee that exceeds SEK 50.
If you want to apply for a special grant, you need to submit receipts and prescription specifications that show what costs you have had and that they apply to you. The Swedish Migration Agency cannot reimburse any costs until you have paid them yourself.
In some cases, under the Temporary Protection Directive, persons in need of protection may be granted a special grant from the Swedish Migration Agency for the cost of glasses. If your application is granted, you will receive information in the decision about where to go to try out the glasses.
Children covered by the Temporary Protection Directive are entitled to an allowance from the region of up to 800 SEK for eyeglasses or contact lenses. This applies to children aged 8 to 19 years. The different healthcare regions handle this in different ways. Contact the healthcare services where you and the child live to check what applies there. If the child needs eyeglasses that cost more than the allowance covers, it is possible to apply for a special grant from the Swedish Migration Agency for the excess cost.
At 1177.se External link. there is medical advice available in various languages, including Ukrainian. You can also call 1177 Vårdguiden and receive personal advice from medical professionals 24 hours a day. Those who answer these calls speak Swedish or English. For example, if you are unsure if you should go to a doctor, you can call 1177 and describe how you feel. You can also call to ask other questions about your or your children's health.
If you feel mentally unwell, you can get help and support from the healthcare system, for example in the form of counselling. You should at firsthand contact your health centre. In an emergency situation, you should call 112.
If you need assistive devices such as wheelchairs, crutches or hearing aids, it is also the health centre you should turn to for an initial assessment. It is the person providing the care who decides what type of assistive devices you are entitled to.
If you have an appointment with a healthcare provider, it is important that you keep the appointment. If you are unable to come to a scheduled visit, you must tell the clinic in question no later than 24 hours before the visit. Otherwise, you may have to pay a fee for failing to show up for the visit. It is overall very important to arrive on time for appointments in Sweden.
If something serious happens such as a fire, someone becomes acutely ill or is a victim of crime or violence, you should call 112. By calling that number, you can alert the fire department, ambulance and police.
You should always call if someone’s life is in danger. You should be able to tell the emergency operator where you are when you call. If you do not speak Swedish or English, the emergency service centre can connect an interpreter to the call.
Read more about what to do in different types of emergency situations External link.
If you need to get in touch with the police in a case that is not an emergency, you can call 114 14 or go to a police station.
The Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency has as its vision that no one should be killed or be seriously injured by fire and therefore everyone in Sweden is urged to have working fire alarms in the home. The smoke detector detects smoke early and alerts you by beeping when it senses smoke and/or heat. Check that the fire retardant works where you live.
Also keep in mind that
For example, if a fire starts in your apartment and you cannot put out the fire yourself, you should save yourself and your family first and then alert others who may be affected by the fire, and alert emergency services by calling 112. As a last resort, you can try to put out the fire if you think it may be possible. If there is a fire in your apartment, go outside and then close the door to trap the fire and smoke in the apartment. A closed door prevents smoke from spreading to the stairwell. If the building needs to be evacuated, there cannot be any smoke in the stairwell.
On the website of the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency, you can find information on how to prepare for war or if some other crisis or serious accident should affect our society.
Children who are in Sweden through the Temporary Protection Directive have the right to attend preschool and primary school. They also have the right to attend secondary or secondary special school if the education starts before they have reached the age of 18. You can register your child for school yourself by contacting the municipality where you live. If you need help with that you can speak to your reception unit.
Preschool is for children between one and six years old. There, children get to play, sing, move, explore nature and practice cooperating. How many hours the child has the right to attend preschool depends on whether the parents work or not.
The first year of school is called preschool class. It involves a lot of play and creative activities to prepare young children for their future schooling.
This is followed by the nine-year Primary school, which is divided into primary, middle and junior high schools. All students study roughly the same subjects. Each year consists of two semesters and starting from year six and onwards, students receive grades at the end of each semester.
High school is an optional education where students have the opportunity to choose a specialisation to prepare for professional life or continued studies at a university or college.
Preschool class, primary school and upper secondary school are free of charge. In preschool, the child is entitled to three hours per day from the autumn semester of the year in which he or she turns three. For all other times, the parents pay a fee that is based on their income.
Children who are in Sweden with a residence permit under the Temporary Protection Directive and who are not registered here are not subject to compulsory schooling. For children who are registered in the population register, compulsory schooling applies.
Read more about Swedish education from preschool to education for adults External link.
Read more about school at informationssverige.se External link.
If you have been granted a residence permit under the Temporary Protection Directive, you can apply to study at a university or college in Sweden. You do not need to pay an application fee or tuition fee, but you do need to meet the eligibility requirements for higher education studies in Sweden.
Read more information about studying in Sweden External link.
Here you can apply to Swedish universities External link.
As an adult, you can also participate in various activities that are called early interventions (TIA), where you, among other things, can learn Swedish.
Read more about various activities at informationsverige.se External link.
Some municipalities offer SFI (Swedish for Immigrants) for people who have been granted protection under the Temporary Protection Directive. Contact the municipality where you live for more information about what applies there.
If you are not registered in Sweden, you cannot obtain a Swedish personal identity number. However, you can receive a coordination number.
You need a coordination number to register as a job seeker with the Swedish Public Employment Service, open a bank account in Sweden and to pay taxes if you work.
The Swedish Migration Agency will request a coordination number for you if you have
The Swedish Tax Agency will decide if you should receive a coordination number and send it to you. In order for the Swedish Tax Agency to be able to send you the coordination number by letter, we give them the address that you have given us.
A bank account is usually needed if you work, because an employer cannot deposit your salary on the bank card that you have received from the Swedish Migration Agency. You normally have the right to open a bank account in Sweden, but some conditions need to be met. Different banks may have different requirements and you may need to contact several different banks.
Read more about opening a bank account on the Swedish Bankers Association’s website External link.
If you find a job, an employment contract should be drawn up between you and the employer stating what salary you receive. You and the employer should notify the Swedish Migration Agency when you start work.
If you become unemployed after working in Sweden for a certain period of time, you may be entitled to unemployment benefit.
Read more about what applies about unemployment benefits (in Swedish) External link.
See the films from the Swedish Public Employment Service (in Ukrainian) External link.
See the film "The path to employment" External link.
The "Start talking about" films are produced by the MILSA education platform and Informationsverige.se together.
You are obliged to notify the Swedish Migration Agency that you have received an income, since it will affect your daily allowance. If you do not notify the Swedish Migration Agency of your own income, you may be reported for benefit fraud, which is punishable by law.
If your employment ends, you may be entitled to daily allowance again. In that case, you need to submit a new application for daily allowance and show when the employment ended and when you received your last salary.
A job and an income are required to be able to contribute financially to society. In order for as many people as possible to be able to contribute regardless of prior circumstances, Sweden is continually working to increase diversity in working life from the perspectives of gender, age, class, disability, sexual orientation and ethnic background.
Through diversity on the labour market, society and the labour market can benefit from the many experiences and skills that different individuals have.
Sweden predicts an increasing labour shortage so if more people, regardless of conditions and background, can participate in the labour market, it will lead to an addition to the workforce, which in turn generates tax revenue to society.
All people who have the opportunity to establish themselves and develop on the labour market become largely self-sufficient; it gives a person both confidence and the feeling of being independent. Independence is a quality that is highly valued in Sweden.
Unfortunately, there are entrepreneurs who exploit people who come from other countries and do not know what Swedish labour law looks like. It is important not to be deceived into working under the table, that is, to work without the employer paying taxes to the Swedish Tax Agency. Of course, it is also important to receive a reasonable salary for the work you do. More information about this can be found at the Swedish Gender Equality Agency. The information is mainly aimed at people who have not yet arrived in Sweden, but you who are already in Sweden can also benefit from it.
Read more on the Swedish Gender Equality Agency's website External link.
You can receive compensation for certain trips, such as trips to the Swedish Migration Agency. You can also receive compensation for trips to so-called “Early Interventions” (TIA), where you will for example to learn Swedish, receive community orientation, gain knowledge of the labour market or knowledge of what to do to improve your health.
It is the Swedish Migration Agency that assesses whether compensation can be provided for a trip or not.
You cannot receive travel reimbursement from the Swedish Migration Agency for participating in SFI.
Several transport companies in Sweden have chosen to allow you, coming from Ukraine, to travel free of charge on buses, trams and in the metro. In several places, you are still allowed to do this while some traffic companies have discontinued this service. Check carefully when you are travelling, because if the trip is not free, there is a heavy fine for a person who is caught without a valid ticket.
To drive a car in Sweden, you must have reached the age of 18 and have a driving licence. If you have a valid driving license from Ukraine or any other country, you may drive a car in Sweden for now. If you receive a residence permit, you may continue to use your valid driving licence for one year from the date of population registration.
You should carry your licence with you when driving a car. The driving license should contain a photo of you. If there is no photo on your driver's license, you must also carry a valid ID with you. The driving licence must be in English, French or German. If it is not, you need to be able to show a translation if you are stopped by the police.
Traffic rules vary in different countries so you need to find out what the rules are in Sweden before you start driving.
Read more about traffic rules on the Swedish Transport Agency's website External link.
It is you as the driver who is responsible for ensuring that any children in the car are strapped into an age appropriate car seat.
When it comes to size, Sweden is the fifth largest country in Europe, bordering Norway, Finland and Denmark. There are currently approximately 10.5 million people living in Sweden. Roughly 4 million people live in and around the three largest cities in the country: Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö. Stockholm is Sweden's capital with approximately 2.5 million inhabitants. Approximately 27 percent of the Swedish population is born abroad, which equates to over 2.8 million people.
Healthcare, schools and childcare, police and fire departments and other operations are funded through tax. This means that everyone who has an income will need to pay a portion of their income for these purposes.
There are many authorities in Sweden and a lot of activities here are carefully regulated. Some people who come from other countries think that the Swedish bureaucracy is complicated but there are countries in the world that have an even more extensive bureaucracy.
Civil society plays a vital role in Sweden’s development and democracy. Civil society is separate from the state and business and involvement in it is voluntary. It consists of individuals, groups and organisations working together based on common interests. Examples of stakeholders in civil society include cultural associations, trade unions, study associations and charities. As a new arrival in Sweden, civil society can help and support you in various ways.
You can find examples of organisations that offer assistance to asylum seekers and people in Sweden under the Temporary Protection Directive on the Swedish Migration Agency website:
You are waiting for a decision – Protection under the Temporary Protection Directive
Although many of the Swedish laws are based on Christian values, there is currently no formal connection between church and state. In Sweden, we have freedom of religion. That means everyone has a right to their own beliefs, to practice their religion, change religion, or to have no religion at all.
In many countries, religion is the central point that holds people together. As one of the world's most secular countries, this is not the case in Sweden. On the other hand, compared to many other countries, there is a high level of trust in the state. The social idea that everyone who can should work, pay taxes and thus contribute to the common good is something many people believe in. The feeling of belonging means that most people have a willingness to pay taxes.
See the film Freedom of religion External link.
The “Start Talking About” films are jointly produced by MILSA education platform and InformationSverige.se.
Sweden is a democracy but also a monarchy with a king or queen as head of state. The current king is called Carl XVI Gustaf and in 2023 he celebrated his 50th anniversary on the throne. The king or queen has no political power and serves mostly as a symbol for the country.
Sweden is a democratic country, which means that everyone living in Sweden has the opportunity to influence and decide how the country should be governed. There is not really a direct definition of the concept of “democracy” as the interpretation and construction of a democratic society is different in the countries that count as democracies. This is because democracy is constantly changing and evolving.
One basic idea of democracy is that anyone who is a citizen or lives in a democratic country should have the opportunity to participate and have an opinion on how the country should be governed, for example through regular elections.
Another basic democratic idea is that all people are equal and should have the same rights.
Even if it is the majority that makes the decisions in a democracy, minorities have rights that the majority must take into account. Power in a democratic society must be exercised with respect for human rights. Everyone in society has the right to say what they think, but oppression against people or groups who have different opinions than what one has must not occur. It involves both listening to what others think and being able to express your own opinions; it is about showing respect for others and being respected yourself.
In the 19th century, the basic concept developed that equality and justice should prevail between all people. These ideas became widespread and both trade union organisations, associations and parties were started around Europe. However, it was not until 1921 that we had democracy in Sweden. It was not until then that both men and women could vote.
It is not enough for citizens to participate in general elections for a society to be democratic. If you have a temporary residence permit under the Temporary Protection Directive, you cannot vote in the general elections, but there are other ways to get involved in social issues to make an impact. What happens outside elections and between elections is also important for democracy to work. Examples of that might include joining non-profit associations or engaging in political discussions with friends and colleagues.
As a person in need of protection under the Temporary Protection Directive, you have the right to join associations or express yourself politically by, for example, demonstrating, writing debate articles or arranging gatherings. In Sweden, we have freedom of speech and freedom of the press, which means that we are allowed to express our thoughts and opinions in speech and writing. These freedoms are regulated by Swedish law and apply to anyone who is in Sweden. However, the right to freely express one's opinions does not mean that you are allowed to violate someone else.
It is important that you as an individual in need of protection feel that you are a part of the community. You should feel that you have the opportunity to participate and influence your everyday life, whether it is school, at work, in your residential area, in the family or in any other context.
See the film Democracy External link.
The “Start Talking About” films are jointly produced by MILSA education platform and InformationSverige.se.
In society, information is spread in various ways, for example between friends and colleagues, through TV and radio and on social media. It is important to be able to review and assess information. Being source critical means that you should be able to evaluate information if it is reliable. Questions you can ask yourself are:
Here you will find more information about source criticism External link.
See the film – Distribution of Information and Source Criticism External link.
The “Start Talking About” films are jointly produced by MILSA education platform and InformationSverige.se.
What defines Swedish culture and what is typically Swedish is hard to say. In all parts of the world, in every single country, within all groups of people, there are cultural values that for many create a sense of togetherness but which do not do that for everyone. Thoughts and ideas about what is considered typically Swedish for one person are therefore not necessarily shared by other Swedes.
Many people might associate Sweden with the footballer Zlatan, the pop group ABBA or perhaps with the furniture store IKEA. Some things may be said to be distinctive to Sweden and Swedes. For example, in most people there is a strong faith in the state and its authorities. People rely to a relatively high degree in authority decisions, the judiciary system and in official people and corruption is low. Furthermore, many Swedes often have a strong sense of nature and many who visit Sweden think it is clean here. People from other countries sometimes perceive Swedes as reserved and difficult to connect with.
People's lives are affected by norms. Norms are ideas and unwritten rules about how people are expected to be, live and look like. Certain norms are needed in all societies. For example, they control how we should behave in the grocery store, how we should stand in line or how to greet each other. Norms are hard to see and they are usually discovered only when someone violates them.
Under the section Sweden — a Democracy, you could read that it was not until 1921 that we had democracy in Sweden with the right to vote for both men and women. Work to change society into a more fair society often takes a long time because the notions on how things should be are often difficult to change. This is one of the reasons for why it took so long before women could get the right to vote. There were notions and standards that women were not fit to engage in political discussions. Notions and norms like these have occurred or are occurring, of course, in all societies.
Norms can also restrict people and create discrimination. There are, for example, in most societies standards for how women and men should dress, what to work with, who gets to use makeup, and who gets to cry when they are sad. There are also norms for what a family should be like, how to live so that one does not embarrass one's family or oneself.
Norms can also affect the relationship between men and women in society. Equality is about achieving equality between men and women and that is something that we have to work towards both privately, at work and in society.
The Swedish Parliament has decided that the overall goal of gender equality policy in Sweden is for women and men to have the same power and opportunity to influence society and their own lives. Women and men should also have the same rights and obligations.
This means that
See the film Equality External link.
The “Start Talking About” films are jointly produced by MILSA education platform and InformationSverige.se.
Violence can be physical, psychological, economic, material or sexual. In Sweden, it is a crime to threaten or hit someone. It is also not allowed to have sex with someone against their will.
If someone uses violence within the family, for example against their child or their wife/husband/partner then it is a crime that can result in jail time. Sweden has changed its laws to strengthen protection for violence against women and girls.
Honor-related violence and subjecting someone to genital mutilation are regarded as serious crimes in Sweden.
The most common occurrence is that it is men who use violence against women but there are also men who are subjected to violence. In those cases, it is usually unknown men outside the home who commit the violent acts. When it comes to violence against women, it is often a man who has a close relationship with the woman who carries it out. A woman is most often subjected to domestic violence by someone she knows and may depend on. It may be a partner but it can also be a child, a sibling or other relatives.
See the film Violence in close relationships External link.
The “Start Talking About” films are jointly produced by MILSA education platform and InformationSverige.se.
External link. Sweden’s National Women’s Helpline can offer counselling even in languages other than Swedish through an interpreter. Professionals and family members of women who have been subjected to violence can also contact Kvinnofridslinjen for advice and support. External link. External link. External link. Telephone helpline for those who want help to change violent behaviour towards a loved one External link. External link. External link.You can also turn to social services in your municipality. They can provide you with help and support and inform you about other organisations that exist in your area.
In Sweden, there is a law that says that one is not allowed to have sex with someone who is under the age of 15. The law is not there to prohibit two people who are the same age or about the same age from having sex with each other but to prevent an older person from taking advantage of someone who is younger.
In Sweden, it is forbidden to buy sex. The law came into effect in 1999. Since then, more countries have implemented similar laws, among others Norway, Canada and France. Selling sex is not a crime in Sweden.
In Sweden, there is a special consent law that means that sex must be voluntary and if it is not voluntary, it is illegal. Under the law, having sex with a person who has not explicitly said yes to having sex is prohibited. This also applies in a marriage.
See the film Sexual Health and Rights External link.
The “Start Talking About” films are jointly produced by MILSA education platform and InformationSverige.se.
During war, human trafficking increases. Human trafficking may mean that the victim is forced into sexual acts, forced to work, forced to commit crimes, for example. Human trafficking is a criminal act.
Being subjected to human trafficking can be likened to being in an invisible prison. Traumatized people who find themselves alone in a foreign country without knowing the language do not need to be locked up to experience that they cannot see any ways to escape their situation.
According to the European Institute for Gender Equality, the EIGE, human trafficking for sexual purposes is the most common form of human trafficking in the EU and is to be regarded as a form of gender-based violence mostly affecting women and girls. Report to the police if you are subjected to human trafficking or if you suspect that someone else is.
Human exploitation is another crime and involves, among other things, the exploitation of someone for work under unreasonable conditions. Report to the police if you are subjected to human exploitation or if you suspect that someone else is.
Surrogate maternity is forbidden in Sweden. The notion that it should not be allowed is based on moral grounds and issues of human trafficking and exploitation of women. The attitude in Sweden is that the so-called mater est rule applies — the principle that the woman who gives birth to a child should be considered the mother of the child.
The Swedish police have a team investigating war crimes that may have occurred during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. They want to hear from anyone who has been subjected to, or who has witnessed other civilians who have been subjected to, an armed attack or similar violence in Ukraine after 24 February 2022.
E-mail registrator.kansli@polisen.se and mark your message with “to the War Crimes Investigation Team”, or call the police’s Contact Centre at phone number 114 14 for help with contacting the right person.
Some groups in society are more vulnerable and there are therefore special laws that give them extra protection. Examples of such groups include women, children, people with disabilities, and LGBTQ people.
One example of discrimination is racism. Racism assumes that people can be divided into different groups and that some groups or people are more valuable than others. Racism is when a person or group of people is treated poorly on the basis of, for example, the colour of their skin, their ethnic origin or their religion.
Not everyone identifies as female or male but also as trans, queer or nonbinary. In Sweden, everyone has the right to express their identity as they wish without risking discrimination.
Thus, no one should have to risk being discriminated against, but if it does happen, you can act. According to the Discrimination Act, companies and organisations are prohibited from treating certain people worse than others, for example because of gender, age, ethnicity, religion, disability or sexual orientation. You can turn to the Discrimination Ombudsman, DO, if you are discriminated against. The Discrimination Ombudsman is a government agency that works for everyone's equal rights and opportunities.
If you are instead subjected to some form of violation by a private individual because you belong to a particular group, that may be a crime that should be reported to the police.
Read more about discrimination External link.
One of the groups that are often vulnerable in both Sweden and the rest of the world is the group LGBTQ people. LGBTQI stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex people. In Sweden, everyone has the same rights and opportunities regardless of sexual orientation or identity. Examples of that include same-sex couples since 2003 having the right to adopt children and since 2005 lesbian couples have access to assisted conception. In 2009, the right to enter into same-sex marriage came into force. Another example is that people undergoing gender-corrective treatment are not forced into sterilization.
See the film The Right to Choose a Partner External link.
"Börja prata om"-filmerna är framtagna av MILSA utbildningsplattform och Informationsverige.se tillsammans.
Children have a special position in Swedish society and children’s rights are especially protected by law. In Sweden, anyone under the age of 18 is regarded a child. Children who are refugees under the Temporary Protection Directive have the same rights as other children in Swedish society. For example, all children are entitled to full medical care while adult refugees under the Temporary Protection Directive are entitled only to urgent care and care that cannot wait.
The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child became Swedish law on 1 January 2020. The Convention on the Rights of the Child aims to give children, regardless of their background, the right to be treated with respect and to be allowed to be heard.
These principles are about the equal value and rights of all children. No one can be discriminated against. The child must also not be discriminated against or punished for anything that parents are or do.
In all actions and decisions concerning children, the Swedish Migration Agency must take into account what is in the best interests of the child and how the child will be affected. This does not mean that a decision will always be a child or parent’s first choice, but the child’s best interest should always be weighed into the decision.
In Sweden, as in 60 other countries in the world, the use of physical or psychological violence against children is prohibited by law. It is not allowed to subject children to violence of any kind, even as a part of upbringing.
If the parents expose the child to harm or anything else that endangers the child's health and development, it is the social services that have a responsibility to ensure that the child gets what it needs. The social services conduct an investigation to assess if the child has a need for protection or support from the social services. Both parents and children are allowed to speak during such an investigation and most of the time the social services and the parents can work together and come to a conclusion about what is best for the child.
Staff at schools, preschool or, for example, the Swedish Migration Agency are obliged to immediately notify the Social Welfare Board if one suspects that a child is in danger.
If you yourself are worried that a child is in danger, you can contact the social services in the municipality in which the child lives. If you have witnessed violence against a child, you can contact the police at the telephone number 114 14.
It is not always easy to be a parent and the responsibility can sometimes feel difficult and lonely. Social services can act as a support for you as a parent if you need it. It is entirely normal to sometimes feel as a parent that you are not enough. Early childhood and adolescence can be challenging for all parents, especially if you or your child have experienced difficult events. There is nothing wrong with needing support, advice or confirmation, and many families receive help from social services.
You can turn to the social services and request support and help yourself. You can also turn to social services, childcare centres or school counsellors, who can guide you further.
Read more about social services for children and young people (kollpasoc.se) External link.
See the film Being a Parent in Sweden External link.
The “Start Talking About” films are jointly produced by MILSA education platform and InformationSverige.se.
The age of majority in Sweden is 18 years. To become the age of majority means that you have both the right and the obligation to take responsibility for yourself, your things and your daily life. Until then, it is your parent or guardian who is responsible for you. For example, when you have turned 18, you have the right to get married, enter into financial agreements and get a driving licence. You will also be responsible for your case at the Swedish Migration Agency. If you have turned 18 and want continued help from your parents or another adult in contact with the Swedish Migration Agency or other authorities, you need to give power of attorney to that person. If you do not attend school when you turn 18, your parents are no longer responsible for you, but if you are still in upper secondary school, they must support you until you turn 21.
Visit www.informationsverige.se External link. for information about the Swedish society. Here you can read about how the housing market, the labour market and healthcare work in Sweden. There is also information about children's rights and about how the Swedish school works. You can take part in free civic orientation and find exercises and videos to practice Swedish. There is also a page that is especially aimed at those who have fled the war in Ukraine.
Read more information for those who have fled the war in Ukraine External link.
A person in need of subsidiary protection is someone who has applied for asylum in Sweden and been granted subsidiary protection status. These people are usually granted a residence permit for 13 months.
Asylum means sanctuary. When a person applies for asylum, he or she seeks protection in a country other than his or her country of origin.
The asylum process is the various steps that an asylum seeker goes through – from application to decision.
An asylum seeker is a person who has arrived in Sweden and applied for asylum, but who has not yet received a final answer to their application.
An asylum investigation is an interview where you can say why you want protection in Sweden.
Rejection of an asylum application means that the Swedish Migration Agency has said ‘no’ to granting a person’s application for asylum.
Children are all people under the age of 18.
A decision in an asylum case is when the Swedish Migration Agency has decided whether or not an asylum seeker can stay in Sweden.
Daily allowance is an allowance from the Swedish Migration Agency that an asylum seeker can apply for if they do not have their own money.
Judgement. Most of the Swedish Migration Agency’s decisions can be appealed in the courts. When a court makes a decision, this is called a judgement.
A refugee is a person who has applied for asylum and been granted refugee status. This means that you meet the requirements of the UN Convention on the Rights of Refugees, the so-called ‘Geneva Convention’. These people are usually granted a residence permit for 3 years.
A guardian is a person who must look after the interests of asylum-seeking children when their parents are unable to do so. It can be a man or a woman.
Identity means who a person is. When the Swedish Migration Agency asks about your identity, we mean your name, how old you are and where you come from.
Legal force means that the decision can no longer be appealed.
The Swedish Migration Agency is the authority in Sweden that examines applications from people seeking asylum. The Swedish Migration Agency also examines applications from people who want to visit or move to Sweden, or who want to become Swedish citizens.
Authorities ensure that society functions as it should according to the laws decided by the Parliament.
Public counsel is a person who knows Swedish laws. This counsel will help you with your asylum application. A public counsel is a lawyer or law graduate and does not work at the Swedish Migration Agency.
Social services are available in every municipality. They work according to a law called the Social Services Act. The Social Services Act deals with the right to health and social care that everyone in the municipality has. It contains rules for how society should assist people who need help but who cannot get it from anyone else.
Obligation of secrecy means that people who work at, for example, the Swedish Migration Agency are not allowed to tell share what you have said with anyone who does not have the right to know.
A residence permit means that a person has received a ‘yes’ to their application to live in Sweden.
When someone lodges an appeal, this means that they write to an authority or court and inform them that he or she does not agree with what the authority or court has decided. The person says they want the authority or court to change the decision.
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.
2025-01-29
Apply for extended protection between January 29 and March 4
The e-service to apply for extended protection under the Temporary Protection Directive is now open.