You have a residence permit for studies in Sweden and wish to travel abroad for any length of time.
During the period in which your permit is valid, you can travel in and out of the country. However, if you leave Sweden, you must have both a valid passport and your residence permit card to be able to return here.
When travelling, you must present your residence permit card together with your valid passport. With your passport and residence permit card, you can enter and move freely within the Schengen area for 90 days within a 180-day period. If you are travelling to a non-Schengen country, you may need an entry visa.
If you will be leaving Sweden for more than a month during the semester, for activities that are not part of your education, you must notify the Swedish Migration Agency. A longer period of absence may mean that you are no longer entitled to a residence permit in Sweden and that the Swedish Migration Agency can revoke the permit.
If your residence permit has been revoked due to a long-term absence that was not part of your education, and you want to apply for a new residence permit to continue your studies in Sweden, it is important that you apply for a new permit before you return to Sweden. You must have the new permit before you enter Sweden.
If you have a permanent residence permit, you leave Sweden for up to a year and still keep your residence permit.
If you are away for more than a year, the Swedish Migration Agency can revoke your residence permit. However, you can be away from Sweden for up to two years if you submit a notification that you wish to keep your permanent residence permit. If you do not return and settle in Sweden after two years have passed, we can revoke your residence permit.
To apply to keep your permanent residence permit, fill in the form
Notification of desire to retain permanent residence permit (187011, only in Swedish)
Pdf, 636.9 kB..
Print and sign the form and send it to us. Send it to this address:
Migrationsverket
601 70 Norrköping
Sweden
Your notification must be received by the Swedish Migration Agency no later than one week before you leave Sweden. If your trip is cancelled, you must notify the Swedish Migration Agency no later than the day you originally planned to travel.
If you are planning to live outside Sweden for a year or more, you must also report this to the Swedish Tax Agency.
Moving away from Sweden – The Swedish Tax Agency
External link.
2025-03-06
Changes for those residing in Cyprus who wish to apply for residence and work permit
From 17 March 2025 the Swedish embassy in Nicosia will no longer handle migration matters. If you are a citizen of Cyprus, you should instead contact the Swedish embassy in Athens, Greece. The same applies for non-Cypriot legal residents of Cyprus.
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.
2025-02-07
Bulgaria, Croatia and Romania are now part of the Schengen area. Legal residents of these countries shall, from 24 February 2025 turn to one of the five Schengen hubs for migration related matters.
2025-02-07
As from 10 March, 2025, the embassy in Sarajevo will no longer handle migration related matters. Instead, you should turn to the Swedish embassy in Skopje, North Macedonia.