You have received a decision Your application for asylum has been approved

Your application for a residence permit in Sweden on the grounds of protection needs (asylum) has been approved. The information on this page applies both to people who have been granted a permit for the first time and those who have been granted an extended permit.

If you have been granted a residence permit, you have the right to live and work in Sweden as long as the permit is valid. As proof of your residence permit, you will receive a residence permit card.

Protection status

A person entitled to protection in Sweden has the right to receive a status declaration. The reasons why you need protection determine what protection status you get. There are two different types of protection status: refugee status and subsidiary protection status.

If you have been granted refugee status, you will be granted a residence permit for three years. If you have been granted subsidiary protection status, you will be granted a residence permit for 13 months.

If you have a residence permit in Sweden on any basis other than grounds for protection, and therefore have not received a status declaration, you can apply for one retroactively. This also applies if you have received a subsidiary protection status declaration but want a refugee status declaration.

If you want to apply to be granted one of these two statuses retroactively, you must visit the Swedish Migration Agency. You can apply for a status declaration at a Swedish Migration Agency Unit for Asylum Applications in Gothenburg, Malmö, or Stockholm.

Appeals

Even if your application is approved, there may be parts of the decision with which you do not agree. For example, you may feel that you have not been granted the protection status to which you are entitled. You have three weeks to appeal, counted from the date on which you were served the decision.

Appeal a decision

If you have been granted a temporary residence permit for the first time, you must register with the Swedish Tax Agency to obtain a Swedish personal identity number as soon as possible. You must be listed in the Swedish Population Register in order to enroll in Swedish for Immigrants (SFI) classes and access the resources of the Swedish social insurance system. If you need to seek care in Sweden, you will have to pay for it if you don’t have a Swedish personal identity number. Once you have been listed in the Swedish Population Register, you can also obtain a Swedish identification document, which is needed, for example, to open a bank account and obtain an e-ID.

Being listed in the Swedish Population Register means that you are registered as a resident in Sweden. It is the Swedish Tax Agency that decides whether you meet the conditions for being nationally registered. In order to be listed in the Swedish Population Register, you will need to present a valid residence permit card and a valid identification document. If your identification document has been retained by the Swedish Migration Agency, you can contact the nearest Unit for Reception and ask for a signed copy of it.

The personal data that the Swedish Tax Agency registers includes, e.g. your address, date of birth, name, and marital status. Once you are listed in the Swedish Population Register, you will receive your personal identity number.

Read more about population registration on the website of the Swedish Tax Agency External link.

Most people who are granted a residence permit in Sweden arrange their own housing. If you are unable to arrange housing yourself and are living in a Swedish Migration Agency accommodation when you are granted a residence permit, you can get help with finding housing in a municipality. The Swedish Migration Agency assigns a municipality that is responsible for receiving you. You may then stay in the Swedish Migration Agency’s accommodation until the municipality has received you. If you decline the offer to settle in the municipality to which you are assigned, you are no longer entitled to housing assistance and you must find housing on your own.

If you have recently been granted a residence permit in Sweden and are between 20 and 65 years old, you may be entitled to support to enter the workforce, via the Swedish Public Employment Service’s establishment programme. The establishment programme consists of activities and training that will help you to learn Swedish quickly, find a job, and manage to support yourself financially. You can find more information on the website of the Swedish Public Employment Service. The information is available in several languages.

Read more about the establishment programme on the website of the Swedish Public Employment Service External link.

The Swedish Public Employment Service can help you find work until you turn 65, which is the most common retirement age in Sweden. People who come to Sweden late in life often receive little or no pension. If you do not have a pension that you can live on, you can turn to the Swedish Pensions Agency and apply for so-called “financial support for the elderly”.

Read more about financial support for the elderly on the website of the Swedish Pensions Agency (in Swedish) External link.

If you have been granted a residence permit for protection reasons and are at least 16 years of age, you are allowed to work in Sweden.

When you apply for a job, you must bring copies of documents showing that you have the right to be in Sweden and work here. For example, you can bring the first page of your decision. Also bring your residence permit card. The employer will want to know how long you have a right to work in Sweden and if there are any limitations to your permit.

In some cases, your family has the opportunity to move to Sweden to live with you. The rules differ depending on the protection status you have received and when your family members apply for their residence permits. If your family wants to move to Sweden to live with you, in most cases you need to be able to support them financially.

You have received a decision – Family reunification

The period of validity of your residence permit is specified on the first page of the decision.

A person who receives a refugee status declaration is usually granted a residence permit for three years.

A person who receives a subsidiary protection status declaration is usually granted a residence permit for 13 months.

Your residence permit can be extended.

We have compiled information and links that may be useful for people who have recently moved to Sweden.

About Sweden – for new arrivals

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 re-enter the country. If you have refugee status, you are not allowed to travel to your country of origin. If you do so, the Swedish Migration Agency may revoke your refugee status and you risk being unable to extend your permit when it expires.

You have a permit in Sweden – You plan to travel abroad

Yes, in certain situations, the Swedish Migration Agency may revoke your residence permit and decide that you should be expelled from Sweden. For example, this applies

  • if it turns out that you provided false identification documents or incorrect information about your identity when you applied
  • if you knowingly provided incorrect information or did not tell us about something that was relevant to your residence permit.

If you are convicted of a crime, the court may decide that you should be expelled. The Swedish Migration Agency will then revoke your residence permit.

Your residence permit can be revoked even if you have had the permit for several years. A permanent residence permit can also be revoked.

The Swedish Migration Agency can revoke your protection status, for example if you provided a false identity when you applied for your residence permit, or if you deliberately lied or failed to tell us about something that was relevant to your residence permit.

Your protection status can also be revoked if you are no longer in need of protection. This requires that the circumstances that caused you to receive a certain protection status no longer apply or have changed in a material and lasting manner. Your protection status can also be revoked if it emerges that you have committed crimes that prevent you from being considered a refugee or person eligible for subsidiary protection, such as war crimes, crimes against humanity, or other serious crimes.

Your refugee status declaration can also be revoked if you show that you intend to use the protection of your country of origin, for example by applying for a new national passport from that country, requesting to get your old national passport back from the Swedish Migration Agency, or because you have travelled to your country of origin.

If the Swedish Migration Agency decides that your protection status is to be revoked, your residence permit may still be valid. If you have a travel document, you must return it if your status is revoked.

If your application for a permanent residence permit has been granted, you can read more on the page You have received a decision – Permanent residence permit.

If your application for a permanent residence permit has been rejected but you were granted a temporary residence permit, you can apply for a permanent residence permit the next time you want to apply for an extension.

If your situation changes while you have a residence permit

Read about what you may need to do if something changes in your situation while you are in Sweden with a residence permit:

You have a permit in Sweden

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.

2025-02-18

If you are retur­ning to your country of origin, you can receive support worth EUR 5,000

If you withdraw your application for asylum or if it is rejected, you can receive support from the Swedish Migration Agency. On 1 March 2025, the support we provide for efforts to help you and your family members reintegrate into society in your country of origin will change. The amount of support you can get depends on when you choose to return.

2025-01-30

Legis­la­tive change on accom­mo­da­tion and finan­cial support for asylum seekers

The Swedish Parliament has decided on a legislative change that will affect asylum seekers’ right to financial support and the option to live in their own accommodation. The change will be introduced in two stages. From 1 March, the change only applies to new asylum seekers, and from 1 September 2025, anyone who applied for asylum before 1 March and who lives in their own accommodation is also affected.

2025-01-20

The Upper Secon­dary School Act ends on 20 January

January 20 is the last day to apply for a permanent residence permit under the Upper Secondary School Act. After this the law will expire, but many people who currently have a residence permit under the Upper Secondary School Act will be able to have their application for permanent residence considered even after January 20.

2024-12-16

Now you can see your complete deci­sion on My Page

If you are waiting for a decision from the Swedish Migration Agency, you can now see the complete decision on My page. Previously, you have only been able to see if the decision is positive or negative, and the justification has only been sent home to you in paper format.

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.