2021 Plans for UK Nationals Published
February 24, 2020
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At a Glance
The Swedish government has published a draft proposal for the treatment of UK national residents after the Brexit transition period ends on December 31, 2020. Central details of the plan include:
- UK nationals registered in Sweden before December 31, 2020 would be able to apply for a national residence permit for 10 months following ratification of the proposal, which is expected to occur around December 1, 2020.
- UK nationals residing in Sweden for five years or longer on December 31, 2020 would be able to apply for permanent residence or citizenship if eligible. Eligibility criteria would be similar to EU applicants.
- UK nationals residing in Sweden for a period shorter than five years would be required to apply for a local residence permit type if eligible. A separate permit type will be created.
The situation
The Swedish government has published a proposal for the treatment of UK national residents after the Brexit transition period ends on December 31, 2020.
A closer look
The draft proposal includes the following details:
| Category | Details |
Application process |
UK nationals could apply for a national residence permit as of December 1, 2020 and until September 30, 2021. No fees will apply to the new national permit. Further details of the application process will be announced in the coming months. |
Grace period |
There would be a nine-month national grace period from January 1, 2021 until and including September 30, 2021 during which time UK nationals registered in Sweden would still be able to apply for a national residence permit. |
Residents for over five years |
UK nationals residing in Sweden for five years or longer as of December 31, 2020 would be able to apply for a permanent residence permit or citizenship under the same requirements as for qualifying EU nationals. |
Residence for under five years |
UK nationals residing in Sweden for a period shorter than five years as of December 31, 2020 would be able to apply for a special national permit type, valid for up to five years. After this period, eligible permit holders could apply for permanent residence or citizenship under the same requirements as EU nationals. |
Non-EU family members |
Non-EU family members of UK nationals holding a corresponding residence permit would similarly be able to apply for a national residence permit until September 30, 2021. |
Cross-border workers |
The proposal includes a permit card for current UK national cross-border workers. |
Impact
UK nationals who will continue to work and reside in Sweden past December 31, 2020 should ensure that they take the necessary steps to obtain any documents required to register or apply for immigration status.
Background
Under the EU-wide transition period, UK nationals and their family members arriving in Sweden until December 31, 2020 can continue to register as EU nationals.
Many other EU countries are developing immigration proposals for UK nationals and their families to take effect during or after the Brexit transition period, with more expected soon.
Looking ahead
The government is seeking feedback on the proposal from 44 relevant public and private organizations (including the Migration Agency, Employment Agency, unions, parliament and the Chamber of Commerce, among others) until April 3, 2020. Comments will be integrated into the proposal, which is expected to be submitted to parliament in June 2020. Fragomen will provide updates on the situation as they become available.
Please contact a Fragomen immigration professional for assistance in planning contingency arrangements in a single project.
This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].
