Sweden: New Passport Control Requirement Forthcoming for Residence Permit Applicants

• First-time applicants. The change will not affect initial applications by visa required applicants, who present their passport when submitting biometric data (a photograph and fingerprints) as part of their visa or residence permit application.
• Renewal applicants. For renewal applicants, the new requirement only applies to individuals who obtained a new passport during their stay in Sweden; this does not affect those who already presented their passport in person previously.
• Family members. Accompanying family members of the above-mentioned applicants will also need to present their passports to the consular post or Migration Agency, as applicable.
• Permanent residence applicants unaffected. The new requirement will not apply to permanent residence applicants.

The policy change is expected to exacerbate already lengthy processing times for initial and renewal Work and Residence Permits. Self-employment applications may be particularly affected since they are not standard and may not be prioritized in the current processing backlog.

While the practical implication of this change remains to be seen, employers should anticipate delays in the availability of appointments at consulates. In addition, the change comes at a time when Swedish processing times are severely impacted with delays across all permit types. While the Migration Authorities are diligently hiring new staff to cope with the volume of applications, the delays are expected to be in place throughout 2022 and Q1 2023.