Sweden: New Passport Control Requirement Forthcoming for Residence Permit Applicants
October 14, 2022
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At a Glance
- Starting November 1, 2022, foreign nationals applying for residence permits in Sweden will need to present their original passport in person before an approval can be granted, instead of the current process where visa-exempt applicants can submit biometrics in Sweden once the application has been approved.
- 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.
- 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.
The situation
Starting November 1, 2022, foreign nationals applying for initial residence permits in Sweden (including work permits, studies and research permits and dependents of Swedish residents) will need to present their original passport in person at a Swedish consular post before an approval can be granted, instead of the current process where visa-exempt applicants can travel to Sweden after the approval and submit biometrics in the country while they await the final work and residence copy.
Renewal applicants who obtained a new passport during their stay in Sweden will need to present their original passport to the Swedish Migration Agency before approval can be granted, which is not currently required.
Impact
- 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.
Background
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.
Looking ahead
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.
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].
