Sweden is among the members of the Schengen Area. So the same rules of the Schengen Area apply to it. If you need a Sweden visa or not depends on:
- Your nationality
- The time you will be staying in Sweden
- The purpose of your visit
You should know that a Sweden visa comes in two types:
1.Short-stay (Non-immigrant):
- Transit visa
- Tourist visa
- Work visa
- Business visa
2. Long-stay (Immigrant)
The types of Sweden long stay-visas are as follows:
- Work visa
- Student visa
If you need to stay longer than three months in Sweden, you must get the right visa. Almost anyone staying longer than 90 days needs a visa and residence permit. The visa allows you to enter the country, and the residence permit allows you to work or study. You can extend the
Residence permit if you want
Sweden work visa permits you to enter the country and a Sweden residence permit is the authorization to stay in the country for longer than 90 days. Anyone who wants to stay in Sweden for long terms or longer than 90 days needs a residence permit.
The type of residence permit is up to the visa you apply for. If you apply for a Sweden student visa, your residence permit becomes a study permit but the names are not different.
In case you apply for a Sweden work visa, your residence permit is a work permit. You might have to apply for a residence permit when you enter Sweden like the study permit or apply before you come to the country like a work permit which the employer applies for it.
Sweden visa requirements
The requirements for a Sweden visa is as follows:
Sweden Visa application form.
You should complete the online form. Then print, date, and sign it. Please keep it until you submit it with the rest of the documents to the Swedish officials.
A valid passport.
It must be valid for three months over the date you will leave Sweden. It must be issued in the past ten years with two blank pages. You must submit a copy of your previous visas (if had any).
Have enough funds.
You need to have enough money to cover yourself in Sweden. You should have 48.26€ for your trip to Sweden.
Travel insurance.
You must buy travel health insurance to cover all your medical emergency costs in Sweden and across Schengen states. It must cover your costs for 30.000 EUR.
Photo.
It must be new (taken in the past three months), and your face must cover %70 of the photo.
Cover letter.
It states the purpose of your visit and travel itinerary.
- The reserved flight tickets, along with the flight number and the date you will leave Sweden.
- Proof of accommodation.
It could be a reserved hotel receipt or rental contract.
Proof of civil status.
It includes your marriage certificate, birth certificate of children, death certificate of spouse.
Invitation letter from your family or friend.
The Required Documents based on your job status
If employed
- Contract of employment
- Bank statements for the past six months.
- Permission letter from your employer.
- Income Tax Return (ITR)
If self-employed
- A copy of your business registration/ business license
- Bank statements for the past six months.
- Income Tax Return (ITR)
If a student
- Proof of enrollment
- Permission leave from your school/university.
If retired
- Pension statement of the latest six months.
Sweden travel document
When you move to Sweden, you would better carry some of the original and translated documents you used in your application process.
Sweden travel documents or entry requirements might vary for each person. Your passport with the visa stick-on is a must.
Proof of accommodation or a rented place you will stay and enter a quarantine is also a must. If you have a work visa, you need the residence permit applied by your employer and issued by Swedish officials. In case you have applied for a student visa, you need an acceptance letter from the Swedish university or education center.
Sweden immigration requirements
The requirements to immigrate to Sweden are different for each type of way you choose to move to the country. You need to know that there are various ways to move to Sweden.
Sweden student visa is one of the ways that you need to receive an application from a Swedish university or education center at the beginning. There are other eligibility principles and requirements for the student program, such as:
- Age
- Financial independence
- Clean record certificate
- Etc.
You can find out more about the student visa from the left sidebar.
Sweden work visa is another way you can move to the country, but you need a job offer from a Swedish employer in the first place.
The offer must lead to a work contract, and the Swedish authorities must grant a work permit requested by the Swedish employer. When you complete these steps, you ad the employer can apply for the Sweden work visa.
There is a Sweden employment visa or Freelance visa that you can apply for if you are qualified. As explained, each program has its own requirements that you need to fulfill. You would better read the details of each one and decide the appropriate one by your conditions.
Sweden permanent residence permit
A person who lives in Sweden for 4-5 years, can apply for Sweden permanent residence permit. Living in the country must be legal and through one of the immigration programs such as work visa or student visa. You can not apply for the Permanent residence permit directly and living in the country is essential. Besides living in Sweden, you need to obey the country’s laws and be a good citizen. Having a job or source of income is essential as you need to pay the cost of living. Also, having an appropriate palace to live in and a registered address is essential to apply for Sweden permanent residence permit.
Sweden visa for Indian
The Indians can apply for a Sweden visa and enter the country like any other people in the world. The type of visa they need is up to the purpose of their visit and the duration of stay could be work, study, tourism, or investing in the country.
The Indians need to apply to the Indian embassy in New Delhi to the 4-5, Nyaya Marg, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi, Delhi 110021, India address.
The way to contact the embassy and ask questions is through the email address and their phone number:
- (11) 4419 7100
- new-delhi@gov.se.
- visa.new-delhi@gov.se
Before you apply to the embassy or contact them, go through this page completely and find the visa that is appropriate for you by your conditions.
If you need further information regarding the Sweden visa, go through the left sidebar and read the details for each visa.
Sweden work visa for Indian
The Indian nationals can apply for Sweden work visa like any other one in the world as long as they meet the requirements. The first and foremost requirement for Sweden work visa is to have a job offer from a Swedish employer.
There are websites where you can find a job in the country. You just need to find a job that you have skills and work experience in it. Coming to an agreement with the Swedish employer to recruit you is your art.
When you and the employer come to an agreement together, the employer applies for the work permit to the Swedish officials inside the country. When the permit is issued, you can apply for a Sweden work visa to the Swedish embassy in New Delhi.
Sweden immigration from India
Immigration to Sweden from India is possible through one of the visa programs provided in the below section. You need to read them carefully and determine which one is appropriate for you by your conditions.
If you do not have a lot of money, a student visa and work visa are the two available options that you can apply through them. They facilitate your migration from India to Sweden.
The same is true with Lebanon citizens or any country in the world. Immigration to Sweden from Lebanon or any country in the world is easier through work visa and student visa although they have their own difficulties.
Sweden tourist visa for Indians
The Indians need a tourist visa to visit Sweden for tourism or visiting a relative or friend in the country. They need to download the application form from the Swedish embassy in New Delhi and gather the requirements. Then, they need to submit the supporting documents to the embassy and pay the visa fees.
Sweden visa types
The types o Sweden visas are as follows:
Non-Immigrant Visas (Short stay)
Transit visa
Sweden airport transit visa comes under the short-stay visa. It allows you to change flights in one of the Swedish airports. It also gets called a Transit Schengen Visa. Not the nationalities of all countries need it. The EU, EEA, and a few more don’t need to apply for it. If you need a Sweden short-stay visa, then you must apply for a transit visa. Please note that you may not leave the international zone of the Swedish airport under the transit visa. You may only wait to board your flight.
Sweden Schengen visa or Tourist visa
Sweden is a paradise for travelers. The naturally beautiful landscapes attract everyone. If you have considered visiting Sweden for your next holiday, you might need a Sweden tourist visa. It lets you enter the country for a short time and do what you want.
Sweden is among the members of the Schengen Area. So the same rules of the Schengen countries apply to it. A Sweden Tourist Visa is a short-stay visa. Sweden tourist visa is the same as Sweden Schengen visa and if you have the visa for Sweden, you can visit all the other Schengen countries.
Sweden visit visa
Sweden tourist visa also gest called Sweden to visit visa or visitor visa as the purpose of the country is to visit the country for different reasons. There is no difference in various names
It means you can only stay there up to 90 days in six months. If you need a Sweden Tourist Visa, it depends on your nationality.
The residents of the EU, EAA, the USA, the UK, and all 26 Schengen states are exempt from Sweden visa.
There are Sweden tourist visa requirements that you need to gather and submit to the officials.
Work visa
Sweden work visa comes under the short-term and long-stay. If you want to work in Sweden for up to 90 days, your stay will be short-term. If you want to work for longer than 90 days, then your stay will be a long-term type.
The citizens of EU/EEA and Nordic countries can work in Sweden without a work permit. But they can only work for up to three months. They can not stay in Sweden for the long-term without a work permit. They have to apply for a work permit for long stays in Sweden. Please consider that the EU/EEA citizens can enter Sweden to look for a job. But, this isn’t the case for non-EU citizens.
The work visa for non-EU citizens depends on their nationality. If you need a Sweden short-stay visa, then you must apply for a work visa. It is true even if you want to work up to 90 days. Please note that a work visa allows you to enter the country while a work permit allows you to work in Sweden.
Sweden Business visa
If you need to visit Sweden for business purposes, then the Sweden Business Visa is for you. It is a Sweden short-stay visa, which means you can stay there for a limited time. If you need to stay less than 90 days, then you have to apply for a visitor’s residence permit. When you get a business visa, you can visit the other Schengen states for less than 90 days.
The nationals of the EU, EEA, and a few more countries don’t need to get a business visa. If you don’t need a Sweden short-stay visa, and you stay less than 90 days, you don’t need a business visa. If you need a short-stay visa, then you should apply for a business visa. The duration of your stay does not matter.
Please note that you can not work under a Sweden business visa. You have no right to take part in any paid job. You can only:
- Visit companies, businesses, industries.
- Sign contracts/agreements.
- Negotiate business deals.
Student visa
In case you have chosen Sweden for your studies, you might need a student visa. You need a student visa for Sweden or not depends on:
- Your nationality
- The duration of your stay.
Sweden student visa divides into two groups:
- Short stay visa – (Type C) In case your studies last less than 90 days.
- Long stay visa (type D) that also gets called “residence permit for studies.” – In case your course lasts longer than 90 days.
If your course takes less than 90 days, you might need a type C visa. If you need it or not depends on your nationality. If you need a Sweden short-stay visa, then you must apply for a student visa. It allows you to study in the country for up to 90 days.
The nationals of the EU, EEA, and a few more don’t need a student visa if the course takes less than 90 days. Yet, they have to register with the local authorities.
To get more information on Sweden student visas, you can visit How to apply for the Sweden Student Visa blog.
Immigrant visas (long-stay)
Sweden D visa
If you want to stay in Sweden for longer than 90 days, you need a visa and a residence permit. The visa for the long term gets called a Sweden D visa and can vary to work visa or student visa.
Each Sweden D visa has its own requirements and eligibility principles that you need to fulfill.
Work visa
Sweden long-term work visa is the residence permit. When you want to work in Sweden for longer than 90 days, you should also apply for a residence permit. The work visa is permission to enter the country, and a work permit allows you to work in the country. The first requirement to apply for a Sweden work permit is to have a job offer from Sweden. Your future Swedish employer should start the application process. You begin the process later. To find out more about the Sweden work permit, you can visit All you should know about Sweden Work Visa blog.
Sweden self-employed visa
In case you are thinking about moving to Sweden to work for yourself or start a business, you need to have a Sweden Residence permit. Sweden self-employed visa permits you to stay in the country and work for yourself as a freelancer.
You need to get a residence permit before you travel to Sweden. Under this visa, you can state a new business or participate in one of the Swedish businesses.
To be eligible for a Sweden investor visa, you must fulfill a few requirements as following:
- Prove to have enough skills and experience in your career field.
- Be proficient in Swedish or English.
- Prove you will be able to manage your business in Sweden.
- You must have at least %50 of company shares.
- You must explain how you will sell your product/service in Sweden.
- Have enough funds to cover your expenses in the first two years of your residence. You should also provide evidence that the company will cover your expenses after two years.
Sweden startup visa
Sweden self-employed visa often gets called Sweden startup visa as you can start your own business and hire Swedish people to work for you.
The investment for the start-up should come from abroad or from you or you get help from inside the country.
The startup needs to create jobs in Sweden or solve a problem of the country or improve a situation so the officials get convinced to issue the visa.
Student visa
If you want to study in Sweden and your course takes longer than 90 days, you have to apply for a Long-stay visa (type D) or Residence permit for studies. To get the eligibility, you must get admitted to full-time accredited university studies in Sweden. Also, you need to pay the first round of tuition fees.
To get a residence permit, you must:
- have a valid passport
- be accepted on a full-time study course in higher education
- have the funds to cover yourself during your stay
- have an insurance policy
Almost all foreign nationals need a residence permit to study in Sweden for longer than 90 days. The residence permit allows you to study in Sweden, but a student visa is to enter the country. A residence permit or student visa is often valid as long as your course continues. But you can extend it.
Sweden investor visa
Sweden provides investor visa to non-EU nationals who have enough funds to invest in the country which is at least 100.000 EUR. The entrepreneurs and business people who can make a contribution to the Swedish economy are also eligible to apply for the program.
After living in the country for five years, you can apply for a Permanent Residency (PR). The program holds several benefits and is a good way to move to the country.
Sweden visa application process
The application process for each Sweden visa is a bit different and is up to the type of visa. Also, it could change by the country you apply from.
A common Sweden visa application process could be like this:
- Determine if you need a visa by the duration of your stay.
- Find the appropriate type of visa you need by the purpose of your stay and duration
- Gather the requirements and supporting documents
- Attend a visa meeting with the Swedish embassy or consulate in your home country
- Submit the requirements and pay the visa fees
- Wait until the embassy processes the visa ns decide whether to issue it or not.
- Move to Sweden and apply for a residence permit
Note: the steps mentioned above are general and you might have to go through a few more steps between them for the Sweden visa application process.
Sweden visa processing time
The processing time for each Sweden visa is different and depends on various cases. The time of the year you apply for the visa, whether the Swedish officials require further documents, your supporting documents are complete or not, the embassy you apply to and their workload, your background, and other factors determine the processing time.
The one thing you can do to reduce the processing time is to apply as early as possible and provide the supporting documents exactly to the details the Swedish officials have instructed.
To know the average Sweden visa processing time look at each visa type from the left sidebar.
Sweden visa for Pakistani citizens
The citizens of Pakistan need a Sweden visa to enter the country for tourism or visiting a friend or family member. They do not enjoy the visa-free agreement that Sweden has signed with some countries through which people can visit the country with their passports for up to 90 days.
The Pakistani nationals need a visa for other purposes such as studying and working in the country as well.
The Swedish embassy in Pakistan is located in Islamabad, the capital city is responsible to issue visa for Pakistani nationals.
Immigration to Sweden from Pakistan is available through one of the visa programs. The Pakistani nationals need to move to the country through a visa and that is the way to immigrate to Sweden from Pakistan.
A Sweden work visa for Pakistani is possible if they have a job offer from an employer who is willing to hire them.
Sweden Permanent residence permit 4 years
Receiving Sweden Permanent residence permit is possible after living in the country for about five years. However, the duration of stay varies for each applicant. The candidates might be able to apply for Sweden Permanent residence permit after four years, and the officials permit it. Also, the officials might not grant PR after five years of residency in the country.
You need to try and ask the officials after living in the country for four years.
Sweden permanent residence permit benefits
Sweden permanent residence permit provides you the right to work and live in the country without any limits. You do not have to work for one employer and can change employer when you want and the law permits you to do so.
You can also receive loans from banks and CSN.
You have the same right as an EU citizen if you receive permanent residency.
The PR permits you to leave Sweden for one year and still hold the residency. If you stay outside of the country for longer than one year, your PR might be revoked. You need to inform the Swedish officials that you are staying longer than one year outside of the country.
Sweden PR requirements
When you want to apply for Sweden Permanent Residency or PR, you must have been living in the country for at least five years. The duration of your stay as a student or au pair is not counted in the final required years for Sweden PR. This is the first and foremost requirement that you need to apply for the Sweden PR.
Also, you must have obeyed the law and not violated it at any cost. The applicants need to have a clean record certificate while living in the country. Having a registered address and appropriate accommodation for you and your family, proof of employment or income, and that your residence is legal are also required. The applicant must be able to prove that he/she has been able to cover his/her cost of living through legal job and employment.
There is also a form called ansökan om ställning som varaktigt bosatt, number 138011. You need to complete and submit it besides other supporting documents and send it to the Swedish Migration Agency.
Sweden PR application process
The application process for Sweden Permanent Residency is not complicated. You just need to wait to live in the country for five years. Then you complete the application form which you receive from the immigration office in the city you reside in. there are also other supporting documents such as your passport, proof of income, registered address, clean record certificate, and other things that authorities might require.
You need to prove to the officials that you have been employed during your residency. If you have lived in Sweden under a student visa, the duration of stay is not counted for Sweden PR.
There is also a 1,000 SEK (115 USD) fee for permanent residency that you need to pay.
Sweden PR after studying in the country
After you enter Sweden under a student visa, you can get a job and reside in the country. The duration of your stay is up to the study course length and the duration of your job offer. You change your study permit to a work permit and can extend it as long as you keep the job.
You need to live in Sweden for five years until you can apply for Sweden PR after your studies.
Sweden online visa application
Applying for a Sweden visa online is not possible in most cases, and you as the applicant need to visit the Swedish embassy or consulate.
The application process for each Sweden visa is different, and the officials require you to meet them so to analyze your behavior and character in person. They want to ensure that you are an appropriate person to live in Europe and Sweden.
The interview with the visa officer is an important point of the application, and if he/she gets suspicious about your intention, you might get rejected.
US citizens traveling to Sweden
The US citizens who have a passport, residence permit, or green card do not need a visa to visit Sweden for the short term, which is up to 90 days. They can enter the country for tourism, visiting a friend or family member. The US citizens also do not need a business visa for business purpose trips. If a US citizen wants to meet a Swedish business person, he/she does not need a visa.
However, if US citizens want to work or study in Sweden for the long term, they need a visa and residence permit.
Is Sweden a Schengen country?
Yes, Sweden is a member of the Schengen Area and joined the area on 19 December 1996. The rules of the Schengen Area apply in Sweden and you need to respect all of them. When you have a Sweden tourist visa or visitor visa, you can visit the other member states and vice versa. You can visit Sweden if you have a tourist visa from other members such as France.
Work in Sweden for non-EU
The non-EU citizens who want to work in Sweden need a work visa and work permit to work legally in the country. First, they need to find a job offer from a Swedish employer inside the country who is willing to hire non-EU citizens.
Then, the employer applies for the work permit on behalf of the employee and receives permission from authorities to hire a non-EU national.
The work permit in Sweden for non-EU citizens gets issued by immigration officials.
When the work permit gets approved, the employee can apply for a work visa from his/her home country.
You should look for a job on websites and employment agencies. That is the first step.
Sweden temporary residence permit
When you apply for a Sweden visa and receive it and enter the country, you need permission to stay in the country. This permission is called a residence permit, and as it is limited, it gets called a temporary residence permit. In Swedish, the temporary residence permit gets called “tidsbegränsat uppehållstillstånd.”
When you want to stay longer than the first residence permit, you need to apply for an extension to the Immigration office.
Sweden temporary residence permit is often valid for two years, and a study residence permit is valid for the duration of your study course.
After living in Sweden for five years, you are eligible to apply for a permanent residence permit.