General information

Close relatives are defined as:

• Anyone who is, or is to become, a husband/wife, registered partner or common-law spouse (cohabitee)
• Children under 18 and their parents.

It is the Swedish Migration Agency that considers your right to a residence permit. For a full description of what rules apply, please check the Swedish Migration Agency website.

Migration Agency will inform you when you have a decision in your case by sending an e-mail. If you gave power of attorney to your relative in Sweden, he/she will be informed about the decision too.

Residence permit card

If you are granted a residence permit, you will receive a residence permit card. This card is proof that you have a residence permit.

EU/EEA citizens

Briefly, the following applies if you wish to move to Sweden to live with a relative, if you and/or your relative are citizens of the EU/EEA and if you intend to stay for longer than three months. It is important to note that Swedish citizens are not normally considered as EU citizens in this context.

• If you are an EU/EEA citizen, you register your right of residence with the Swedish Migration Agency in Sweden. If your relative is not an EU/EEA citizen, you yourself may need a residence permit, and you apply for one from the Swedish Migration Agency after your arrival.
• If you are not an EU/EEA citizen but your relative is (although not a Swedish citizen), it may be enough to apply for a residence card at the Swedish Migration Agency. However, check who is considered as a relative in this context. If you need a visa, you must have applied for one at the Embassy before coming to Sweden. 

Read more about the rules for EU/EEA citizens and about who is counted as a family member on the Swedish Migration Agency website.

Maintenance requirement for the person in Sweden

The person who lives in Sweden must be able to support his/her family members in order for them to be granted a residence permit. Detailed information is available on Migration Agency's website.