The right-wing government, with Migration Minister Johan Forsell, is working to give Swedish citizenship a higher status by introducing stricter rules and requirements for obtaining Swedish citizenship.
On January 14, Migration Minister Johan Forssell received the report "Stricter requirements for Swedish citizenship" (SOU 2025:1). The report proposes, among other things:
- Longer residence time: A basic rule of 8 years of residence in Sweden is required for citizenship, with shorter times for certain groups (e.g. children, refugees, Nordic citizens).
- Law-abiding and honest living: Stricter requirements, including crimes committed outside of Sweden. Longer probation periods after crimes.
- Knowledge requirements: An expanded citizenship test in social studies. Knowledge of the media's role and children's rights will be included.
- Self-support requirements: Applicants must have their own income. Exceptions exist for children, students, and pensioners.
- Increased fees: The application fee will be raised from SEK 1,500 to SEK 2,900.
What already applies from March 2025
The following applies when applying for Swedish citizenship:
- Personal appearance required: You must visit the Migration Agency in person to verify your identity (does not apply to everyone, some exceptions exist).
- More information required: You must provide more information about, for example, identity documents, travel, family, work, and studies.
- Applies to you who have already applied: If you are waiting for a decision, the Migration Agency may contact you for additional information. You do not need to contact them yourself.
- No change in the requirements: The requirements for obtaining citizenship remain unchanged, but the controls have been tightened for increased security.
