On Saturday morning, around 1,000 people from different parts of the country gathered at the Stockholm Fair in Älvsjö in southern Stockholm to sit the first citizenship test in social studies.
In the scorching sunshine, Yahya Mubashir and his two daughters wait for his wife and mother, Amna Sohail.
"It was a lot about politics, but it felt good. I studied as much as I could, but it's hard when you have a job too," says Amna Sohail after the exam.
She thinks some current affairs questions about political parties were difficult - while others were significantly easier.
For example, questions about Sweden's National Day and Midsummer were really easy, she says, laughing.
Amna Sohail is originally from Pakistan, but currently lives in Stockholm with her family. She is a trained IT engineer and her daughters have Swedish citizenship.
For me, the most important thing is to become a Swedish citizen. I have lived here for eight years and I want to live here in the future.
Stricter requirements
On June 6 this year, the requirements for becoming a Swedish citizen were tightened. Applicants now need to demonstrate knowledge of Swedish and Swedish society.
However, the number of correct answers required to pass the exam has not yet been determined. The reason is that the exam has never been taken before. For the same reason, anyone who fails this time will be given another chance.
An analysis of the overall test results will need to be carried out, says Dani Backteg, press officer at the Swedish Council for Higher Education.
The analysis will take place in the fall, but according to Backteg, more information will come "shortly."
“Easier”
Akter Jahan, 55, from Stockholm, came to Sweden from Bangladesh twelve years ago. At first, she was a little afraid that she wouldn't understand the questions, but later told her son Ishmam Ahamed that she had only missed the last three.
It was easier, she says of the test.
Akter Jahan applied for citizenship five years ago.
I've been waiting, waiting, waiting. If this exam is passed, I'm happy, if it's not passed, I'm sad.
"Good to read"
Others have traveled considerably further to take the exam. Hossein, who came to Sweden from Iran eight years ago, has traveled from Gothenburg.
About five to eight questions were a bit "tricky" - you have to focus more, he says.
Hossein looks positively at the test.
It's difficult, but it's good to read this and I think all residents need to know about this information.
The test consists of 60 multiple-choice questions with four answer options (one answer is correct). The knowledge level corresponds to grade nine.
The test is in Swedish and written on paper.
The exam time is 90 minutes.
The Swedish Migration Board decides who is allowed to take the exam, but it will also be possible to demonstrate knowledge in other ways, for example through a passing grade in social studies from primary school.
Source: UHR
