EuropeSelect the passports you hold to see short-stay access and per-route eligibility for Sweden.
Short stays: tourism, transit, business trips, medical, pilgrimage.
Tourist Visa
Electronic travel authorisation for visa-exempt nationals (e.g. US, UK, Canada, Japan). Valid 3 years for short stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period. We apply on your behalf end-to-end. Fees illustrative.
Tourist Visa
Short-stay visa for tourism: up to 90 days within any 180-day period. We prepare your forms and documents; you attend the consulate/VFS appointment to submit biometrics. Government fee EUR 90 (illustrative).
Tourist Visa
Short-stay Schengen visa for nationals of visa-required countries who want to visit Sweden for tourism, family or friends, or a short business trip for a total of up to 90 days within any 180-day period. The standard fee is EUR 90 for adults and children 12+, EUR 45 for children 6-11, and free for children under 6; a reduced EUR 35 fee applies to nationals of countries with EU visa-facilitation agreements. Applicants must show proof of funds of about SEK 450 per day of stay, travel medical insurance with at least EUR 30,000 cover, and a return ticket. Decisions are usually issued within about two weeks. A multiple-entry visa can be valid for up to five years, but each stay is still capped at 90 days per 180. The visa does not give the right to work or settle in Sweden; for stays over 90 days a visitor's residence permit is required instead.
Transit Visa
Required by some nationalities to pass through the international transit area of a Schengen airport without entering. Whether you need one depends on your nationality. Government fee EUR 90 (illustrative).
Business Visitor Visa
Short-stay visa for business trips (meetings, conferences, negotiations): up to 90 days within any 180-day period. We prepare forms and documents; you submit at the consulate/VFS. Government fee EUR 90 (illustrative).
Business Visitor Visa
For non-EU nationals who want to visit Sweden for a total of more than 90 days for purposes such as visiting relatives, business activity, attending courses or short studies, or other non-settlement stays. The maximum stay depends on purpose: tourists and most visitors up to 6 months, visiting relatives up to 6 months (9 months on special grounds, up to 1 year for elderly parents), and medical or study visits up to 1 year. The fee is SEK 1,500 for adults and SEK 750 for children (EU/EEA and Swiss family members and Japanese citizens are exempt). Applicants must show funds of about SEK 450 per day of the visit and travel medical insurance. The permit does not grant the right to work or to settle in Sweden and does not lead to permanent residence.
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Universities, language courses, internships and exchanges.
Student Visa
For stays over 90 days to study. Issued under national rules -- apply at the consulate of your destination country. We guide you; submission is in person. Fees and processing times vary by country.
Student Visa
For non-EU/EEA nationals admitted to doctoral (PhD) studies in Sweden. Where the doctoral candidate has employment or a hosting agreement for research, a research-based permit may apply; otherwise the studies permit applies, with proof of guaranteed funding (often a doctoral employment/stipend) covering living costs. The fee is SEK 1,500 (Japanese citizens and certain scholarship holders exempt). Permits are issued for the study period, up to two years at a time. Doctoral students benefit from a dedicated route to permanent residence: after four years of doctoral-studies residence within the last seven, they may apply for a permanent residence permit, subject to maintenance and conduct requirements. Family members may join.
Student Visa
For non-EU/EEA nationals admitted to full-time higher-education studies in Sweden. Applicants must be accepted onto a programme, have paid any required first-instalment tuition, and show means of support of at least SEK 10,656 per month (2026 figure) for up to ten months per year, reduced where the institution provides free food or housing. The fee is SEK 1,500 for adults and SEK 750 for under-18s (WMU students, Japanese citizens and certain scholarship holders are exempt). Permits are granted for up to one or two years at a time for the study period. From 11 June 2026, bachelor's and master's students may work a maximum of 15 hours per week during term. After completing studies, graduates can apply for a permit to look for work or start a business, and study time can support a later move to a work permit and, eventually, permanent residence.
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Digital nomad, freelance, skilled employment and company transfers.
Freelancer Visa
Non-EU nationals running their own Swedish business (including sole traders/freelancers) can get a permit of up to 2 years (renewable) by showing industry experience, a viable business and savings of SEK 200,000 for themselves (plus SEK 100,000/50,000 for spouse/child); new work permit rules take effect 1 June 2026.
Self-Employment Visa
For non-EU/EEA nationals who will run their own business in Sweden, with significant personal responsibility and ownership. Applicants must show a viable business, relevant experience and industry knowledge, and their own funds (loans are not normally accepted) of at least SEK 200,000 to support themselves for two years - plus SEK 100,000 for an accompanying spouse and SEK 50,000 per child. The business must be expected to be self-supporting within two years. The fee is SEK 2,000 (Japanese citizens exempt). Permits are granted for up to two years and are renewable; processing of these cases is lengthy (around 15 months for 75% of decisions). After a qualifying period of permit residence the holder may apply for permanent residence. Spouses/partners and children may be included.
Startup / Entrepreneur Visa
For highly qualified non-EU nationals who want to come to Sweden to look for employment or to explore starting a business. Applicants must hold an advanced higher-education qualification - a one- or two-year master's, a professional degree of 60-330 credits, or a postgraduate/PhD-level degree - and have comprehensive health insurance. They must show bank funds of at least SEK 13,000 per month for the permit's length plus the cost of return travel. The fee is SEK 2,200. The permit is granted for a minimum of three and a maximum of nine months (not beyond passport validity), must be applied for from outside Sweden, and is not renewable. If the holder finds qualifying work or establishes a business during the period, they can apply for a work or self-employment permit from within Sweden.
Skilled Work Visa
For stays over 90 days to work. Requires employer sponsorship / a work permit before you can apply, so eligibility is conditional. Issued under national rules -- apply at the consulate of your destination country. Fees and processing times vary by country.
Skilled Work Visa
For highly qualified non-EU professionals with a Swedish job offer of at least six months. Applicants need higher education equivalent to at least 180 credits (about three years) or at least five years of relevant professional experience, and a gross salary of at least 1.25 times the average Swedish wage - SEK 52,000 per month. The fee is SEK 2,000 (Japanese citizens exempt). From 1 June 2026 a first Blue Card can be issued for up to four years (minimum nine months), tied to the contract and passport. Family members (spouse/partner and children under 18) may join and work. The EU Blue Card supports favourable EU mobility and counts toward EU long-term resident status; permanent residence in Sweden is possible after the qualifying residence period. Decisions on complete applications are typically made within one month.
Skilled Work Visa
The standard route for non-EU/EEA nationals with a job offer from a Swedish employer. From 1 June 2026 the salary must be at least 90% of the median salary published by Statistics Sweden - currently SEK 33,390 per month - though certain shortage occupations (e.g. some IT roles, nurses, welders) qualify at about 75% of the median (roughly SEK 27,825). The job must be advertised in the EU/EEA and offer terms in line with Swedish collective agreements, with insurance (health, life, occupational-injury and pension) arranged by the employer. The fee is SEK 2,200 for the employee (Japanese citizens exempt). Permits are granted for up to two years (not beyond the contract or passport) and are renewable. After four years of work-permit residence within the last seven, the holder may apply for a permanent residence permit. Spouses/partners and children under 21 may be included.
Seasonal Work Visa
For non-EU/EEA nationals offered season-dependent work in Sweden, mainly in agriculture, forestry and horticulture (such as berry picking and planting). The employer must offer terms in line with Swedish collective agreements, and from 1 June 2026 a minimum salary level applies to seasonal permits. The same reform extended the maximum season from six to nine months within any twelve-month period. The fee is SEK 2,200. Suitable accommodation must be arranged and evidenced. The permit is tied to the named employer and the season, does not lead to permanent residence, and the worker is expected to leave Sweden when it expires.
Intra-Company Transfer Visa
For non-EU/EEA managers, specialists and trainees transferred to a Swedish business that belongs to the same group as their employer outside the EU/EEA. The applicant must have been employed in the group continuously for at least three months before the transfer, must remain employed in the country of origin, and must be able to return there after the assignment. Pay must at least match Swedish collective-agreement minimums for full-time work (a minimum salary level applies from 1 June 2026). The fee is SEK 2,000 (Japanese citizens exempt). Permits are issued for up to three years for managers and specialists and up to one year for trainees, with a decision required within 90 days of a complete application. EU mobility rules allow short and long-term assignments at group entities in other member states. The ICT permit is temporary and does not itself lead to permanent residence.
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Golden visas, real estate, citizenship by investment, passive income.
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Retirement visas and working holiday schemes.
Working Holiday Visa
A youth-mobility permit for citizens aged 18 to 30 of countries with working-holiday agreements with Sweden: Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea. It allows a holiday in Sweden of up to one year (not beyond passport validity) during which the holder may work, although work must not be the main purpose of the stay and must end when the permit expires. Applicants must show at least SEK 15,000 to support themselves on arrival, a return ticket or funds to buy one, and (except Australians) health insurance. The fee is SEK 1,500, with Japanese citizens exempt. First applications must be lodged from outside Sweden at a Swedish embassy or consulate-general; the permit is not renewable and does not lead to permanent residence.
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Reunification, spouse routes and ancestry-based repatriation.
Family Reunification Visa
For spouses, registered or cohabiting partners and children under 21 of a person who holds (or is applying for) a Swedish work, EU Blue Card, ICT, researcher, self-employment or study permit. Family members can apply at the same time as the main applicant or afterwards. The main applicant must meet a maintenance requirement covering housing and living costs for the whole household. The fee is SEK 1,500 for adult family members and SEK 750 for children. Family permits are normally granted for the same period as the main permit and are renewable; adult family members and children aged 16+ may work. When the main permit leads to permanent residence, family members may qualify on the same basis after the relevant qualifying period.
Spouse / Partner Visa
For non-EU/EEA nationals who are married to, in a registered partnership with, cohabiting with, or intend to marry/cohabit with a person living in Sweden who is a Swedish/Nordic citizen or holds a permanent residence permit (or, in some cases, a long-term permit). Both partners are normally over 21. The sponsor in Sweden must meet the maintenance requirement - sufficient income after rent (a single adult must have about SEK 6,243/month left over in 2026, with set amounts per additional household member) and adequate housing. The fee is SEK 2,000 for adults and SEK 1,000 for children. Permits are usually granted for up to two years and renewed; relationships shorter than two years use a probationary period. The permit gives the right to work and study, and after a qualifying period can lead to permanent residence.
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Talent, religious, humanitarian, media, official and permanent residence.
Talent / Highly Skilled Visa
For non-EU/EEA nationals coming to conduct research at a Swedish research organisation approved under the Act on approval of research organisations (2008:290). The core requirement is a signed hosting agreement from the approved research principal; the researcher must devote at least 50% of working time to research and show means of about SEK 9,700 per month for living costs plus return travel. The fee is SEK 1,500 (Japanese citizens exempt). Permits can be granted for up to four years at a time (not beyond the hosting agreement or passport), and the Migration Agency decides complete applications within 30 days. Family members (spouse/partner and children under 18) may join and work, and the EU researcher framework supports mobility to other member states. Time on the permit counts toward permanent residence and EU long-term resident status.
Long-Term Residence Permit
EU long-term resident status for third-country nationals who have lived legally and continuously in Sweden with a residence permit for the last five years, with no single absence over six consecutive months and no more than ten months' absence in total. Applicants must show they can support themselves and their family and hold valid identity documents. The fee is SEK 1,000 for adults and SEK 500 for children. The status gives near-equal treatment with Swedish nationals and facilitates moving to other EU states for work, study or business; applicants who do not already hold a permanent residence permit receive one at the same time. About 75% of cases are decided within eight months. Family members do not gain the status automatically - each must qualify separately.
Permanent Residence
Swedish citizenship by naturalisation. From 6 June 2026 the general residence requirement rose from five to eight years (two years for Nordic citizens or former Swedish citizens, five for stateless persons, seven for refugees, and seven for those married to/partnered with a Swedish citizen). Applicants aged 16-66 must demonstrate knowledge of Swedish and of Swedish society (through school grades, adult education or SFI; a citizenship/society-knowledge test is being phased in from August 2026). A self-sufficiency requirement applies: stable income of at least three income base amounts per year (about SEK 20,000/month before tax), not from subsidised employment, with no more than six months of income support in the past three years. Applicants must also have lived an orderly and honest life (good conduct). Children now submit individual applications. The standard adult application fee is SEK 1,500-1,750.
Permanent Residence
Permanent residence (permanent uppehallstillstand) for third-country nationals who have lived in Sweden on a residence permit for a qualifying period - generally about four of the last seven years on work or self-employment grounds, or four years on certain other grounds - and who meet special requirements on financial maintenance (self-support without relying on welfare) and good conduct (an orderly and honest life). It is usually applied for together with the extension of a current permit; there is normally no separate fee. The permanent permit has no fixed expiry but can be revoked if the holder moves abroad, is absent long-term, or obtained it through false information. It gives an unrestricted right to live, work and study in Sweden and is a step toward Swedish citizenship.
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Data verified against official sources — see how.
Completed application form
Complete the official visa or residence application form for your destination. Most consulates now use an online portal where you fill in the form, upload documents and book an appointment; print and sign the confirmation page.
| Issued by | Destination consulate / immigration portal |
|---|---|
| Typical cost | Usually free (the visa fee is separate) |
| Typical time | 30–60 minutes to complete |
Verified 11 Jun 2026
Passport
Apply for or renew your passport at your country's passport authority (often the foreign-affairs or interior ministry, a passport office or designated post office). Most visa portals want a clear colour scan of the bio-data page; keep the passport valid at least 6 months beyond your trip with two blank pages.
| Issued by | National passport authority |
|---|---|
| Typical cost | $20–$150 |
| Typical time | 1–6 weeks (expedited often available) |
Verified 11 Jun 2026
Passport photo
Have a recent passport photo taken at a pharmacy, photo booth or photographer, or use a compliant online photo tool. The common size is 35×45 mm with a plain light background, neutral expression and no glasses; the US and a few others require 2×2 in (51×51 mm). Get 2–4 prints plus a digital copy.
| Issued by | Any photographer or photo booth (ICAO 9303 standard) |
|---|---|
| Typical cost | $5–$15 |
| Typical time | Same day |
Verified 11 Jun 2026
Travel medical insurance
Buy a travel-medical insurance policy covering your whole trip and every destination country, then print the certificate. For the Schengen Area the EU Visa Code requires at least €30,000 of cover for medical emergencies and repatriation, valid across all member states.
| Issued by | Any approved insurer |
|---|---|
| Typical cost | $10–$60 per trip |
| Typical time | Immediate |
Verified 11 Jun 2026
Proof of accommodation
Show where you will stay: a hotel booking, a signed tenancy/lease, a host's invitation with their address, or an address-registration document. For longer stays a registered rental contract is usually expected.
| Issued by | Landlord / host / municipality |
|---|---|
| Typical cost | free–$50 |
| Typical time | Same day–1 week |
Verified 11 Jun 2026
Return / onward ticket
Provide a flight reservation or an onward/return ticket itinerary. Many travellers use a held reservation (not a paid ticket) from an airline, travel agent or flight-itinerary service so they are not committed before the visa is granted.
| Issued by | Airline / travel agent |
|---|---|
| Typical cost | free–$30 for a reservation |
| Typical time | Same day |
Verified 11 Jun 2026
Proof of sufficient funds
Show you can support your stay using bank statements, a salary or pension certificate, a sponsorship/affidavit of support, or evidence of savings or income that meets the published minimum for the visa. Combine several documents if one is not enough.
| Issued by | Your bank / employer / sponsor |
|---|---|
| Typical cost | free–$20 |
| Typical time | Same day–1 week |
Verified 11 Jun 2026
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