New Proposal on Criteria for Swedish Citizenship Eligibility

In January, the government prepared a proposal outlining several changes to the criteria for Swedish citizenship eligibility. The proposed changes include:

1. Extending the required residency period from 3-5 years to 8 consecutive years (7 years for spouses or partners of Swedish citizens).

2. Applicants must demonstrate knowledge of the Swedish language, society, media landscape, and human rights.

3. To obtain a Swedish passport, applicants must prove self-sufficiency through an income.

4. Applicants must not have received financial assistance from the municipality in the last three years. Unemployment insurance (a-kassa) is considered self-sufficiency.

5. Criminal background checks will be extended to include the EU.

6. The application fee will increase from 1,500 SEK to 2,900 SEK.

   
   

   If approved, these changes will take effect on June 1st, 2026. This means individuals who moved to Sweden before May 31st, 2021, will be subject to the "old" rules. However, the Migration Minister noted that the government might implement these changes retroactively, potentially affecting those who moved to Sweden before this deadline.