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The Swedish Migration Agency answers: How do you obtain Swedish citizenship?

The Swedish Migration Agency answers: How do you obtain Swedish citizenship?

How long does it take to make a decision?

For several years now, the Swedish Migration Agency has had long processing times for citizenship applications. This is mainly due to the large number of applications received in a short time – which can be linked to the large influx of refugees in 2015, when 163,000 people sought asylum in Sweden, of whom nearly 95,000 were granted residence permits.

Of citizenship applications decided in the last month, 75 percent received a decision within 36 months, and the remaining 25 percent had to wait longer than that. For notifications decided in the last month, 75 percent received a decision within ten months.

Why is it taking so long?

Several factors affect how long you should wait for a decision, here are some examples:

  • Investigation required or not – All newly received cases are subject to the so-called examination. There, a rating is made based on the extent of the case being investigated. A case requiring less investigation can often be settled within six months.
  • control with other authorities The Swedish Migration Agency relies on information from other authorities such as the Police Agency, the Security Police and the Swedish Enforcement Agency. Depending on the applicant’s background, the history check can take a different amount of time – something the Swedish Migration Agency cannot influence.
  • Referee request – According to Article 12 of the Administration Law, you can ask for a case to be decided when you have been waiting for a decision for at least six months. The fact that many applicants submit such an application takes a lot more resources than the usual screening, resulting in generally longer processing times.
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This is what the law says

When you talk about processing times, you usually talk about times that are constitutionally governed – that is, as long as laws and regulations say the authority has to make a decision. When it comes to applying for Swedish citizenship, there is no such time, but the law of administration applies: it must be dealt with as simply, quickly and cost-effectively as possible, and it must be done in a legally safe manner.

What does the Migration Agency do to shorten processing times?

The Migration Agency is constantly working to improve the situation and shorten processing times. For example, businesses dealing with citizenship issues have been expanded from one site to two. Today, nearly 200 people work in the processing – a number that will grow even more in the coming years.

Another measure taken is that the authority requested a temporary exemption from Article 12 of the Administration Law, that is, the possibility of applying for a ruling. The aim is to bring about a pause in the handling of so-called backlogs in order to be able to shorten processing times and reduce the number of pending cases.

Digitization is also an important part of the business to achieve shorter processing times, for example the authority can make fully automatic decisions in cases or perform automatic checks and additions.

Swedish citizenship cannot be withdrawn

The question of whether or not Swedish citizenship can be revoked is often discussed. Swedish citizenship is protected by one of our four constitutions and therefore it is irrevocably. This also applies if you have committed a crime or have not lived a decent life.

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The difference between withdrawal and loss

It is common for recall to be confused Loss Citizenship, that’s another thing. A Swedish citizen loses his Swedish citizenship when he turns 22 if he was born abroad, has never lived in Sweden, and has not been here under conditions that show that he has a connection to the country.