- English
In order to join your family or close relative in Sweden, you must have a residence permit. According to Swedish Law your residence permit application should be finalised before entering Sweden.
Close relatives are defined as: Anyone who is, or is to become, a husband/wife, registered partner or common-law spouse (cohabitee); children under the age of 18 and their parents. Other relatives may only be granted a residence permit in exceptional cases.
It is the Swedish Migration Agency that considers your right to a residence permit. For a full description of what rules apply, please check their website.
Other rules apply if you, or your close relative in Sweden, are citizens of an EU/EEA country (other than Sweden). For more information, please visit the Swedish Migration Agency's website.
The easiest way to apply for a residence permit is to apply online, which you can do at the Swedish Migration Agency's website.
When applying online you are given clear instructions about how to fill in your application and what you should send with the application. This makes it easier for you to send in a complete application and increases your chances of a quick decision.
If you are unable to apply online yourself, you can ask your family members in Sweden to fill out the electronic application form, attach copies of documents and pay any application fee on your account.
If you are not able to apply online, you can submit the application documents in original at a Swedish Mission in the People's Republic of China.
Please note that citizens of Hong Kong and Macau shall apply at the Swedish Embassy in Beijing or at the Swedish Consulate-General in Shanghai.
To find out which rules apply, which documents are required and how you apply, check the Swedish Migration Agency’s website.
Note that only documents in English are accepted. Any documents in another language should be translated into English by an authorised translator. Any copies of marriage or birth certificate from your home country submitted with the application should be notarised.
Applicants under the age of 18 must have one of their legal guardians accompanying him/her when visiting a Swedish Mission Abroad. If the legal guardians are unable to accompany the applicant, one of them should write a power of attorney allowing someone over the age of 18 to accompany the applicant to a Swedish Mission Abroad.
If you apply for residence permit at a Swedish Mission in the People's Republic of China you need to pay the application fee in CNY Renminbi by bank or credit card when you submit the application.
After applying online, when the Migration Agency has reviewed your application and questionnaire, you will receive an email asking you to book an appointment for an interview at the Embassy or Consulate General.
After you have attended your interview at the Swedish Mission, your application will be sent to the Swedish Migration Agency to be processed.
Please note that you should bring the originals of all your submitted documents and translations for your interview. During the interview you will leave your biometrics for your residence permit application.
If you have applied online, you will receive an email confirming that a decision has been made.
If you have applied at the Embassy or Consulate General, you need to check for the decision at the Swedish Migration Agency's website with the control number written on the receipt issued by the Swedish Mission.
When you have been granted a residence permit and left biometrics, a residence permit card will be produced for you and sent from Sweden to the Swedish Embassy or Consulate General. This will normally take 2-3 weeks.