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If you want to move to Sweden to live with a close relative, you need a residence permit. Other rules apply if you or the close relative in Sweden are citizens of an EU/EEA country (other than Sweden). A close relative may for instance be a husband or wife, a common law spouse or a child (a minor).
You that are a citizen of Serbia or Montenegro have until now turned to the Embassy in Belgrade for applications for residence- and work permit. From February 3rd 2025 the Embassy in Belgrade does no longer handle any migration related matters.
This means that when you have submitted your online application for residence- and work permit after February 3rd 2025 you should contact the Embassy of Sweden in Skopje, North Macedonia for interview, passport check, biometrics et cetera.
You can read more about it here: Changes in residence- and work permit applications - Sweden Abroad.
The quickest and easiest way to apply for a residence permit is to apply online over the Internet. An online application goes directly to the Swedish Migration Agency and is given priority. The handling time varies.
Swedish Migration Agency web application
If your inquiry concerns a specific ongoing case, you can e-mail your question directly through the Swedish Migration Agency website. Answers to general questions can be found on this page.
In order for the Swedish Migration Agency to be able to grant a residence permit to a person who is applying to move to Sweden to reunite with their spouse or cohabiting partner, both the person already living in Sweden and the person applying for a residence permit must be at least 21 years old. Previously, the minimum age was 18 years. The new rules enter into force on 1 December 2023.
The Swedish Parliament has decided to make changes to the Aliens Act regarding the minimum age for the family reunification of spouses and cohabitation partners. The new rules will affect all the permit decisions of the Swedish Migration Agency from 1 December.
People who have an ongoing case with the Swedish Migration Agency will receive a decision based on the new rules. This applies even if they submitted their application before the Parliament decided to make the changes.
In some cases, there may be circumstances that allow a residence permit to be granted to persons under the age of 21. One example of such a circumstance is a common child.
In general, the e-application service will not be available if one member of the couple is under 21 years of age. Instead, they will have the opportunity to submit a paper application, but these application will be granted only exceptionally.