Sweden

Sweden – a pocket guide 237
Legitimisation
If a foreign woman has a child by a Swedish man abroad,
the child is not granted Swedish citizenship if the parents
are not married. If the parents marry before the child’s
eighteenth birthday, the child becomes a Swedish citizen
by legitimisation.
Naturalisation (application)
Naturalisation is the most common way for adult non-
Nordic citizens to become Swedish citizens.
To become a naturalised Swedish citizen, you must meet
the following requirements:
• You must be able to confirm your identity either by
means of a passport issued in your native country or by
some other identification document, bearing your photograph,
issued by a competent, behörig* authority in your
native country. The Migration Board does not generally
accept a driving licence or certificate of birth, baptism or
marriage.
In some cases, a close relative – your husband or wife,
your parents, child or sibling – may confirm your identity.
The Migration Board is also entitled to grant special
dispensation, ge dispens, – i.e. disregard the requirement
of identity confirmation – if you have lived in Sweden for
at least eight years.
• You must be at least 18 years of age.
• You must have a permanent residence permit.
Exceptions to this rule are citizens of other Nordic countries
and, in some cases, of EEA countries.
Previously, you were also required to renounce your
former citizenship. Under the new law, this is no longer a
requirement for Swedish citizenship. The issue of single
or dual citizenship is therefore subject to the laws of your
previous country.
behörig:
empowered to
take action – in
this case, to issue
identification
papers.
Residence permits
and citizenship