Sweden · Spouse visas
Sweden Spouse of a citizen
First stay: 2 yrs
Residence permit to live with a partner (spouse or partner of a Swedish or Nordic citizen)
Checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Spouse of a citizen is a spouse visas route for Sweden. Checked 2026-10-12 against the official source.
- Government fees
- SEK 2,000 ≈ $200
- First stay
- 2 yrs
Cost, time and long term
Government feesSEK 2,000 ≈ $200
- SEK 2,000 (≈ $200)Application fee for an adult.
RenewalRenewable
Granted for up to two years and extendable.
Permanent residenceAfter 3 years of residence
Permanent residence after at least 3 years on a partner permit, if you meet the requirements.
CitizenshipAfter 7 years of residence
Spouses, registered partners and cohabiting partners of Swedish citizens need 7 years of residence and 5 years living together; knowledge of Swedish is required.
Where to applyFrom abroad
You must normally be outside Sweden when you apply, with listed exceptions.
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Applications are made from outside Sweden, not after arriving
- Not open to EU, EEA or Swiss passports
- Only from age 21
What you'll need
Who can apply3
- Applicant is married to, a registered partner of, or a cohabiting partner of a Swedish or Nordic citizen, or plans to enter such a relationship.
- Both partners are over 21, except on special grounds such as children together.
- Applicant is outside Sweden when applying, with exceptions for applying from within Sweden.
What you must show2
- The Swedish citizen does not need to meet the maintenance requirement if the relationship is well established, unless children who are not theirs move with them.
- The application fee is SEK 2,000 (≈ $200) for an adult.
Documents3
- Copies of the passport and the marriage certificate or an equivalent document, or a certificate that the applicant is unmarried.
- For cohabiting partners, documents showing that they have lived together, such as a lease with both names or dated bills.
- All documents in Swedish or English, with certified translations and a copy of the original.
Steps2
- Applicant names the Swedish embassy or consulate-general for an interview about the relationship and presents the passport there.
- A decision comes within 90 days if the relationship is well established, the partners have lived abroad together for at least 12 months and the application is complete with a concrete plan to move to Sweden.
After you arrive2
- For the 90-day decision the couple must have lived together for at least two years if they have no children together, or at least one year if they have children together.
- The permit is granted for a maximum of two years, never longer than the passport is valid.
When you become tax resident
How Sweden decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Stay on this route
Up to 2 years at first, renewable
- Tax residence
A person is liable to tax on worldwide income if domiciled in Sweden (population register), staying regularly in Sweden (six consecutive months or more; short departures do not interrupt) or having significant connections to Sweden after moving away.
- Foreign-source income
Earned income (employment, business, pension), including foreign-source income of residents, after the basic allowance (grundavdrag); municipal tax at the municipality's rate (national average 32.38% for 2026, range 28.93% to 35.65%) on all taxable earned income, and national tax of 20% on the part of taxable earned income above SEK 643,000 (≈ $64,100).
All tax rules for Sweden Tax records checked
What you need to arrange
- Accommodation
For cohabiting partners, documents showing that they have lived together, such as a lease with both names or dated bills
- Police certificate and civil documents
Copies of the passport and the marriage certificate or an equivalent document, or a certificate that the applicant is unmarried
Taken from this route's requirements above. The authority's own list is the one that counts.
Full official text
Residence permit for the spouse, registered partner or cohabiting partner of a Swedish or Nordic citizen, granted for up to two years, with no maintenance requirement for a well-established relationship. 1 2
What you must show and pay
- A fee of SEK 2,000 (≈ $200) · Application fee for an adult. 1
Requirements
- Applicant is married to, a registered partner of, or a cohabiting partner of a Swedish or Nordic citizen, or plans to enter such a relationship. 1
- Both partners are over 21, except on special grounds such as children together. 1
- Applicant is outside Sweden when applying, with exceptions for applying from within Sweden. 1
- The Swedish citizen does not need to meet the maintenance requirement if the relationship is well established, unless children who are not theirs move with them. 1 2
- The application fee is SEK 2,000 (≈ $200) for an adult. 1
- Copies of the passport and the marriage certificate or an equivalent document, or a certificate that the applicant is unmarried. 1
- For cohabiting partners, documents showing that they have lived together, such as a lease with both names or dated bills. 1
- All documents in Swedish or English, with certified translations and a copy of the original. 1
- Applicant names the Swedish embassy or consulate-general for an interview about the relationship and presents the passport there. 1
- A decision comes within 90 days if the relationship is well established, the partners have lived abroad together for at least 12 months and the application is complete with a concrete plan to move to Sweden. 1
- For the 90-day decision the couple must have lived together for at least two years if they have no children together, or at least one year if they have children together. 1
- The permit is granted for a maximum of two years, never longer than the passport is valid. 1
Stay
- Granted for a maximum of two years and never longer than the passport is valid.
- First stay: up to 24 months, decided case by case.
- Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.
Nationality
Not open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia.
Work
The permit gives the right to work and study.
Official sources
- Live with a partner · Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket) · checked 2026-10-11
- Maintenance requirement for reference persons · Swedish Migration Agency · checked 2026-10-11
- Extend a residence permit to live with a partner (permanent residence after three years) · Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket) · checked 2026-10-11
- Citizenship for adults · Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket) · checked 2026-10-11
Spouse of a citizen and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spouse of a citizen | – | 2 yr, renewable | – |
| Spouse of a resident | Needs income of SEK 13k+ a month ≈ $1,340 | 2 yr, renewable | – |
| Spouse of a citizen Portugal | – | – | – |
| Spouse of a resident Spain | Needs income of €900+ a month ≈ $1,010 | – | Yes |
| Spouse of a resident Georgia | – | 1 yr, renewable | – |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the Spouse of a citizen?
A fee of SEK 2,000 (≈ $200). Application fee for an adult.
How long can I stay on the Spouse of a citizen?
Granted for a maximum of two years and never longer than the passport is valid.
Can I work on the Spouse of a citizen?
The permit gives the right to work and study.
Who can apply for the Spouse of a citizen?
Not open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia.
Does the Spouse of a citizen lead to permanent residence in Sweden?
Time on the Spouse of a citizen counts toward permanent residence in Sweden, which the rules allow after 3 years of residence. Time on the Spouse of a citizen counts toward citizenship, which the rules allow after 7 years of residence.
How are Spouse of a citizen holders taxed in Sweden?
No special regime in our records is tied to the Spouse of a citizen. The standard rules apply: Residents pay municipal income tax at an average 32.38% (2026, set by each municipality and region) on income after the basic allowance, plus 20% national income tax on taxable earned income above SEK 643,000, (≈ $64,100) so the marginal rate is about 52%; residents are taxed on income from all countries (unlimited tax liability). Non-residents working under six months can pay flat 22.5% SINK.
More in Sweden
Spouse and partner visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
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How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-12 against 4 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- Live with a partner · Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket) · checked 2026-10-11
- Maintenance requirement for reference persons · Swedish Migration Agency · checked 2026-10-11
- Extend a residence permit to live with a partner (permanent residence after three years) · Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket) · checked 2026-10-11
- Citizenship for adults · Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket) · checked 2026-10-11
Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.