Within this post I will be covering the basics of Migrationsverket, determining what application type suits you best, how to apply, tips on applying, as well as a few additional thoughts from my experience applying for a residence/ work visa.

So what is Migrationsverket? Migrationsverket, also referred to as the Swedish Migration Board, is the government agency of Sweden handling all affairs regarding moving to Sweden, working in Sweden, seeking asylum, etc. The Migrationsverket website is organized quite well and it is easy to navigate to find the proper applications to apply for residency. To begin, you must not be in Sweden. You can only apply from your home country. In my case this was the United States. Once you are in your home country, register on the Migrationsverket website and choose which application type suits your situation best. For most individuals seeking to relocate in Sweden, the reason is almost always “moving to someone” – for anyone planning to move with family, girlfriend, boyfriend, etc. go here to register on Migrationsverket and begin the application.

After registering, there are a few things you must put together prior to submitting the application. First and foremost, an up to date copy of your passport is required. The Swedish individual you are moving to must also request a copy of their Personbevis from the taxation authority. In addition to these two primary documents, if you are moving to someone you are in a relationship with compiling photos, plane tickets, and other documents helping to prove your relationship can be helpful and speed up the process. I also included images of relevant passport stamps in and out of Sweden, and letters from friends further verifying the legitimacy of my relationship.

Filling out the actual application is quite simple and very straight forward. The majority of the questions are about your family, your background, etc. as well as questions about the co-habitee’s family, background, and several questions about your relationship including first meetings, meetings since first meeting, plans for the future, and so on. When filling out the application you are given 1.5 hours to complete each page – I recommend registering, then filling out very short answers (1-2 words) so you can access the entire application and copy/ paste the questions into another document to review prior to submission. I initially registered with Migrationsverket months prior to applying, pasted the questions into a separate document, answered the questions completely, and then when I was ready to apply for real, registered again, filled out the application, and submitted.

After completing the required fields and reviewing, prior to submitting the application there is a one time fee of 1,500 SEK (about $230 USD). Pay the fee, press submit, and you should receive confirmation the application has been received immediately. Once the application has been received, an email is also sent to the person you are moving to. The email includes instructions to go to Migrationsverket and login (username/ password information provided in the email), after logging in, the co-habitee has 14 days to complete the same exact series of questions on the application.

Once you have both submitted the application, you must wait until the Migrationsverket contacts you. Their website indicates it typically takes between 10 and 14 month to hear from them. This scared me when I was first applying, but I came to realize it was extremely inaccurate. Surprisingly, Migrationsverket works rather efficiently for a government agency – I applied on December 23, 2013, on January 2, 2014 I received an email indicating I need to schedule an appointment with a Swedish consulate.

The process was much easier than I had anticipated and went very quickly. If you have any questions or comments please feel free to comment or send an email at movingtostockholm@gmail.com

Cheers,

//Karl