How to obtain Swedish citizenship for a citizen of the Russian Federation: step-by-step instructions and legal advice

Sweden (officially the Kingdom of Sweden) ranks second among the countries with the highest standard of living, which includes various comparative indicators: from the quality of food to the level of population aging. Social programs here are famous for their humanity and non-interference in personal space, and the streets are so calm that you can meet all the local fauna near residential buildings: from a squirrel scurrying from tree to tree to a deer crossing the road.

The Kingdom seems to be a kind of paradise for tourists and immigrants, where everything is so beautiful and rosy that the question of moving and fully living in this fabulous country involuntarily arises by itself. And along with it, another: “How to get Swedish citizenship for a Russian citizen?”

multicitizen

Is it necessary to renounce the status of a Russian citizen in favor of Swedish citizenship? No, it is not necessary, and in accordance with the laws of both countries. According to Article 62 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, a Russian citizen can have dual citizenship under international treaties of the Russian Federation, and the presence of a second citizenship does not deprive him of rights and freedoms, does not relieve him of the obligations arising from Russian citizenship. In turn, on July 1, 2001, Swedish legislation was amended to allow residents of the country to have dual citizenship. So Sweden recognizes dual citizenship.

Residence permit vs Swedish citizenship

It may seem that there are no significant differences between a residence permit for foreign citizens (PUT) and obtaining Swedish citizenship, but this is only at first glance. Because only residents of Sweden:

have the full right to live, work and study in the country, as well as to vote in parliamentary elections;
can be elected to Parliament (Riksdag);
have the right to work in the police or in the military (there are other positions that can only be held by Swedish citizens);
can receive full protection of the state in case of unpleasant incidents both in the European Union and in other countries of the world (this is an issue that affects both work and leisure).

How to become a full citizen of Sweden

How to obtain Swedish citizenship for a citizen of the Russian Federation? What are the ways? At the moment, there are the following ways to obtain Swedish citizenship:

Birth.
Adoption.
Naturalization.

Each of the above points has its own nuances, so they should be considered in more detail.

Birth

A child born in the country acquires Swedish citizenship if:

his mother is a resident of Sweden;
his father is a resident of Sweden and is married to the mother of the child;
his father is a resident of Sweden, and the child was born out of wedlock, but on the territory of the Kingdom.

If a child is born to a father who is a Swedish citizen, but is not the legal spouse of the mother of this child, who, in turn, is not a Swedish citizen, then he can acquire citizenship if the parents' marriage is registered until he is eighteen years old .

Adoption

A child under the age of twelve who is adopted by a Swedish citizen acquires Swedish citizenship automatically if the adoption decision:

taken in Sweden or another Scandinavian country;
adopted in another country, but approved by the Swedish organization authorized for this issue;
is valid under Swedish law.

A child who is already twelve years old can acquire citizenship after adoption by submitting an application to the appropriate authorities.

To obtain Swedish citizenship, lawyers recommend taking into account a number of rules and nuances. A citizen of Russia must fulfill certain conditions. First, you must be at least eighteen years of age (children under the age of majority apply with their parents). Secondly, you should confirm your identity (present a passport or other document proving the identity of the owner). In cases where the presentation of an identity document is not possible, it is allowed to use a certificate from a spouse. The Swedish authorities may also concede on this issue if the applicant has lived in Sweden for 8 years and his identity is not in doubt with the relevant authorities. If the identification of a person cannot be carried out with 100% accuracy, then a foreigner may be issued a passport in which this aspect will be indicated as a note.

In addition, you must have lived continuously in Sweden for the past five years. This requirement refers to legal stay in Sweden, for example, obtaining a residence permit. In some cases, the period may be shortened to the following indicators:

2 years for citizens of Scandinavian countries (Finland, Norway, Denmark and Iceland);
3 years in case of living in a marriage with a Swedish citizen for two years (after marriage with a Swedish citizen, a foreign citizen receives a residence permit for a period of one and a half to two years and only after it can apply for citizenship, for which, in turn, , it is not enough just to be married - cohabitation is required, which is controlled by the relevant services);
4 years for refugees.

It should be noted that a period of stay in Sweden of more than six weeks each year is not included in the period of permanent residence. In addition, a residence permit is not taken into account, for example, passing training courses (including studies), staying on a visit or business trips as an invited guest (teacher, musician, artist or athlete). The same situation applies to those who hold a working position in the embassy or consulate of another country in Sweden.

It is necessary to comply with Swedish laws, not have a criminal record and debts to the court and tax authorities (immigration services regularly monitor the integrity of citizens). If you have some offenses, then they will not necessarily entail a refusal to grant citizenship: it will simply increase the waiting period (from one year to ten years).

Family reunion

Also, for moving to Sweden, it is worth knowing about the concept of “family reunification”. Foreign citizens can be approved for permanent residence in the country if, before they moved to the Kingdom, the entire family lived together in the same territory and carried out joint household activities, but some of its members moved to Sweden. In other cases, the Migration Department grants a temporary residence permit for a period of one year, which can be extended for another year, and if the family still lives together after the next two years, citizens may be issued a residence permit in the country.

I want to be a Swedish citizen: how and where to apply

The application for Swedish citizenship is made online through the website of the Swedish Immigration Agency.

You can also use regular mail and send a request by registered mail. The application fee is one and a half thousand crowns (about one hundred and sixty euros). The time elapsed from the moment the application was sent to its approval varies in each case (usually the duration of this process is 9-12 months). Stateless persons who have received refugee status and/or travel documents from the immigration office are exempt from the monetary contribution.