Entry and residence – Passports, visas and work permits

Passport

A valid passport is necessary when you are visiting Sweden, unless you are a Nordic citizen. For EU/EEA citizens, it is sufficient to have a national ID card. However, we recommend that you bring your passport because it is required if you want to open a Swedish bank account

Visa, Residence Permit, and Work Permit

EU/EEA citizens

As an EU/EEA citizen, you are entitled to work or study in Sweden without a work or residence permit. The same applies to your family members (if they are EU/EEA citizens) if they join you. You and your family members have the right to begin working or studying immediately. If your family are non-EU/EEA citizens they should apply for residence cards at the Swedish Migration Agency.

Non–EU/EEA citizens

Visa

If you wish to visit Sweden, you will need a visa in most cases. A visa is a permit which is required for you to enter and remain in Sweden for a period of a maximum of three months - for example, to visit relatives or friends, as a tourist, on business, or to attend a conference. You must apply for the visa before entering Sweden. Please see Sweden Abroad to find out what rules apply to your country.

Residence Permit for visiting researchers

If your main work at the university will be research and if you will stay for more than three months in Sweden, you should apply for a residence permit for visiting researchers. Your residence permit must be granted before you arrive in Sweden. In order to be counted as a visiting researcher, you must have a university or college education that qualifies you for access to doctoral studies, and your main work at the university should be research. If you are staying less than three months, you may need to apply for a visa to enter Sweden.

Members of your family can obtain residence permits for the same period of time as yours. If you have a permit for at least six months, your partner can also obtain a work permit.

Residence Permit for doctoral students

If you are a doctoral student and wish to stay in Sweden for a period longer than three months, you need to obtain a residence permit for students. Your residence permit must be granted before you arrive in Sweden. If you are studying in Sweden for less than three months, you may need to apply for a visa to enter Sweden.

Members of your family can obtain residence permits for the same period of time as yours. If you have a permit for at least six months, your partner can also obtain a work permit.

Work Permit

If you want to work in Sweden, you need to obtain a work permit. Work permits are applicable only for teachers and administrative/technical staff. Doctoral students and persons who will do mainly research need to apply for a residence permit as described above. In order to obtain a work permit, you must have received an offer to work in Sweden.

Citizens of certain countries need both a work permit and a visa for jobs that last less than three months. For more information, see the Swedish Migration Agency.

Please note that teachers at higher education institutions who participate in research, teaching, or lecturing activities for up to three months altogether over a period of 12 months may work in Sweden without a work permit. People from some countries may however need a visa to enter Sweden.

The main rule is that you must apply for and obtain a work permit before entering Sweden. You will obtain a permit for as long as your job lasts but not past the time for which your passport remains valid. A work permit can be granted for up to two years at a time.

If you obtain a permit to work in Sweden, residence permits can be granted to members of your family for the same period of time. If you receive a permit for at least six months, members of your family can also obtain work permits.

Application

The Swedish Migration Agency primarily handles applications where all information has been entered and that contain all necessary documentation. Providing all necessary information right from the start will guarantee you a speedier response than if you complete your application along the way. In most cases you can apply online on the Swedish Migration Agency’s Web site.

For more information about the application process in each case, see the Swedish Migration Agency.