How to speed up getting citizenship or a residence permit in Sweden

Today, the process of obtaining citizenship or a residence permit for family reunification in Sweden is accompanied by significant delays, causing great concern among applicants. Currently, the Migration Agency is dealing with an overwhelming number of applications — more than 92,000 people are waiting for a citizenship decision, while over 28,000 family reunification residence permit applications remain unanswered. The processing time for such applications often reaches up to three years, and in some cases, it may take even longer. The primary reason is a lack of resources, and the government, led by the Moderate Party in coalition with the Sweden Democrats, has not prioritized reducing the processing times for immigration applications.

Amidst these delays, many applicants are wondering how to speed up the process of obtaining citizenship or a residence permit. Swedish law provides the opportunity for every applicant to demand that their case be considered "within a reasonable time." If you have been waiting for more than six months for a decision on your application, you have the legal right to submit a request for expedited processing to the Migration Agency. Applicants often fear that such a request may negatively affect the outcome of their case, but this is not true. The Migration Agency is divided into many departments, each dealing with its own field of work, not punishments, and your request for faster processing will not negatively impact the outcome of your case.

If you submit a request for expedited processing, the Migration Agency will decide whether it is possible to accelerate the process. If so, your case will be reviewed within four weeks. If speeding up is not possible, you will receive a rejection. It is important to note that the rejection only concerns the expedited processing request, not the application itself. This means that your case will continue to be processed, just without priority.

If the Migration Agency refuses to expedite the process, it is essential not to give up and to file an appeal in court. Despite the concerns of many applicants, legal proceedings do not negatively affect the main application, and in most cases, the courts support the applicants, as the law protects their right to receive a decision within a reasonable time frame. Many applicants do not take this important step, either because they do not know how to file an appeal or because they fear "irritating" the Migration Agency. This is a serious mistake, as filing an appeal is a real chance to speed up the processing of the case.

However, it is worth considering that the government is planning to significantly tighten the conditions for obtaining Swedish citizenship in the near future. In particular, there are discussions about introducing new requirements, such as increasing the minimum residency period from the current 4-5 years to 8 years, as well as a mandatory language exam and a civics test. Additionally, the government plans to introduce a minimum income requirement that applicants must meet to qualify for citizenship. Currently, such requirements do not exist, making the process of obtaining citizenship less complicated. However, the introduction of these changes will significantly complicate the path to citizenship in the future.

What you need to do to obtain Swedish citizenship or residence permit faster

Therefore, if you want to speed up the process of obtaining citizenship or a residence permit, you should take the following steps:

1. Wait at least 6 months after submitting your application.
2. Submit a request to the Migration Agency to speed up your case.
3. Expect a decision within four weeks.
4. If your request to speed up the process is denied, be sure to file an appeal in court.
5. Filing an appeal is an important step that can help speed up the process and make sure your case is handled fairly. Use your rights to protect yourself and take advantage of the chance to shorten the processing time.

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