The basic period of residence required for naturalisation has risen from five years to eight. On top of that, applicants now face two entirely new conditions for the first time: a requirement to support themselves financially, and a requirement to prove their command of the Swedish language and their knowledge of how Swedish society works.
The most sensitive detail of the reform is the absence of any transitional period. From 6 June, the Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket) assesses every application under the new rules — including those submitted a year or two ago. When parliament voted, more than 100,000 applications were sitting in the queue, and an amendment that would have protected them under the old rules was rejected by a single vote, 147 to 146. Processing a Swedish citizenship application can take anywhere from a few months to almost four years — and for tens of thousands of people, the path to naturalisation has now been pushed months, even years, further away.
Residence periods: before and after
Eight years is the general rule, but almost every category of applicant still has its own timeline. Citizens of the Nordic countries and former Swedish citizens still qualify after two years. Stateless people now need five years instead of four, and refugees seven instead of four. The change hits families hardest: the spouse or partner of a Swedish citizen used to qualify after three years, but the period is now seven. Moreover, under the law, the couple must have lived together for at least five years, and a partner who themselves became Swedish through naturalisation must have held citizenship for at least five years. And if an applicant cannot document their identity, the minimum period is ten years.
The income requirement
Anyone seeking Swedish citizenship must now be able to support themselves: annual income may not fall below three "income base amounts" — that is, around SEK 21,000 a month before tax. Only the applicant's own stable income counts, whether from employment or from a business. A spouse's income, savings and property are not taken into account. State-subsidised employment does not count either. Having received social assistance for more than six months in total over the past three years closes off the route to a Swedish passport. Exemptions apply to applicants of pensionable age, people with a permanent disability, and full-time students with satisfactory academic results.
The tests
This requirement applies to applicants aged 16 to 66. Language skills can be evidenced with a school certificate, adult-education records, or a completed course in the "Swedish for Immigrants" (SFI) programme. Everyone else will have to sit a state examination administered by the Swedish Council for Higher Education (UHR). It is being introduced in stages: the first part — on knowledge of Swedish society — launches in August 2026. It can only be taken in Stockholm, and registration is possible only after confirmation from Migrationsverket. The language part will follow later, but no later than 1 October 2027.
Living an orderly life
The reform also tightens the "orderly life" requirement. Anyone who has committed an offence must now wait out a longer period before citizenship becomes possible again. In other words, the Swedish state will now remember an applicant's past for longer.
A separate rule for children
A child can no longer be included in a parent's application — from 6 June, children submit their own applications, signed by a legal guardian. Children under 15 need three years of residence (or two for stateless children); those over 15 need five. The conduct requirement applies from age 15, and the requirement to demonstrate knowledge of the language and of society from age 16.
What has been made easier
Not every part of the reform is a tightening. From 6 June, those who automatically lost their Swedish citizenship at the age of 22 — because they were born abroad and lacked a connection to the country — may apply to have it restored, where the loss caused disproportionate consequences for them or their family.
What this means for those planning to move
Sweden is moving in step with a broader European trend: a month earlier, on 19 May, a Portuguese law took effect that doubled the period of naturalisation to ten years. The road to a European passport is getting longer — which makes it all the more important to plan it in advance: count the years against the new rules, build a stable, documented income, and gather your educational records before you even file.
If you're planning to obtain a residence permit, invest in a country's economy, or purchase foreign real estate, we invite you to a consultation with our company. During a personal online meeting, we'll discuss your questions in detail and create a step-by-step action plan for you.
The most sensitive detail of the reform is the absence of any transitional period. From 6 June, the Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket) assesses every application under the new rules — including those submitted a year or two ago. When parliament voted, more than 100,000 applications were sitting in the queue, and an amendment that would have protected them under the old rules was rejected by a single vote, 147 to 146. Processing a Swedish citizenship application can take anywhere from a few months to almost four years — and for tens of thousands of people, the path to naturalisation has now been pushed months, even years, further away.
Residence periods: before and after
Eight years is the general rule, but almost every category of applicant still has its own timeline. Citizens of the Nordic countries and former Swedish citizens still qualify after two years. Stateless people now need five years instead of four, and refugees seven instead of four. The change hits families hardest: the spouse or partner of a Swedish citizen used to qualify after three years, but the period is now seven. Moreover, under the law, the couple must have lived together for at least five years, and a partner who themselves became Swedish through naturalisation must have held citizenship for at least five years. And if an applicant cannot document their identity, the minimum period is ten years.
The income requirement
Anyone seeking Swedish citizenship must now be able to support themselves: annual income may not fall below three "income base amounts" — that is, around SEK 21,000 a month before tax. Only the applicant's own stable income counts, whether from employment or from a business. A spouse's income, savings and property are not taken into account. State-subsidised employment does not count either. Having received social assistance for more than six months in total over the past three years closes off the route to a Swedish passport. Exemptions apply to applicants of pensionable age, people with a permanent disability, and full-time students with satisfactory academic results.
The tests
This requirement applies to applicants aged 16 to 66. Language skills can be evidenced with a school certificate, adult-education records, or a completed course in the "Swedish for Immigrants" (SFI) programme. Everyone else will have to sit a state examination administered by the Swedish Council for Higher Education (UHR). It is being introduced in stages: the first part — on knowledge of Swedish society — launches in August 2026. It can only be taken in Stockholm, and registration is possible only after confirmation from Migrationsverket. The language part will follow later, but no later than 1 October 2027.
Living an orderly life
The reform also tightens the "orderly life" requirement. Anyone who has committed an offence must now wait out a longer period before citizenship becomes possible again. In other words, the Swedish state will now remember an applicant's past for longer.
A separate rule for children
A child can no longer be included in a parent's application — from 6 June, children submit their own applications, signed by a legal guardian. Children under 15 need three years of residence (or two for stateless children); those over 15 need five. The conduct requirement applies from age 15, and the requirement to demonstrate knowledge of the language and of society from age 16.
What has been made easier
Not every part of the reform is a tightening. From 6 June, those who automatically lost their Swedish citizenship at the age of 22 — because they were born abroad and lacked a connection to the country — may apply to have it restored, where the loss caused disproportionate consequences for them or their family.
What this means for those planning to move
Sweden is moving in step with a broader European trend: a month earlier, on 19 May, a Portuguese law took effect that doubled the period of naturalisation to ten years. The road to a European passport is getting longer — which makes it all the more important to plan it in advance: count the years against the new rules, build a stable, documented income, and gather your educational records before you even file.
If you're planning to obtain a residence permit, invest in a country's economy, or purchase foreign real estate, we invite you to a consultation with our company. During a personal online meeting, we'll discuss your questions in detail and create a step-by-step action plan for you.