Once the above-mentioned procedure is done and you have a fair chance for receiving the permanent residency status in Sweden, then the application of your family is checked for further requirements.
Only your immediate family members can move with you if you have a temporary residence permit. Your immediate family members mean your spouse, children under the age of 18, registered partners, and cohabiting partners. Other family members and children who are above 18 are not eligible to move to Sweden or the EU on your behalf while you have a temporary residence permit. If you are under the age of 18, then your parents are counted as your immediate family members.
In case you have a permanent residence permit or you are planning to get married to a person in Sweden, then that person can apply on your behalf for the residence permit. Persons other than your immediate family members like parents or siblings can also move to Sweden with you.
You must always be able to identify yourself.
The bank may also refuse you an account if you have previously acted dishonestly towards the bank.
If you have a driving license which was issued in an EU country is valid throughout your stay in Sweden. You can even exchange your driving license to Swedish license if you have permanent residence.
A driving license that was issued in non-EEA countries (excluding Switzerland and Japan) is valid for a maximum of one year in Sweden. It cannot be exchanged to Swedish license and If you want to continue driving in Sweden you will have to complete the risk education, and theory and practical examinations.
In Swedish preschools, play is a key component. There is a focus on basic values such as playing together, tolerance and consideration for others. Preschool is for children aged 1 to 5.
The year the child turns 6, he or she can participate in a non-compulsory preschool class (sexårsverksamhet) designed to help children meet future classmates and prepare for primary school without the stress of heavy studies or homework.
From the ages of 7 to 16, all children in Sweden are required to attend the compulsory school (grundskola), where they are taught a core group of basic subjects. Families can apply for before/after-school care for their children (fritids).
There is a charge for preschools and after-school care, but from the age of 6, all schooling in Sweden is free of charge and includes a hot lunch. Note, there is usually a fee for private schools and international schools.
The official website 1177.se offers extensive advice on healthcare topics in several languages as well as a search function (in Swedish) for nearby healthcare centers.
It is a 24-hour provider of free healthcare information and consulting. Phone 1177, or if you call from outside Sweden the number is: +46 771 11 77 00.
Once you are registered in Sweden (have received a personal identification number), you are entitled to healthcare under the same conditions as other residents of Sweden. This means that you pay the regular Swedish patient fee for medical care in the public healthcare system.
You can get ID cards issued by tax agency. You need to visit one of the Skatteverket’s office and pay the fee i.e 400 SEK before you visit them.
To be able to apply for an ID card, you must be registered as living in Sweden (having received the personal identification number), be able to show a receipt for the application fee payment and be able to show who you are (prove your identity).
Payouts of unemployment insurance take two forms, a basic benefit or an income-related benefit.
Unemployment insurance is not a part of the social insurance system in Sweden. Unemployment insurance is connected closely to the trade unions but is legally independent. When you start working in Sweden, investigate which unemployment insurance fund (widely known as A-Kassa) is available.
In order to receive an income-based benefit, you must have been a member of a voluntary unemployment insurance fund (A-kassa) for 12 months and have worked (been employed) for at least six months. In addition, some trade unions offer additional insurance against loss of income.
The European Commission has devised a system known as ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) . It allows for the transfer of higher education credits between European countries. The Swedish Council for Higher Education (UHR) evaluates foreign qualifications in order to provide support for people looking for work in Sweden, people who wish to continue studying, or for employers who wish to employ someone with foreign qualifications.
EU Family Reunification: Residence Cards for Non-EU Family Members
If you are an EU or EEA citizen who has moved to Sweden, your family members can come with you, and the rules that apply are EU law, not Swedish national law. That distinction is the whole ballgame. The EU route is generally more favourable, and applications are regularly assessed under the wrong one.
Who counts as a family member
Under Directive 2004/38/EC, the free movement directive, family members include:
- Your spouse or registered partner
- Your children and grandchildren under 21, or older if dependent on you
- Your parents and grandparents, where they are dependent on you
- Your spouse’s or partner’s equivalent relatives on the same terms
Family members who are themselves EU or EEA citizens have their own right of residence. Family members who are not EU or EEA citizens hold a derived right, and apply for a residence card (uppehållskort). That derived quality is why the documentation of your own position matters to their application as much as their own paperwork does.
The case law that decides these applications
Three judgments of the Court of Justice of the European Union do most of the work in this area, and knowing them is often the difference between a refusal standing and being overturned.
Metock (C-127/08)
A third-country national family member does not need to have been lawfully resident in a member state before, and there is no requirement that the marriage predate the move. Refusals sometimes still rest on reasoning Metock excludes.
MRAX (C-459/99)
Entry or residence cannot be refused solely because the family member lacks a visa or particular documents, where they can otherwise prove their identity and the family relationship. Procedure cannot be used to defeat a substantive right.
Jia (C-1/05) and Reyes (C-423/12)
On dependency for relatives in the ascending line: the material support must be needed for essential needs, and the reasons for the dependency are not to be examined. See our page on bringing parents to Sweden for the detail.
The EU route compared with the national route
| EU route | National route | |
|---|---|---|
| Applies when | The sponsor is an EU/EEA citizen exercising free movement | The sponsor is a Swedish citizen or permit holder outside free movement |
| Legal basis | Directive 2004/38/EC | Utlänningslagen (2005:716) |
| Maintenance requirement | Generally not applied in the same way | Generally applies |
| Document | Residence card | Residence permit |
If you are an EU citizen who has moved to Sweden and you are being assessed under the national rules, that is worth challenging rather than accepting.
What to prepare
- Proof of your own EU or EEA nationality and that you are exercising free movement in Sweden, whether as a worker, self-employed, student or self-sufficient person
- Documentation of the family relationship, properly legalised or apostilled where required
- For dependent relatives, evidence of the dependency itself, including a sustained record of financial support
- Identity documents for each family member
Frequently asked questions
Can my non-EU spouse live with me in Sweden?
Yes, where you are an EU or EEA citizen exercising free movement here. Your spouse applies for a residence card, holding a right derived from yours.
Do we have to have been married before I moved to Sweden?
No. Metock (C-127/08) established that there is no such requirement, and no requirement of prior lawful residence in a member state.
What is a residence card?
Uppehållskort, the document issued to a non-EU family member of an EU citizen, evidencing the derived right of residence.
Does the maintenance requirement apply to us?
Under the EU route it is generally not applied as it is under national rules. If you have been told otherwise, check which route your case is actually being assessed under.
What if we are refused?
Refusals in this area are frequently appealable, particularly where the national test has been applied to a case governed by EU law. Deadlines are short, so act on the decision immediately.
We handle EU family cases
Sweden Relocators AB handles EU family reunification, residence cards and appeals across Sweden and Denmark. Where a case has been assessed under the wrong legal framework, that is often the strongest ground available on appeal.
Call +46 72 327 62 76, message the same number on WhatsApp, or email info@swedenrelocators.se. For Danish cases see Nordic Relocators.
General information, not individual legal advice. Case law is cited for context; its application depends on your circumstances. Last reviewed 26 August 2026.