Swedish citizenship requirements in 2026, including the new test
Vishwen Labs
To be granted Swedish citizenship by application since 6 June 2026 you need a proven identity, to be 18, a permanent residence permit or right of residence, eight years of residence in Sweden as a rule, an honest and orderly way of life, self-sufficiency from work or business of about 20,000 kronor a month before tax, and, between the ages of 16 and 66, knowledge of Swedish and of Swedish society. The application costs 2,900 kronor. The new rules apply without transitional provisions, so every case not decided by 6 June 2026 is judged on them. Migrationsverket's advice, as always, is to apply when you meet all of them.
Residence: eight years, with exceptions
The main rule rose from five years to eight on 6 June 2026: eight years of continuous, legal residence in Sweden with a permanent residence permit or a right of residence. Migrationsverket lists the shorter periods: two years for Nordic citizens and for former Swedish citizens; five for stateless people; seven for refugees, for applicants under 21, and for spouses or cohabitants of Swedish citizens who have lived together for five years; and ten if your identity cannot be verified. Count from the start of legal residence, and check the exceptions against Migrationsverket's own page before relying on one.
An honest and orderly way of life
The law now states in so many words that an applicant must have had, and be expected to keep, an honest and orderly way of life (ett hederligt och skötsamt levnadssätt). In practice it means that a conviction starts a waiting period before citizenship can be granted, and those periods were lengthened; Migrationsverket's page describes waiting times that run from a couple of years to well over a decade depending on the sentence. Unpaid debts and other misconduct count too. The requirement applies inside and outside Sweden.
Self-sufficiency
New from 6 June 2026 for applicants aged 18 to 67: an income from employment or business of at least three income base amounts a year, which is 250,200 kronor in 2026, about 20,000 kronor a month before tax. The income has to be lasting, not from subsidised employment, and not built on a partner's income, savings or short-term jobs, and you may not have received income support (försörjningsstöd) for more than six months in the past three years. Migrationsverket exempts people receiving an old-age pension, full-time students and people with a lasting disability.
Knowledge of Swedish and of Swedish society
For applicants aged 16 to 66. Shown with a passing grade in Swedish or Swedish as a second language from grundskola or gymnasium, completed studies at komvux or a folk high school, SFI course D, or, for the language, a Tisus result and during the transition tests such as Swedex; or, if none of those exists, with UHR's citizenship test. The civics test has run once, on 15 August 2026; the language test comes by 1 October 2027. Migrationsverket can exempt a person with a disability or other reasons that make the requirement impossible to meet.
Identity, age, permit, fee, and the end of most notifications
Identity is proven with an identity document and a personal visit to Migrationsverket. You must be 18 and hold a permanent residence permit, a right of residence or a residence card. The application fee is 2,900 kronor, waived for stateless refugees. The notification procedure (anmälan), the simpler route that used to be open to several groups, is limited from 6 June 2026 to adult Nordic citizens, stateless children and young adults born in Sweden; everyone else applies. And there is no transition: Migrationsverket has said it assesses all cases not decided before 6 June 2026 under the new rules.
Medborgarskapsprov is an independent study aid and is not affiliated with the Swedish Council for Higher Education (UHR), the Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket) or any other Swedish authority. UHR's citizenship test is based on the study material Sverige i fokus, which UHR publishes with the National Agency for Education; the app's lessons and questions are its own, written from that material, and each question names it as the source.
Questions people also ask
How many years do you need to live in Sweden for citizenship?
Eight years as a rule since 6 June 2026, up from five. Two years for Nordic citizens and former Swedish citizens, five for stateless people, seven for refugees, for applicants under 21 and for spouses or cohabitants of Swedish citizens after five years together, and ten if your identity cannot be verified.
Does the Swedish citizenship test replace the language requirement?
No. The civics test covers knowledge of society. Knowledge of Swedish is shown separately, with grades, SFI course D, komvux, Tisus or, during the transition, tests such as Swedex, until UHR's language test arrives by 1 October 2027.
