If you want to visit Sweden and you are not a citizen of the EU/EEA, you may need a visa. A visa gives you permission to enter and stay in Sweden for a short period. It is valid throughout the Schengen area, but you apply to the country that is the main destination for the journey.
Visas can be granted for such purposes as:
•Business and conference visits
•Visiting relatives and friends
•Tourism
•Participation in cultural, sports, religious event
•Airport transit visa
•Medical visa
Your short-stay visa allows you to travel to Sweden and usually to other Schengen States but it does not automatically entitle you to enter the Schengen area. You may have to provide certain information at border or other controls. You may, for instance, have to provide information on your means of support, how long you intend to stay in Sweden and why you are visiting Sweden. In some cases, such checks may result in a refusal for the visa holder to enter Sweden or the Schengen area. It is therefore recommended that you carry with you copies of the documents which you presented when you applied for the visa
(e.g. letters of invitation, travel confirmations, other documents stating the purpose of your stay). This will help to make the border control procedure easier and avoid delays at the border.
When to apply
You can submit your application at the earliest three months before your planned visit. Plan your trip well in advance, especially during the peak season. Normally you get a decision within two weeks.
Who decides my case?
In most cases, the Embassy decides whether to grant a visa.
If the Embassy is not sure what position to take on an application, it passes the case on to the Migration Agency in Sweden for a decision. The regulations in the EU Visa Codex determine whether or not you are granted a visa.
Your application may be rejected for example if the Embassy judges that you are unlikely to leave the Schengen area after your visit or the purpose of your visit is not as specified in your application.
How long does it take?
The time it takes to process an application at the Embassy varies but decisions are generally reached within 15 days from the submission date. This period may be extended up to a maximum 30 calendar days in individual cases, notably when further scrutiny of application is needed. In exceptional cases it may take up to 60 days to receive the decision.
Make sure to submit all required and supporting documents in order to avoid unnecessary delays.
What if I’m granted a visa?
As soon as you receive your short-stay visa, make sure that all the information it contains is correct. Check the following:
Your passport has a passport number. This number is also indicated on the visa sticker. Make sure that these numbers are the same.
You applied for your visa for a specific period or periods. Check that your air ticket corresponds with the entry and exit dates indicated on the visa sticker.
Check that the number of entries you applied for (one, two or multiple) corresponds with the number of entries indicated on your visa sticker.
Check that your name is spelled correctly.
Do this yourself in order to avoid any problems or extra costs arising when using your visa. If you think that the information on the visa is incorrect, contact the Embassy immediately so that any errors can be corrected.
How to read the visa sticker
A visa is valid in the Schengen countries for up to 90 days in a 180-day period.
''DURATION OF STAY.......DAYS'': indicates the number of days, you may stay in the Schengen area. The days should be counted from the date you enter the Schengen area (the entry stamp) to the date you exit the Schengen area (the exit stamp), i.e. both days included. The period of time between "FROM ...UNTIL" is usually longer than the number of days printed in the "DURATION OF STAY" field, usually 15 days longer than the number of days you are allowed to stay. The difference in period is meant to give you flexibility to plan your entry into and exit from the Schengen area, but your stay in the Schengen area must never exceed the exact number of days in the "DURATION OF STAY ...DAYS" field. No matter how many days you have stayed in the Schengen area, you must leave no later than the date printed in the "UNTIL" field."
Controls at the border
Your short-stay visa allows you to travel to Sweden and usually to other Schengen States. It does not automatically entitle you to enter the Schengen area therefore you may have to provide certain information at border or other controls. You may, for instance, have to provide information on your means of support, how long you intend to stay in Sweden and why you are visiting Sweden. In some cases, such checks may result in a refusal for the visa holder to enter Sweden or the Schengen area.
It is therefore recommended that you carry with you copies of the documents which you presented when you applied for the visa (e.g. letters of invitation, travel confirmations, other documents stating the purpose of your stay). This will help to make the border control procedure easier and avoid delays at the border.
Please note: When you apply for a visa, you undertake to leave the territory before the visa expires. You must keep to the period of stay allowed by your visa. Misuse and overstay may result difficulties obtaining a new visa in the future.
What if my application is refused?
It's possible to appeal a decision on an entry visa. The decision to reject an application for an entry visa always has justification. This means that you get information in the decision as to why your application was rejected. If you received a decision you are not satisfied with, you can submit a written appeal no later than 3 weeks from the day you received the decision.
How to appeal: Click Here
Longer visit
If you are planning to stay in Sweden for longer than 90 days you need to apply for a Visitors’ Permit. These applications are decided by the Swedish Migration Agency. It is not recommended to purchase any tickets before you receive your card after your case is granted. If the application is granted, visitors permit are usually issued for between 91 days and 12 months. Make sure to apply as early as possible, especially if you need a residence permit card.
Only if there are special reasons, a visa for a longer period (a D visa) can be applied. The D Visa is decided in accordance with national Swedish rules, meaning for instance, that Schengen rules do not apply and that visa decisions are not subject to appeal.
If you are to be granted a visitors permit of a national visa, the purpose of the trip must be to visit Sweden, not to settle there. You must have the means to support yourself throughout your stay. You must possess either a return ticket or enough money for your return journey. Medical travel insurance is not compulsory but advisable since medical costs can be high.