What happened
Riksdagen has decided on new rules for family ties that enter into force on 1 October 2026. The legislative amendment makes it possible for young adults who have turned 18 to apply for an extended residence permit based on ties to their parents from within Sweden. In light of the decision, Migrationsverket is resuming the processing of the cases for young adults that were paused in March this year. At the same time, rules for bringing family members here are tightened: persons with a temporary permit must, as a general rule, have lived in Sweden for at least two years before relatives can apply. In addition, the maintenance requirement is raised and will in the future also apply when family members apply for an extended permit.
Our analysis
Riksdagen's decision provides much-needed relief for young new Swedes who risked deportation solely because the processing time passed their 18th birthday. That Migrationsverket is now resuming the cases that were paused in March is a relief, but also proof that the previous system separated families on unreasonable grounds. However, the agency does not report how many young people had already been deported before the halt was introduced. The reporting also misses the other side of the coin: the relief for the young is balanced by severe tightenings for others. When the requirement of at least two years of residency and an increased maintenance requirement enter into force on 1 October 2026, the possibility of family life is pushed even further away for many.
Explained
A residence permit based on ties means that a person is granted the right to live in Sweden to live together with a close family member who already has a permit here.
Source: Migrationsverket