Children and Swedish Citizenship After June 6, 2026: New Rules Explained

The biggest change: children must apply on their own

Under the old rules, parents applying for Swedish citizenship could include minor children directly on their own application. The child's case was processed alongside the parent's, often resulting in a shared timeline and a shared outcome.

From 6 June 2026, this is no longer possible. Every child — regardless of age — needs their own separate application submitted to Migrationsverket. The application is signed by a parent or legal guardian on the child's behalf, but legally it is the child's case, with the child's own decision, the child's own fee, and the child's own documentation.

This is not a technical reshuffle. It changes how families need to plan citizenship. Each child is now an individual file at Migrationsverket, with their own conditions to meet and their own paperwork to maintain.

Why this matters: practical impact on families

The "every child applies separately" rule sounds bureaucratic, but the day-to-day consequences are real:

• One parent's citizenship does not pass to the child automatically. If a parent is approved, the child does not "come along." The child's application must be filed on its own, and approved on its own.
• Separate fees for each child. What used to be a single household payment may now be one fee per child. Families with several children should budget accordingly.
• Different decision timelines. A parent's case and a child's case can be decided weeks or months apart. One can be approved before the other.
• More paperwork. Each child needs their own set of documents: birth certificate, passport copies, proof of residence in Sweden, and (where relevant) consent from the other parent.
• Consent of both parents. Where custody is shared, both parents typically need to consent to the child's application. This becomes more important when families are split between countries.

For families in the middle of applying when the new law takes effect, the safest path is to assume the new rules apply to anything not yet decided. See our note on pending applications and the 2026 rules for more on transitional handling.

How to file a child's application

The mechanics are not complicated, but each step matters:

1. Register the child with Skatteverket. The starting point for a child in Sweden is always being registered with the Swedish Tax Agency. The child needs a personnummer (or, in some cases, a samordningsnummer) before anything else can move forward.
2. Confirm the child's status. Permanent residence, refugee status, or other relevant status will affect which path is available. Migrationsverket will state the conditions on its application page.
3. Gather documents. Typically: child's birth certificate, child's passport (or passport copy), proof of address in Sweden, documents showing custody or guardianship, and the other parent's signed consent if relevant.
4. Submit the application via Migrationsverket. Online where possible; on paper where required. The parent or legal guardian signs on the child's behalf.
5. Pay the child's fee. Each child has their own fee. The current amount is published on Migrationsverket's site.
6. Wait for the decision. Migrationsverket processes the case and issues a decision specific to the child. If approved, the child becomes a Swedish citizen as of the decision's effective date.

If your child was previously included in your pending application, Migrationsverket should communicate with you about how that situation is handled — but the safe assumption is that a fresh, separate application will be needed for anything decided after 6 June 2026.

Children under 16: no civics test

One detail families often miss: the civics test requirement (the medborgarskapsprov) does not apply to children under 16. Sweden's new law sets the test age range at 16 to 66. A 5-year-old, a 10-year-old, and a 15-year-old all skip the test entirely.

This means:

• A young child's application has no test component. Parents do not need to prepare their younger children for any exam.
• The civics test only enters the picture for 16-year-olds and older. A 16- or 17-year-old applying for citizenship generally needs to pass the test like an adult applicant.
• The same age band applies to the language test once it exists. See our piece on the language test being delayed to autumn 2028 for more on that timeline.

For young teenagers nearing 16, it is worth considering whether to file the application before or after their 16th birthday, since the test requirement turns on at that age. This is a question worth raising directly with Migrationsverket if your child is borderline.

Special path: notification for young adults born in Sweden (16–21)

Sweden has long recognised a softer route to citizenship for young people born in the country: the notification (anmälan). Under the new rules, this remains available for young adults aged 16 to 21 who were born in Sweden and have lived here continuously, subject to the conditions Migrationsverket publishes.

Compared with a full application, a notification typically:

• Is faster to process.
• Has a lower fee.
• Involves fewer discretionary checks.
• Does not require the civics test for under-16s, and applies in a tighter conditions framework for 16–21-year-olds.

The conditions usually include continuous residence in Sweden since birth, a permanent right to be in Sweden, and an orderly life (no serious criminal history). Where the conditions are met, notification is the preferred path because it is simpler and cheaper than a full application.

If your child fits this profile, do not assume the route is automatic. Check Migrationsverket's notification page for the exact criteria and the current fee — and submit before the upper age limit. After age 21, the notification route closes and only the standard application remains.

Stateless children born in Sweden

The law contains special provisions for stateless children born in Sweden. The aim is to ensure that no child grows up stateless in the country, in line with Sweden's international obligations.

Stateless children born in Sweden typically can acquire Swedish citizenship by notification under conditions designed specifically for them — generally with lower thresholds than the standard path. The conditions usually involve:

• Being born in Sweden.
• Being stateless at birth (and remaining so at the time of application).
• Holding a permanent residence permit or equivalent status.
• Having lived in Sweden for a defined period (the exact period is set in law and may be different from the standard residency requirement).

If your child was born in Sweden and is stateless, this is one of the most important sections of the law for your family. Migrationsverket has specific guidance for stateless minors — read it carefully and, if anything is unclear, contact them directly. Mistakes in this area can lock a child out of citizenship for years.

Pre-April 2015 fathers: notification rights

One narrower group still retains a specific notification right under the new law: fathers of children born outside marriage and outside Sweden before 1 April 2015. This is a legacy provision that addresses how Swedish citizenship was historically passed down to children born abroad to unmarried Swedish fathers.

If this describes your family:

• The father can submit a notification (anmälan) for the child to acquire Swedish citizenship under the conditions set out in the law.
• The child does not need to live in Sweden for this path — it is specifically designed for the situation where the child was born abroad.
• The conditions, documents, and fees are published by Migrationsverket on the page for this specific notification type.

This is a narrow and well-defined route. If you think you qualify, contact Migrationsverket and confirm — the rules around legal parenthood, birth registration, and documentation can be technical.

Cost and documentation

The fee for a child's citizenship application is generally lower than the adult fee, and notifications are typically cheaper than full applications. The exact amounts change over time, so always check Migrationsverket's fees page before paying.

Typical documents Migrationsverket asks for in a child's case:

• Birth certificate. Original or certified copy.
• Passport. Copy of the relevant pages.
• Proof of permanent residence in Sweden. Residence permit card or equivalent.
• Proof of address. Often via the personnummer registration with Skatteverket.
• Custody documents. Where parents do not live together, documentation about custody arrangements.
• Other parent's consent. Where custody is shared and the other parent is not the applicant, their signed consent is normally required.

If documents are in a language other than Swedish or English, certified translations may be needed. Plan ahead — chasing original documents from another country can take weeks.

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