Sweden's Citizenship Backlog in 2026: 100,000+ Cases and 1,000-Day Waits

The backlog: over 103,000 open cases

According to Migrationsverket's own statistics, there were 103,146 open citizenship cases as of April 2026. The agency updates these figures around the 15th of each month, so the precise number moves — but the scale ("over 100,000") has been stable and is widely cited.

One detail worth being precise about: that 103,146 figure is the total of all open citizenship cases, not naturalisation applications alone. It includes other case types such as citizenship by notification. In practice, the large majority of open cases are naturalisation applications, but the headline number is the aggregate.

The waiting time: two different numbers

You'll see two figures quoted, and they are not the same thing. It's worth understanding the difference before you panic about either one.

56 months for 75% — the official current estimate

Migrationsverket's official waiting-times page lists, for "citizenship for adults," an estimate of 56 months for 75% of recently decided cases (as of May 2026). This is the forward-looking, percentile-based estimate — it means three out of four recently concluded cases were finished within that window. This page refreshes monthly, so always check the live figure for your own planning.

1,021 days — the average for cases actually decided

Separately, the cases that Migrationsverket actually decided in January–February 2026 took an average of 1,021 days (about 33.6 months), as reported by The Local. Importantly, Migrationsverket itself has described this average as misleading: it is inflated because the agency is deliberately clearing the oldest backlog cases first. So it tells you how long old, stuck cases took to resolve — not what a fresh applicant should expect today.

Why the queue keeps growing

The backlog isn't just large — by the agency's own planning, it is still expanding. According to figures reported by The Local (citing Migrationsverket), the agency aimed to conclude 55,000 cases in 2026 while forecasting roughly 60,000 new applications in the same year. That implies the queue would grow by about 5,000 cases over 2026, even after the citizenship team was reportedly increased from 200 to 300 staff over the past year.

The same reporting noted that, to chip away at the oldest cases, Migrationsverket concluded around 6,100 cases with application dates older than March 2022 between October 2025 and late March 2026 — with several thousand such old cases still unassigned. The agency is making progress on the backlog's oldest layer, but new applications keep arriving faster than the net pile shrinks.

Why this matters before 6 June 2026

Here is the part that makes the backlog genuinely consequential rather than just frustrating. The new, stricter citizenship rules take effect on 6 June 2026, and Migrationsverket has been explicit about how they apply:

"The rules will be introduced without transitional arrangements. This means that the Swedish Migration Agency will assess all cases that have not been decided before 6 June 2026 according to the new rules." — Migrationsverket, 6 May 2026

In plain terms: there is no grandfather clause. If your case is still in the queue on 6 June 2026 — as the vast majority of those 100,000+ cases will be — it is judged under the new framework, regardless of when you applied. That can mean the new 8-year residency requirement, the self-sufficiency income rule, and the civics test, even if none of those existed when you submitted.

So the long queue isn't just a delay — for people who applied under the old 5-year rule but haven't reached 8 years, it can change the outcome of an application that's already been waiting for years. We cover this directly in our guide on whether the new rules apply to your pending application.

Can you speed up your case?

Mostly, no — and it's important to be honest about what little leverage exists.

There is no general right to have a citizenship case prioritized because you'd prefer a faster answer or because the rules are about to change. Migrationsverket cannot move your case ahead of others on those grounds.

The one formal tool is the statutory "request to conclude" (begäran om att avgöra ärendet): if more than six months have passed since you applied, you may submit a written request — once — asking the agency to decide your case. Migrationsverket must then either decide within four weeks or formally reject the request (a rejection can be appealed to a migration court).

The catch, as of 2026: these request-to-conclude cases are no longer prioritized, and reporting indicates they can now take longer than before. So while the mechanism legally exists, it is not the shortcut it once was. Do not count on it to beat the 6 June deadline.

What you can actually do now

1. Check your status on Migrationsverket's "Mina sidor" portal so you know where your case stands.
2. Keep your documents current — if you've moved, married, changed jobs, or had income changes, make sure the agency has accurate information, since gaps cause further delay.
3. Assume the new rules may apply to your decision and prepare accordingly: confirm you'll meet the residency and income requirements, and start studying for the civics test now rather than waiting for your decision.
4. Don't rely on "applying early" to lock in the old rules — it doesn't. What matters is the decision date relative to 6 June 2026, not your application date.
5. Check the live waiting time on the official page before making plans, since the estimate updates monthly.

Frequently asked questions

How many citizenship applications are waiting at Migrationsverket?

According to Migrationsverket's official statistics, there were 103,146 open citizenship cases as of April 2026. The statistics are updated around the 15th of each month, so the exact figure changes over time.

How long does it take to get Swedish citizenship in 2026?

Migrationsverket's official waiting-time estimate for adult citizenship is 56 months for 75% of recently decided cases (as of May 2026). Separately, cases that were actually decided in January–February 2026 took an average of 1,021 days — but the agency has called that average misleading, because it reflects old backlog cases being cleared first rather than what a new applicant should expect. These two numbers measure different things.

Why is the citizenship queue so long?

The backlog has built up over years and is still growing. Migrationsverket has reported a target of concluding 55,000 cases in 2026 while forecasting around 60,000 new applications in the same year — which would add roughly 5,000 cases to the queue, even as staff were increased from 200 to 300 (figures reported by The Local, citing the agency).

If my case isn't decided before 6 June 2026, which rules apply?

The new, stricter rules. Migrationsverket states the changes are introduced without transitional arrangements, meaning every case not decided before 6 June 2026 is assessed under the new rules — even if you applied earlier.

Can I ask Migrationsverket to speed up or prioritize my case?

There is no general right to have your case prioritized for convenience. If more than six months have passed since you applied, you can submit a one-time written "request to conclude" (begäran om att avgöra ärendet); the agency must then decide within four weeks or formally reject the request. However, as of 2026 these request-to-conclude cases are no longer prioritized and can themselves take longer than before.

Does the backlog mean I should apply now?

Applying does not freeze the rules at the date you apply. Because there are no transitional arrangements, what matters is whether your case is decided before or after 6 June 2026. Apply when you genuinely meet the requirements, keep your documents current, and prepare for the civics test — but don't assume an early application protects you from the new rules.

A note on these figures

This article reports official statistics and reputable reporting as of May 2026. Migrationsverket's case-count and waiting-time figures are updated monthly, and some figures here (staffing, throughput targets) come via The Local citing the agency rather than from a Migrationsverket statistics page. For your specific case and the latest numbers, always check Migrationsverket directly. This is general information, not legal advice.