Do I have to give up my original citizenship to become Swedish?

No — not from Sweden's side. Migrationsverket explicitly says: 'If you become a Swedish citizen, you can retain your previous citizenship if the law in the other country allows it.' Whether you actually keep the other citizenship depends entirely on that other country's law, not Sweden's.

Whose responsibility is it to check the other country's rules?

Yours. Migrationsverket states clearly: 'You must find out for yourself whether your country of origin allows dual citizenship.' Sweden does not check this for you, does not warn you if your home country forbids it, and does not coordinate with that country. You need to research it yourself with that country's embassy or migration authority.

Which countries don't allow dual citizenship?

Rules change. As a snapshot in 2026, countries that generally do not allow naturalised dual citizenship include China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Some countries (Iran, Egypt, Morocco) have complex rules — they may not 'allow' dual citizenship but also do not always actively strip it. Always verify directly with the embassy of your country of origin before assuming.

Do I lose Swedish citizenship if I acquire a different one later?

No. Since 1 July 2001, a Swedish citizen who voluntarily acquires another country's citizenship does NOT automatically lose Swedish citizenship. Before 1 July 2001, the rule was the opposite — many Swedes lost their citizenship by naturalising abroad. The 2001 reform changed this and Migrationsverket published a special path for people affected by the old rule (see our regain-citizenship article).

If my original country revokes my citizenship when I become Swedish, do I get any warning?

Not from Sweden. Migrationsverket processes your Swedish naturalisation without contacting your other country. The revocation, if it happens, happens automatically under that country's law. You should know in advance — by checking with the embassy — what will happen the moment you become Swedish, and plan accordingly (passport renewals, property rights, military service obligations, etc.).

Does dual citizenship affect Swedish military service or jury duty?

Sweden's military service (värnplikt) and civilian obligations apply to Swedish citizens regardless of whether they hold another citizenship. Your other country may also have obligations (military service, taxation). Holding multiple citizenships means you may be subject to obligations in more than one country at the same time.

Can my children have three or four citizenships?

From Sweden's side, yes — Sweden allows multiple citizenships, not just two. A child born to a Swedish parent and a foreign parent may automatically have both. If the child is born abroad in a third country that grants citizenship by jus soli (place of birth), the child can hold three. Some countries restrict this — check each country's rules separately.

Dual Citizenship Guide Citizenship 2026 May 16, 2026 By Swedish Civics · 8 min read

Dual Citizenship in Sweden 2026: What Migrationsverket Says (and Doesn't)

Q: Does Sweden allow dual citizenship?

Yes. Migrationsverket states: 'Sweden allows dual and multiple citizenship.' This has been the case since 1 July 2001, when Sweden's Citizenship Act was reformed. There is no Swedish rule that requires you to give up your original citizenship to become Swedish.

Sweden has allowed dual and multiple citizenship for nearly 25 years — since the citizenship reform of 1 July 2001. From Sweden's side, the rule is simple: you can keep your original passport when you naturalise as Swedish, and a Swedish citizen does not lose their citizenship by acquiring another. But the rule has a twist that catches applicants off guard: Sweden does not check what your other country thinks about it. That is on you. This is a practical guide. For binding answers about your case, always go to Migrationsverket directly.

The Short Version

If you only read one paragraph, read this one.

Sweden's position: Sweden allows dual and multiple citizenship since 1 July 2001.
No renunciation required: Migrationsverket does not ask you to give up your original citizenship.
The catch: the other country's rules may differ. Some countries automatically revoke citizenship when their nationals naturalise abroad.
Whose job is it to check: yours. Migrationsverket states explicitly that you must find out for yourself whether your country of origin allows dual citizenship.
Going the other way: a Swedish citizen who voluntarily acquires another country's citizenship does NOT lose Swedish citizenship.

Important: Citizenship laws of countries other than Sweden change. This article gives examples from public sources, but you must verify the current rules of your specific country with its embassy or consulate before relying on anything. Country lists are accurate to the best of our knowledge as of May 2026, but not legal advice.

What Migrationsverket Actually Says

Migrationsverket's public guidance on this is short and direct. Three points worth quoting:

"Sweden allows dual and multiple citizenship."
"If you become a Swedish citizen, you can retain your previous citizenship if the law in the other country allows it."
"You must find out for yourself whether your country of origin allows dual citizenship."

Three things to notice. First, Sweden uses the phrase "dual and multiple" — three or more citizenships are also fine from Sweden's side. Second, the conditional "if the law in the other country allows it" is the entire story. Third, the verification is your job, not Migrationsverket's.

Why 2001 Mattered (Brief History)

Before 1 July 2001, Sweden's citizenship law generally did NOT allow dual citizenship. A Swedish citizen who naturalised in another country usually lost Swedish citizenship automatically. A foreigner who naturalised as Swedish was supposed to give up their original citizenship.

The 2001 reform changed this in both directions:

From 1 July 2001, a Swedish citizen who voluntarily takes another country's citizenship keeps Swedish citizenship.
From the same date, a foreigner who becomes Swedish does not have to renounce their original citizenship from Sweden's side.

The 2001 reform also created a transitional rule for people who had previously lost Swedish citizenship under the old law: many of them could re-acquire it by notification. A small, more recent reform — taking effect 6 June 2026 — adds a further path for people who lost citizenship at age 22 under the old "22-year rule." See our regain citizenship article for that specific case.

The Real Question: What Does Your Other Country Say?

This is the part where general articles like this can mislead. Citizenship law is one of the most country-specific areas of law that exists, and rules change. Below are general patterns — verify any specific case directly with the relevant embassy or migration authority before acting.

Countries that generally allow dual citizenship

Most European countries (UK, Ireland, France, Germany since 2024, Italy, Spain, Portugal, the Nordic countries, the Netherlands with restrictions), as well as the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Turkey, Israel, South Africa, the Philippines, Pakistan, Bangladesh — these generally permit their citizens to acquire foreign citizenship without losing their original.

Countries that generally do NOT allow dual citizenship

Several countries automatically revoke citizenship when their nationals naturalise abroad. As a 2026 snapshot:

China: automatically loses Chinese citizenship on acquiring a foreign one.
India: automatically loses Indian citizenship. India offers an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) status instead, which is a long-term visa, not dual citizenship.
Indonesia: for adults, must choose one citizenship.
Japan: general rule is to choose one by age 22.
Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain: generally require government permission; without it, naturalising abroad can lead to loss of citizenship.
Singapore, Malaysia: generally do not allow.

Countries with complex or in-between rules

Iran: does not formally recognise loss of Iranian citizenship by naturalising abroad — many Iranians hold both passports in practice. But Iran also does not formally "permit" dual citizenship and treats anyone with Iranian citizenship inside Iran as Iranian regardless of any other passport.
Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria: permit dual citizenship in practice but with caveats and required notifications.
Russia: permits dual citizenship in many cases but requires notification within 60 days of acquiring another citizenship.
The Netherlands: generally does not allow dual citizenship but has many exemptions (spouses of Dutch citizens, refugees, second-generation born in NL, certain other categories).
Germany: changed in mid-2024 to allow dual citizenship broadly. Older naturalisations from before the change may have different consequences.

Lists like this go stale fast. Treat the patterns above as a starting point only and check with your country's embassy.

How to Actually Check

Three practical channels, in order of authority:

Your country's embassy or consulate in Sweden. This is the most authoritative source — they apply your country's current law. Email or call the consular section. Ask the question in writing if you can; keep the response.
Your country's migration or citizenship agency website. Most countries publish their citizenship law online; many in English. Look for the section on "loss of citizenship" or "voluntary acquisition of foreign citizenship."
A lawyer specialising in your country's citizenship law. If the case is complex (military service obligations, dual taxation, property rights), this is worth the fee.

What NOT to rely on: forum posts, generic websites, "I have a friend who" stories. Citizenship law is too country-specific and too consequential.

What Happens at the Migrationsverket Decision

When Migrationsverket grants you Swedish citizenship, the decision says you are now a Swedish citizen. The decision does NOT:

Notify your previous country.
Ask Sweden to share your file with that country.
Reference your other passport at all.

Your other country's rules apply independently. If that country has an automatic-loss provision, the loss has already happened the moment Migrationsverket's decision takes effect — regardless of whether you, your old country, or anyone else realises it. This is why checking in advance matters: you need to know what you're trading away.

Practical Consequences of Dual Citizenship

Holding two citizenships is not just a paper exercise. Practical effects include:

Two passports

You can hold both passports legally from Sweden's side. The practical issue is which to use. The general rule used by border officials worldwide: enter and leave each of your countries on that country's passport. Use the Swedish passport for travel outside both. If your other country requires entry on its passport for citizens, follow that rule.

Tax obligations

Citizenship by itself does NOT create tax obligations — residency does. Sweden taxes residents, not citizens (unlike the US). But your other country may have its own rules. The US is the famous case: US citizens are taxed on worldwide income regardless of where they live. If you are or become a dual Swedish-American citizen, you have ongoing US tax filing obligations.

Military service

Sweden has limited värnplikt for Swedish citizens. Some other countries (South Korea, Israel, Turkey, others) have stricter conscription rules that apply to citizens regardless of residency. If you are male and a citizen of one of these countries, dual citizenship may mean a service obligation when you visit.

Inheritance and property

Some countries restrict property ownership or inheritance for non-citizens (Mexico has restrictions on coastal land, etc.). Retaining your original citizenship can preserve those rights.

Consular protection

If you get into trouble abroad, you can in principle seek help from either citizenship country. But if you are inside your other country of citizenship, that country generally treats you as ITS citizen first — Sweden's consulate may have limited ability to help.

Common Myths

Myth: "Migrationsverket will tell me if my old country doesn't allow dual citizenship."

No. Migrationsverket explicitly says this is your job to check.

Myth: "Sweden will help me keep my original passport."

No. Sweden has nothing to do with the rules of your other country.

Myth: "I'll just not tell my old country that I became Swedish."

In countries with automatic loss, the loss happens whether you tell them or not — it's a legal consequence, not an administrative one. Some countries (Russia, Egypt, others) have reporting obligations, and failure to report can itself be a separate offence.

Myth: "If I'm born to a Swedish parent, I'm automatically dual-citizenship."

True from Sweden's side. Not necessarily true from the other parent's country's side — some countries restrict transmission of citizenship to children of nationals who naturalise elsewhere.

Myth: "I should give up my old passport just to be safe."

Almost never the right move. Renouncing a citizenship is usually irreversible, and you may need rights that come with it (property, family inheritance, free travel home, etc.).

Working on a citizenship application? Sweden's reformed rules took effect 6 June 2026. Our companion articles on what's new, the 8-year residency rule, and the income requirement cover the rest.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Sweden allow dual citizenship?

Yes, since 1 July 2001. Multiple citizenships (three or more) are also permitted from Sweden's side.

Do I have to give up my original citizenship?

No — not from Sweden's side. Whether you actually keep the other one depends on your other country's law.

Who checks the other country's rules?

You. Migrationsverket states explicitly that this is the applicant's responsibility.

If my old country revokes my citizenship, does Sweden warn me?

No. Sweden processes the Swedish naturalisation without contacting your other country. The revocation (if it happens) is automatic under that country's law.

Do I lose Swedish citizenship if I naturalise in another country later?

No. Since 1 July 2001, voluntarily acquiring another citizenship does not affect Swedish citizenship.

Can children have multiple citizenships?

Yes from Sweden's side. Whether children retain other citizenships depends on each country's law on transmission of citizenship.

Does dual citizenship affect taxes?

Sweden taxes residents, not citizens. But other countries (notably the US) tax citizens regardless of residency. Check both sides.

Sources and Further Reading

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