Becoming a Citizen
Medborgarskap, hemvist, Migrationsverket — the road to a Swedish passport.
The path to Swedish citizenship in process order: the permit ladder, the residence-time arithmetic (five years as a rule, two if you're Nordic), the requirements (identity, debts, conduct), the years-long wait and the komplettering that resets the clock, the decision, the nationaldag ceremony with its badly sung anthem — and the honest coda about what a passport does and doesn't change.
- 1
medborgarskap
citizenship
Tip: lit. the same.
- 2
en medborgare
a citizen
Tip: lit. the same.
- 3
ansöka om medborgarskap
to apply for citizenship
Tip: lit. the same.
- 4
Migrationsverket
the migration agency
Tip: lit. the same.
- 5
ett uppehållstillstånd
a residence permit
Tip: lit. the same.
- 6
ett permanent uppehållstillstånd
a permanent residence permit
Tip: lit. the same — 'PUT'.
- 7
uppehållsrätt
a right of residence
Tip: lit. the same — for EU citizens.
- 8
ett arbetstillstånd
a work permit
Tip: lit. the same.
- 9
hemvisttid
a period of habitual residence
Tip: lit. the same — the years you must have lived here.
- 10
fem år som regel
five years as a rule
Tip: lit. the same.
- 11
fyra för statslösa
four for the stateless
Tip: lit. the same.
- 12
tre om man är gift med en svensk
three if married to a Swede
Tip: lit. the same.
- 13
två för nordiska medborgare
two for Nordic citizens
Tip: lit. the same.
- 14
ett hederligt levnadssätt
a settled way of life
Tip: lit. the same — the legal phrase.
- 15
inga obetalda skulder
no unpaid debts
Tip: lit. the same.
- 16
ingen brottslighet
no criminal record
Tip: lit. the same.
- 17
en karenstid efter en dom
a qualifying period after a conviction
Tip: lit. the same.
- 18
styrkt identitet
an established identity
Tip: lit. the same — the commonest obstacle.
- 19
ett hemlandspass
a passport from your home country
Tip: lit. the same.
- 20
som vissa inte kan få
which some cannot obtain
Tip: lit. the same.
- 21
en handläggningstid
a processing time
Tip: lit. the same.
- 22
som mäts i år
which is measured in years
Tip: lit. the same.
- 23
kolla sitt ärende på nätet
to check your case online
Tip: lit. the same — compulsively.
- 24
en handläggare
a case officer
Tip: lit. the same.
- 25
en begäran om komplettering
a request for more documents
Tip: lit. the same.
- 26
som nollställer klockan
which resets the clock
Tip: lit. the same — it feels that way.
- 27
ett beslut
a decision
Tip: lit. the same.
- 28
beviljad
granted
Tip: lit. the same — the word you look for.
- 29
avslagen
rejected
Tip: lit. the same.
- 30
överklaga till migrationsdomstolen
to appeal to the migration court
Tip: lit. the same.
- 31
en medborgarskapsceremoni
a citizenship ceremony
Tip: lit. the same — every council holds one.
- 32
oftast på nationaldagen
usually on the national day
Tip: lit. the same.
- 33
ett diplom och ett handslag
a certificate and a handshake
Tip: lit. the same.
- 34
nationalsången sjungen illa
the national anthem sung badly
Tip: lit. the same — by everyone, including Swedes.
- 35
dubbelt medborgarskap
dual citizenship
Tip: lit. the same — allowed since 2001.
- 36
man behåller det andra
you keep the other one
Tip: lit. the same.
- 37
ett svenskt pass
a Swedish passport
Tip: lit. the same.
- 38
rösträtt i riksdagsvalet
the right to vote in national elections
Tip: lit. the same — the substantive change.
- 39
att rösta lokalt redan innan
to vote locally before that
Tip: lit. the same — after three years' residence.
- 40
rätten till pass
the right to a passport
Tip: lit. the same.
- 41
och konsulärt skydd
and consular protection
Tip: lit. the same.
- 42
ett föreslaget språkkrav
a proposed language requirement
Tip: lit. the same.
- 43
och ett samhällskunskapsprov
and a civics test
Tip: lit. the same — long debated.
- 44
som ännu inte finns
which does not yet exist
Tip: lit. the same.
- 45
en debatt om tillhörighet
a debate about belonging
Tip: lit. the same.
- 46
ett papper gör en inte svensk
a paper does not make you Swedish
Tip: lit. the same.
- 47
och det förändrar allt
and it changes everything
Tip: lit. the same — both are true.
- 48
att sluta oroa sig för tillstånd
to stop worrying about permits
Tip: lit. the same.
- 49
efter femton år
after fifteen years
Tip: lit. the same.
- 50
vilket är en lättnad i sig
which is its own kind of relief
Tip: lit. the same.