3.2 Notifications

3.2.1 General information regarding notifications

Missions should notify the Protocol Department within a week of the arrival of staff members by using the notification form. The notification should include accompanying family members and private servants (if any). Two copies of a valid passport and two photos of each person (for ID cards) should be attached.

Notification of arrival

For missions covering Sweden from another country, please note that notification is only necessary for the head of mission, military attachés, police attachés and long-term chargé d’affaires (see chapter 5.6).

Photographs for ID cards

• Must be of high quality and show the applicant against a white background looking directly into the camera.
• Should not be more than six months old and must be 35−40 mm in width (standard passport photo).
• The space between the eyes and the chin must be 14−17 mm.
• If the applicant wears glasses the photograph must show the eyes clearly with no flash reflection off the glasses.
• Retouched photographs are not permitted. Head coverings worn for religious purposes are permitted.
• The applicant's name and date of birth and the name of the embassy should be written on the back of both photographs.

3.2.2 Residence permits

For non EU/EEA citizens, after arrival and notification, the Protocol Department issues residence permits to mission staff, their family members who form part of the regular household (please see chapter 2.4 for the definition of family member) and private servants. All individuals granted residence permits are expected to reside in Sweden. 

As proof of the residence permit, a residence permit card will be issued. The residence permit card facilitates travel within the Schengen area.

For the issuance of the residence permit card, each person is required to visit the Protocol for photography and electronic signature. Diplomatic agents, members of the administrative and technical staff, consuls, consular agents and their family members are exempt from the collection of biometric data (fingerprints), while this is required for service staff and private servants 

Upon initial application, a residence permit valid for three years is issued to members of the administrative and technical staff and members of the service staff. The permit may be extended for a maximum of two years at a time and for a total period of no longer than eight years. The same rule applies to consulate equivalents. This does not apply to EU/EEA citizens who have the right of residence in Sweden under EU law. The limitation to eight years does not apply to officials at international organisations or their family members. 

Information on residence permits for private servants is available in chapter 7.5. 

To extend residence permits and/or renew identity cards, the form 'Supplementary notification' should be used. One copy of a valid passport and one photo of each person should be attached. The form should state the estimated length of stay. The length of the residence permit can never exceed the expiry date of the passport.

Supplementary notification

3.3.2 Identity cards

3.2.4 Population register

Mission staff (diplomatic agents, administrative and technical staff, service staff, private servants and the corresponding consular staff members) should not register in the Population Register.

Locally employed staff must be either Swedish citizens or registered in the Population Register before being employed. They may not be registered in the Population Register after they have been employed.

The local recruitment of non-Swedish citizens is only permitted if the employee holds a residence and work permit issued by the Migration Agency valid for the duration of the employment and is registered in the Swedish Population Register.

Staff (and their families) working at international organisations that have concluded seat agreements with the Swedish government should register in the Population Register.

3.2.5 Staff members on a diplomatic posting

All staff members (except locally employed staff) are considered to be on a diplomatic posting by the sending state. This includes staff members who have been recruited in the sending states and who are nationals of the sending state or third country nationals. The mission concerned bears the full financial responsibility for these staff members and their families, including health insurance.

Recruitment of third country nationals must be confirmed in a note to the Protocol Department from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in the sending state.