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. 

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

For the issuance of a residence permit card, each person is required to visit the Protocol Deparmtent at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs to be photographed and to provide an 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), whereas this is required for service staff and private servants. 

Followong the 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. A residence 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 to reside in Sweden under EU law. The eight year limitation does not apply to officials at international organisations or their family members. 

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

To extend residence permits and/or renew identity cards, the 'Supplementary notification' form is used (via the link below). 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 a residence permit can never extend beyond the expiry date of the passport.

Supplementary notification