Pre-departure information

A residence permit is required for students from out-side the EU/EEA/Switzerland and should be applied for directly after receiving the letter of acceptance from SBS.

https://www.migrationsverket.se/English/Private-individuals/Studying-in-Sweden/Higher-education/Residence-permit-for-studies-in-higher-education/Apply-for-a-residence-permit-for-studies-in-higher-education.html

https://www.migrationsverket.se/English/Private-individuals/Studying-in-Sweden.html

Tips from past students applying for the residence permit:

• Bank accounts need to be in the student's name only. The Swedish Migration Agency wants proof of sufficient funds for their time abroad and proof that the funds are solely available to the student.

• Students need to scan their passport through the Freja app, a Swedish electronic identification app, before mailing in their application. Even though students submit a copy of their passport when they apply, they also have to scan it digitally.  

• The Freja app can be finicky- there are tips online to help like taking the cover off your phone and moving your phone very slowly as you scan. The chip is in the back of the U.S. passport, not the front. The scan only worked for me when I isolated the back cover and placed my phone directly on that page. I used ChatGPT to guide the placement, which helped a lot.

• If your application is denied and you must appeal, the letter that comes from the Swedish Migration Agency provides an address to a Box at the Migrations Department in the city of Umea. The postal code they provide is 901 08. Courier services here may not recognize that postal code in their systems and suggest another postal code that will work. DHL used 903 30 and it was delivered.

Please note that resident permit/visa requirements can change at any moment and our offices will not be informed. It is the student’s responsibility to check the embassy website for updated procedures and required documentation.

If you have any questions, your best resource will be your host university or the consulate. Our office is happy to help as much as we can, but are not experts in immigration.