Swedish Government Proposes New Rules for Family Reunification

The Swedish Government wants to change the rules for family reunification in Sweden. The proposals include higher financial support requirements and new rules for people who want to bring their family members to Sweden.

It is important to note that these are proposals. The Government has submitted a bill to the Swedish Parliament, but the proposed rules are not yet in force.

If the proposals are approved, the new rules are planned to take effect on 1 October 2026.

Two-year waiting period in some cases

Under the proposal, people with a temporary residence permit would generally need to have held their permit for at least two years before family reunification could take place.

There would be exceptions. For example, labour migrants, researchers and doctoral students would be exempt from the two-year waiting period. Certain refugees would also be exempt.

Higher income requirements

The Government also proposes stricter financial support requirements for family reunification.

This means that a person living in Sweden may need to have a higher income in order to bring their partner or other family members to Sweden.

An important change is that, under the proposal, the financial requirement could also apply when a temporary residence permit is being extended.

This means the proposed rules could affect not only people who want to bring their family to Sweden, but also some families who are already living in Sweden.

Greater consideration of risks of violence

The proposal also includes rules that would allow authorities to pay greater attention to risks of violence or other serious violations within a family.

In certain cases, such circumstances could affect the assessment of an application for a residence permit.

New opportunities for some young adults

The bill also contains special rules for young adults between 18 and 21 years old.

The rules concern people who previously had a residence permit in Sweden because they were connected to a parent while they were children.

Under the proposal, some of these young adults would have an opportunity to obtain a residence permit during a transitional period, giving them more time to establish an independent life in Sweden.

There would also be a temporary possibility for certain people to apply for a residence permit from within Sweden, even though the normal rule is that an application must generally be made and approved before entering Sweden.

This could, among others, apply to certain people who previously had a residence permit based on their connection to a parent as a child and have since become adults.

When could the new rules take effect?

The Government proposes that the legislative changes should enter into force on 1 October 2026.

However, these are still proposed changes. The Swedish Parliament will continue to consider the proposal, and the final rules could change before a decision is made.

What does this mean for you?

If you have family members outside Sweden or already have a temporary residence permit, these proposed changes may be important to know about.

Family reunification rules can be complicated, and the requirements depend on the type of residence permit you have. It is therefore important to check the latest information from the Swedish Migration Agency before applying or making plans.

In short: The Swedish Government wants to make the rules for family reunification stricter, but the new rules are not yet in force. If the Parliament approves the proposals, they are planned to take effect on 1 October 2026.