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Citizenship

What is the difference between Swedish citizenship and permanent residence?

A permanent residence permit (PUT) lets you live and work in Sweden without a time limit, but it is still a permit that can lapse or be revoked and gives no Swedish passport. Citizenship is a legal status that gives a passport, the right to vote in national elections, protection from deportation and EU citizenship.

Updated

  • PUT: the right to live and work without a time limit, but the permit can lapse (e.g. after long-term residence abroad) or be revoked, and gives no passport.
  • Citizenship: a Swedish passport, the right to vote in national (Riksdag) elections, protection from deportation and EU citizenship.
  • Holding a PUT or equivalent residence status is normally a precondition for applying for citizenship.

Read more about permanent residence and the exact conditions. For how the two statuses interact in your specific case, check Migrationsverket.

Sources

Official details can change. Always confirm what applies to your own case directly with the responsible authority.

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