The government wants to make it harder to bring family to Sweden. On 30 June 2026 it sent a proposition (a bill) to the Riksdag (the Swedish parliament). The bill would tighten the rules for anhöriginvandring (family members moving here to join a relative who already lives in Sweden).
This matters most if your sponsor (anknytningsperson, the relative in Sweden the family wants to join) holds a tidsbegränsat uppehållstillstånd (a temporary residence permit). Nothing has changed yet. It is a proposal, and the Riksdag has not voted on it.
What the proposal would change
As a main rule, a sponsor with a temporary permit would need at least two years of residence in Sweden before family can join them. Today there is no such general two-year wait. The government says the change brings Sweden down to the minimum rules the European Union allows.
The proposal has some exceptions. The two-year wait would not apply to ensamkommande barn (children who came to Sweden without a parent). It would also not apply to refugees in certain situations.
A wider income requirement
The proposal also widens the försörjningskrav (the rule that the sponsor must be able to support both themselves and the family). It would apply in more cases than it does today.
One of the changes affects people who are already here. The income requirement would also apply when you apply for a fortsatt uppehållstillstånd (an extension of a permit you already hold). Today an extension is not always judged against that requirement.
When it could start, and what happens next
The government proposes that the new rules start on 1 October 2026. That date only holds if the Riksdag votes yes before then.
The bill is now being handled by the Socialförsäkringsutskottet (the parliamentary committee that handles migration and social insurance). The committee reviews it first. Then the Riksdag votes on it, and details can still change.
The two-year wait targets sponsors whose own permit is temporary. If your sponsor is a Swedish citizen or holds a permanent residence permit (PUT), this particular change is not aimed at you.
This article describes a proposal, not a decided rule. What the law requires today has not changed. How any new rule would apply to your own family case is for Migrationsverket (the Swedish Migration Agency) to decide, and a difficult case is worth putting to a qualified lawyer.
Sources
Official details can change. Always confirm what applies to your own case directly with the responsible authority.
