Citizenship test: who is exempt

The medborgarskapsprov (citizenship test) is a new written test about Swedish society. Not everyone who applies for citizenship has to take it, and this article is about who does not.

The knowledge requirement applies to applicants aged 16 to 66. If you are under 16 or over 66, it does not apply to you at all.

Who the requirement covers

The requirement is to show samhällskunskap (basic knowledge of Swedish society). For most people, the medborgarskapsprov is how you show it. The new rules apply to applications from 6 June 2026, and the society test is offered from August 2026.

The age limit is firm. Under 16 or over 66, you fall outside the requirement. There is no test to book and nothing to pass.

You can also meet it without the test

You do not have to sit the test if you have already shown the knowledge through certain Swedish education. Migrationsverket (the Swedish Migration Agency) accepts several routes.

• School grades that cover Swedish and Swedish society.
• SFI (svenska för invandrare, Swedish for immigrants), course D.
• Municipal adult education, komvux.
• Folk high school, folkhögskola.
• Tisus, the Swedish proficiency test for university.

If a test would be unreasonable for you

Migrationsverket can waive the requirement for someone with a documented, permanent funktionsnedsättning (functional disability). It can also waive it where sitting a test would be unreasonable for other reasons.

First, UHR (the Swedish Council for Higher Education) tries to offer an adapted test, an anpassning. A full waiver comes only when even an adapted test would not work.

Migrationsverket decides your case

Whether an exemption applies to you is not for you or for us to decide. Migrationsverket assesses each application and decides if you must show the knowledge, and how.

So do not assume that you are exempt, and do not assume that you are not. Check your own situation against Migrationsverket's information, and let them make the decision on your application.