Dependent Permits for Family members (Children)

Children visa = dependent permit

There are many different types of permits that allow people to bring their dependents with them to Sweden. The type of permit that should be applied for will vary depending on the situation of the person that is living in Sweden. In this article, we will be covering Sweden children visa requirements or dependent requirements to people coming to Sweden for work. Specifically with ICT permits, standard work permits, or EU blue cards.

A family member is defined as a: wife, husband, cohabiting partner, registered partner and unmarried children under the age of 18 or 21 (this will depend on the permit). In some cases, unmarried children who are 21 years or older can be given a permit in certain cases. The requirement is that they are being supported financially by you or your partner. Other family members such as parents or siblings usually do not qualify as dependents under the permit types mentioned above.

Each permit has slightly different requirements regarding the maximum age of a child. This as well as the overall process for applying as a family member will be discussed under each individual section. There are some things that all of the above mentioned permits have in common, which will be discussed in this article. You can find information about spouse dependent permit here.

General tips when applying a permit for your children:

1. Apply together
   If your children will be moving to Sweden together with or shortly after parents/guardian (the person who will work in Sweden), the best thing to do is to submit an application together. All of the permits listed below allow for the possibility to add family members in the online application form. This will save time and that all applications are processed and approved at the same time.
2. No requirement for dependents to enter Sweden within a certain amount of time
   One important thing to keep in mind is that there is no timeline for when the dependent needs to travel to Sweden after having their permit approved. This means that you can still apply together even if the family members will be travelling to Sweden a few months after the main applicant will.
3. Dependents with family already in Sweden
   If parents/guardian is already in Sweden on a permit, then there are a few things to keep in mind. Dependent permits can generally not be granted for a period shorter than 3 months. If the parents/guardian’s work permit in Sweden is expiring shortly, there is a risk that your children’s permit will not be processed until you (Parents/Guardian) in Sweden has received an extension that would make it possible to grant your children a permit for more than 3 months.
4. Have updated passports
   Generally permits in Sweden can be granted for a period of up to 2 years at a time. It is therefore good to ensure that your children’s passport to be valid for at least 2 years in order to avoid having to submit more applications than necessary.

Dependent to someone with a work permit in Sweden

Dependents to someone holding a work permit in Sweden have some of the most lenient rules. For this type of permit the following family members are classified as dependents: Unmarried children under the age of 21.

In some cases, unmarried children who are 21 years or older can be given a permit in certain cases. The requirement is that they are being supported financially by you or your partner or guardian.

These are the documents that tend to be required:

Biological children under the age of 21:

• Passport copies (should show your personal information, photograph, signature, passport number, passport issuing country, the passport’s period of validity, bar code on the identification page and whether you have permission to live in countries other than your country of origin)
• Birth certificate stating the name of both parents – if the birth certificate does not state the name of both parents than other government documents such as a family registry can be provided as supplemental information. If this is not in English or Swedish a translated copy should be provided in addition to the original. It must be an official translator who provides the translation and generally there should be a stamp or a seal to prove the translations authenticity.
• If only one biological parent is going, consent is required from the other parent (only required for children under 18). The letter of consent should be signed and should clearly state that the parent allows the child to stay in Sweden. A copy of the other parent’s ID should also be included (passport, national ID card, or other forms of ID are generally accepted).
• If you have sole custody, court documents or other legally documents must be submitted as proof of this.

Non-biological children:

• Passport copies (should show your personal information, photograph, signature, passport number, passport issuing country, the passport’s period of validity, bar code on the identification page and whether you have permission to live in countries other than your country of origin)
• Birth certificate – If this document is not in English or Swedish a translated copy should be provided in addition to the original. It must be an official translator who provides the translation and generally there should be a stamp or a seal to prove the translations authenticity.
• Proof of custody of the child (adoption papers, or other legally documents must be submitted as proof of this)

Dependent to someone with an ICT permit or EU blue card in Sweden

For this type of permit the following family members are classified as dependents: Unmarried children under the age of 18.

Unlike a standard work permit, children over the age of 18 do not qualify as dependents under these types of permits.

These are the documents that tend to be required:

Biological children under the age of 18:

• Passport copies (should show your personal information, photograph, signature, passport number, passport issuing country, the passport’s period of validity, bar code on the identification page and whether you have permission to live in countries other than your country of origin)
• Birth certificate stating the name of both parents – if the birth certificate does not state the name of both parents than other government documents such as a family registry can be provided as supplemental information. If this is not in English or Swedish a translated copy should be provided in addition to the original. It must be an official translator who provides the translation and generally there should be a stamp or a seal to prove the translations authenticity.
• If only one biological parent is going, consent is required from the other parent. The letter of consent should be signed and should clearly state that the parent allows the child to stay in Sweden. A copy of the other parent’s ID should also be included (passport, national ID card, or other forms of ID are generally accepted).
• If you have sole custody, court documents or other legally documents must be submitted as proof of this.

Non-biological children:

• Passport copies (should show your personal information, photograph, signature, passport number, passport issuing country, the passport’s period of validity, bar code on the identification page and whether you have permission to live in countries other than your country of origin)
• Birth certificate – If this document is not in English or Swedish a translated copy should be provided in addition to the original. It must be an official translator who provides the translation and generally there should be a stamp or a seal to prove the translations authenticity.
• Proof of custody of the child (adoption papers, or other legally documents must be submitted as proof of this)