Family reunification for people granted protection in Sweden
Official name: Residence permit on the grounds of family ties to a person with a protection permit (anhöriginvandring)
Spouses, cohabiting partners and children under 18 of people granted protection in Sweden can apply to join them. Since 1 October 2026, a reference person with a temporary permit must normally have lived in Sweden with a permit for two years first (refugees whose relationship began before entering Sweden are exempt), and the maintenance requirement amount has gone up. Refugees are exempt from the maintenance requirement if family applies within three months of the decision. There is no application fee for these family members.
Life in Sweden
Finance
3
Currency
Swedish Krona
SEK
Swedish Krona
Cost of living
91
Price level · US = 100
World Bank price levels, 2025
Tax
20%
Income tax (national)
VAT 25% · social security 7%
No state income tax below SEK 643,000 taxable income; 20% above. Municipal tax averages 32.38% on all earned income.
Living
1
Happiness
#5 of 145 countries
World Happiness Report 2025
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What gives you an edge here: passports, visas and permits you hold, work, study, language and family ties
Who it’s for
Immediate family of refugees and people with subsidiary protection or other protection-related permits in Sweden.
Eligibility
Reference person's permitPerson in Sweden
Sign in to check this route against your profileThe person in Sweden has a permanent permit; or a refugee or subsidiary-protection permit with well-founded prospects of permanent residence; or a permit for impediments to enforcement or exceptionally distressing circumstances with such prospects.
Two-year residence requirement (from 1 Oct 2026)Person in Sweden
Sign in to check this route against your profileIf you have a temporary permit, you need to have held a permit for at least two years when your family applies.
From 1 October 2026- Not required for refugees whose family relationship was established before entering Sweden
- Not required for certain children
- Exceptions are possible on special grounds
Official wording
A reference person with a temporary permit must have held a permit for at least two years when the family applies. Not required for refugees whose family relationship was established before entering Sweden, or for certain children; exceptions possible on special grounds.
Who counts as immediate familyFamily members
Sign in to check this route against your profileImmediate family means a spouse or cohabiting partner and children under 18, plus parents if you are under 18.
- Parents count only if the person in Sweden is under 18
- A new partner of a temporary permit holder: relationship must be from country of origin
- They must also have been unable to live together there
Official wording
Spouse or cohabiting partner and children under 18; parents if the person in Sweden is under 18. A new partner of someone with a temporary permit qualifies only if the relationship was established in the country of origin and they could not live together there.
A sneak peek at what's inside
- Next requirement
- Document checklist
- Fees
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- 2 more requirements
- 4 documents
- 2 fees
- 4 steps
- Processing times and conditions
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Official sources
- Migrationsverket: Family reunification (protection)
- Migrationsverket: Maintenance requirement for reference persons
- Migrationsverket: Live with a partner (fees, interview)
- Migrationsverket news: New rules on immigration due to family ties from 1 October (2026-10-01)
- Migrationsverket news: No permanent residence permits for former asylum seekers or their family members (2026-06-18, updated 2026-06-30)
