Sweden’s visitor’s permit stands alone when it comes to Schengen visa of European countries due to its type and length of stay allowed. Many of you might think that 3 months of visit visa duration of ‘C’ type short-term visa of all EU countries is not good enough in terms of staying there, visiting family and friends and for the tourism purpose. So what to do for staying longer, more than 90 days in Europe on a visitor’s visa. Here is the solution for you. If you have minimum budget and you want to stay longer on a visit visa in Europe, visit permit of Sweden allows you to stay there for more than 90 days. So check out here all the details in order to apply.
VISA TYPE
This is not a typical type of ‘C’ visa for short stay. Instead it is a visit permit that means you will get a residence card instead of a visa sticker on your passport. The residence card includes your bio metrics, photo and duration of your stay.
VISA DURATION
In most cases (95%) visa permit duration is almost 6 months. In some cases it could also be of a year.
EMBASSY FEES
According to Swedish Immigration Agency, the current visa application fees has been set to SEK 1,000 (USD 110 approx.) for adults and SEK 500 (USD 55 approx.) for the children. This amount you pay is non refundable. Do check always latest visa application fees from the local embassy or consulates of Sweden. The amount is always accepted in local currency.
WORK RIGHTS
As this visa is specially to visit family or friends in Sweden, the sole purpose, you are not allowed to work there in any case what so ever. If you do you illegally, your permit could be revoked.
WHERE TO APPLY?
You apply for visit permit in local Swedish embassy or consulate in your country of origin. You will be asked there to give your bio metrics and photograph. Find your embassy at Swedenabroad.se
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
You are only eligible to apply in case you have letter of invitation from Sweden and you are financially good. Your sponsor can also fund you for your travel. In case you are supported by sponsor too, they must provide their financial documents such as job or work documents and bank statement too with letter of support. Since the visa of longer stay and purpose than of 90 days, you should have advisably accommodation arrangements by your invitee (hotels in Sweden cost a lot for a stay of more than 3 months and the embassy might ask you to show that you have extra money for a stay in hotel for the desired time period).
REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
You must provide a type of documents that are required by Swedish embassy or consulate. If you don’t provide all required documents, your visa application will be refused. Here is details of documents that you must submit at the time you visit embassy for visit permit.
Letter of invitation
You must have a letter of invitation from someone you are visiting in Sweden. This is just a simple invitation form that they have to fill in with their personal details. They must also include their copy of passport and ID document and then send these all to you.
You can download the form here Invitation for visiting longer than 90 days, form number 249011
Visa application forms
You must fill in visa application forms in order to apply for Sweden visit permit. The visa forms include you personal details, details of your family and other information regarding your visit.
You can download here the forms:
Application for a visitor’s permit, form number 165011
Application for a visitor’s permit for a child under the age of 18, form number 167011
Family details – appendix to your application, form number 239011
In addition to these, you must also provide following documents to apply for Sweden visit permit:
- account statement or other document showing that you have sufficient funds for your time in Sweden
- copies of the pages in your passport which show your personal information, photograph, signature, passport number, passport issuing country, the period of the passport’s validity and whether you have permission to live in countries other than your country of origin.
- a return ticket or other document showing that you have sufficient funds to buy one. You can also submit a return ticket reservation and can pay for the ticket after you get the visa.
- job or business details including your pay slips, tax returns, and any other important documents
- job vocation letter or other letter confirming who will handle your business when you will be in Sweden
- proof of marriage if you are married
- birth certificates of children
- proof of accommodation (if you are going to stay with your invitee, they must send you proof of their accommodation plus they must also show they have ample accommodation. If not this, submit a proof of hotel reservation (you must not pay in advance for your hotel bookings).
- a cover letter showing all details of your planned visit
- proof of any previous visits abroad
- health insurance arrangements
HOW TO APPLY?
Once you are ready with all above mentioned documents, you must submit you visit permit application in Swedish consulate of Embassy in your country. You first get appointment through their set aside way (mostly used means are call or email). On the appointment day, you will go to the embassy or consulate to submit your application. You will have to pay the visit permit fees. You will be photographed and also be asked to submit your bio metrics. You will so be interviewed at the same time. Find your embassy at Swedenabroad.se
INTERVIEW AT EMBASSY
When you submit your application in Swedish embassy, you are interviewed. In this interview, you are asked many a questions regarding your visa application. The main questions could be:
- main reason of visiting Sweden
- reasons of visiting Sweden for more than 90 days
- personal and family details
- personal financial details
- previous education and job or work history
- details about your absence from work or job (you must convince the interviewer that how would you afford the absence from your business or job)
- health insurance details during your stay in Sweden
- where would you stay in Sweden for such a long time
- if accompanied by family, how would you support them too financially
- details of sponsor
- details of invitation letter
- relation between you and sponsor
- how long have you known each other
- their job or business information
- return to country of origin
- who will be paying for accommodation
- who will pay for travel cost and return air tickets
WHO GIVES DECISION ON YOUR VISA APPLICATION?
Once you have submitted your visa application in Swedish embassy and have been interviews, your application will be forwarded to Migration Agency in Sweden. They will then process your application onward. Once the decision has been made, you will be informed by embassy or consulate. You will then carry your passport to receive your visit permit. In some cases, it takes time to receive the visit permit card after the decision on your application.
IF YOU RECEIVE NEGATIVE DECISION
If the Migration Agency does not grant you a residence permit, you may appeal the decision within three weeks of the day you received it. Information on how to do this can be found in the decision.