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Residence Permits and Visas

It is very important that if you plan to enter Sweden, you are legally allowed to do so. Before you arrive, you must have a residence permit or visa in place if you do not have right of residence in Sweden. If you need a residence permit, be sure to apply as soon as your tuition fee (if applicable) is paid.

If you are going to study at Link枚ping University (LiU) for longer than three months you will need a residence permit or a right of residence. Apply well in advance to make sure that your application is processed in time. Different rules might apply in terms of the right of residence, depending on the country you come from. Some foreign nationals must have a visa in order to enter Sweden.聽

Are you an exchange student?

Different rules apply to non-EU/EEA students who come within the framework of an exchange agreement. For more information, please contact the Swedish Migration Agency directly. Should you have issues with your visa application and might not be able to participate in the exchange programme, please contact the exchange student coordinators.


How to apply for a residence permit

Mistakes to avoid when applying for a residence permit in Sweden

In this video, we explain how you can avoid the most common mistakes applicants make when applying for a residence permit.

Fee-paying students

Students from a non-European Union (EU) or non-European Economic Area (EEA) country, require a residence permit or a visa in order to study at LiU in Sweden. Your tuition fee must be paid before you apply for residence permit.

As soon as you have been admitted to LiU, start organising your paperwork to make sure everything is in order in time for your arrival. If you will be studying in Sweden for less than three months, you should not apply for a residence permit.

Step 1

Pay your first tuition fee instalment. Your permit application will not be processed until this is complete.

Step 2

Apply for a residence permit. We recommend that you submit an online application via the Swedish Migration Agency鈥檚 website as this is the easiest and fastest method. It usually takes two to three months for an application to be processed. The application will not be processed until you have submitted ALL relevant documentation. If your application is not complete, it will delay the process.

Step 3

You may be called for an interview at the Swedish embassy or consulate in your home country or the place you reside permanently.

For your application to be approved, you must:

  • hold a valid passport
  • be ready to show your passport at an embassy or Consulate General if you are outside Sweden. If you need to show your passport in person, the Migration Agency will contact you about where and when you can do so.
  • be admitted to full-time studies that require your physical presence at LiU.
  • be able to support yourself during the period for which you apply for a residence permit (one or two years). If you can show that you meet the maintenance requirement for two years, you can apply for a two-year residence permit.
  • have a comprehensive healthcare insurance policy (if you have paid you tuition fee, the Swedish Migration Agency will receive information about your FAS+ insurance coverage from LiU)

The Migration Agency will be notified in case of withdrawal from studies, study breaks or low/no engagement.

More information about residence permits is available from the Swedish Migration Agency. Check out 鈥渦seful links鈥� further below to read more.

New regulations for individuals granted residence permits for study purposes

Sweden will introduce new regulations for individuals granted residence permits for study purposes. These new rules bring Sweden in line with EU minimum requirements.

What the new regulations mean:

  • Paid work may not exceed 15 hours per week
  • Students must make satisfactory academic progress to maintain their residence permit (45 out of 60 credits per year)
  • Residence permits cannot be converted to another type after the first term

Read more about the聽

Distance learning with on-campus meetings 鈥� Visa

Students from outside the EU/ EEA enrolled in our distance programmes cannot receive a Swedish residence permit. If face-to-face meetings on campus are part of the distance programme, you should apply for a visa instead (if this is a requirement for citizens of your country).

You can obtain either a short-term visa for an unlimited number of short visits or a long-term visa that covers several repeated visits. The visas are administered by an embassy in your home country.

If you are studying 100% via distance, you cannot obtain a student visa to come to Sweden. You can instead apply for a tourist visa for shorter visits if you would like to visit Sweden. More information about visas is available from the Swedish Migration Agency.

Useful links

Government Offices of Sweden

Swedish Migration Agency

Swedish Tax Agency

Swedish personal identity number

Staying for one year or more?

If you plan to stay in Sweden for one year or more and have a residence permit for a year or longer, you should register in the Swedish Population Register to obtain a personal identity number.

Having a Swedish personal identity number will make several things easier in your everyday life here, such as getting a Swedish bank account if you need one.

Useful links

  • Study in Sweden
  • Swedish Tax Agency

Non-fee-paying students

Students from EU/EEA countries and Switzerland

If you are a citizen or long-term resident of a country within the EU/ EEA and Switzerland, you do not need a visa to visit Sweden. If you are an EU/EEA citizen, you also have a right of residence to study in Sweden if you have sufficient means to support yourself. This means that you are allowed to study in Sweden without a residence permit.

Swiss citizens must apply for a residence permit if staying in Sweden for longer than three months, but the permit is free of charge.

Residents of EU/EEA countries should confirm their status by reading more at the Swedish Migration Agency website.

Useful links

Swedish Tax Agency

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Are you correctly insured? Make sure to organise the right insurance cover. Check what student insurance is offered by LiU and what you need to arrange yourself for health, home, and travel.
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What does it cost to study at LiU?

Citizens from countries outside the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland must pay application and tuition fees for higher education in Sweden.