Description

Sweden Schengen Visa Policy

Sweden Schengen Visa maintains the same regional policy as other Schengen countries in Europe because it is also a Schengen country. All visitors coming to Sweden must hold Schengen visas issued by a Swedish foreign mission unless they are from a visa-exempt country.

After becoming a signatory to the Schengen Agreement, Sweden adopted the Schengen protocol, allowing it to issue Schengen visas and recognize Schengen visas issued by other member nations. The wider policy of the Schengen Agreement is designed to foster the socio-cultural, economic, and judicial integration of European countries. While most countries recognize Schengen protocols, including non-Schengen countries, The Republic of Ireland does not and operates its visa policy.

With a Schengen visa, a visitor can enter Sweden by land, air, or sea and stay for up to 90 days within a 180-day period. This visa can also be used to travel to other Schengen countries for short trips instead of applying for a new visa for each new country. However, if you wish to stay for much longer, you must apply for a long-stay visa at the Swedish embassy instead.

It Is also important to point out that you can also use a. Schengen visa issued by Sweden to visit other non-Schengen countries that observe Schengen protocols despite not being part of the Union. These countries are Romania, Cyprus, Bulgaria, and Iceland, to mention a few.

Sweden Schengen Visa -Free Countries

Sweden maintains a comprehensive visa exempt list that is constantly updated in accordance with regional Schengen Agreements with other member states. Nationals from any country on this list don’t have to apply for a visa to enter Sweden, as they can do so visa-free. However, they must get ETIAS pre-screening approval to do so.

If you are from any of the following countries, you can stay in Sweden for up to 90 days in 6 months.

If you are not from any of the visa-exempt countries, you can still enter Sweden, but you must hold a residence permit or a visa issued by Sweden, another Schengen state, or the Principality of Monaco.

Sweden Schengen Visa

Sweden issues Schengen visas like the 26 other Schengen countries in the region by being a signatory to the Schengen Agreement. Schengen visas are valid for 180 days, and visitors can stay in the country for up to 90 days. This visa is open to nationals from most countries on the planet that are not on the Schengen list. Schengen visas are mostly issued as multiple entry visas for tourism, business, and transit in some cases.

This visa can be used to enter multiple countries in the Schengen region apart from Sweden, and it is also accepted as an entry document by Cyprus, Bulgaria, and Romania. However, the visitor must respect the 90/180 rule and stay within the countries they visit.

Note: Visas and permits issued by Romania, Cyprus, or Bulgaria are not recognized by Sweden.

Sweden doesn’t have a visa-on-arrival policy, so holders must be issued visas or pre-screened by the ETIAS System before being allowed into the country. Also, they must have valid passports that will not expire for at least another 3 months after their departure date.

Sweden Schengen Visa ETIAS

All Schengen countries agreed to adopt a single pre-screening system to check visitors for potential threats. The European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) is a vetting program that screens visitors from visa-exempt countries for short visits. While visas may not be required for such visitors, they must pass the Etias check to obtain approval before they can visit Sweden or any Schengen country. This program is already partially in operation but will be fully implemented for all visitors by 2024.

Under current guidelines, an eligible applicant must fill out an online application form. The form must contain accurate information about their passport data, Itinerary and their personal details. In the same form are a set of security questions which they must answer honestly about their status. Also, there is an application fee which must be paid before they can submit it for processing but this fee is not charged for persons under 6 and above 80 years old.

ETIAS processing takes under 30 minutes to get approved or denied but in a situation where neither occurs, the applicant’s data will be forwarded to the Local unit of the Swedish department for further vetting.

Key Details About Sweden ETIAS

Only For Short Visits: The Swedish European Travel Information and Authorization System is strictly for short-term visits that will not exceed 90 days. It is not a long-stay residency visa and should not be used as such. If you want to stay in Sweden for much longer, you should get a visa instead.

Respect the 90/180 Rule: You should respect the 90/180 rules during your time in Sweden or any other Schengen country. This rule restricts the visitor to just 90 days of stay in 180 days. Staying a single day more within a 180-day period is prohibited. The same rule holds if you travel to two or more countries in the region.

Primary Destination Rule: Another rule to bear in mind is the primary entry rule. ETIAS visitors who wish to visit more than one Schengen country must list the first country they will enter as their primary destination. If Sweden is the first country you plan to visit before traveling to another country, and that appears on your ETIAS, traveling to another country first is discouraged; you key even encounter issues with the immigration officers of that country.

Use the Same Passport: You must travel to Sweden with the passport you used for the ETIAS application. Your passport must be valid for at least three months beyond your planned departure date. Bear in mind that Etias approvals are linked to the passport you apply with and can be generated electronically by Swedish Immigration. If you bring a different passport for your trip, it will be assumed that you don’t have entry approval so you will be denied entry.

Local Unit: ETIAS processing only takes some minutes and not more than 20 minutes in rare cases. However, in special situations, an applicant’s details will be forwarded to the local unit of the country they plan to visit for further vetting. This is the same if their data doesn’t trigger an automatic cancellation. Further vetting may take up to 3 weeks or more, but you will receive an email notification to that effect.