Applying for a Schengen Visa to Sweden

A Schengen visa is a short-stay visa that allows you to enter Sweden for purposes such as tourism, business, or medical treatment. Applying for a Schengen visa may be simple enough, but it’s very important to know who needs to apply and how to apply to avoid any problems that could interfere with your travel plans.

Our visa experts have crafted the following guide to assist you at every stage of the Swedish Schengen visa application process. Filled with valuable insights and in-depth information based on our expertise, this comprehensive guide will aid you in thoroughly preparing for your upcoming trip.

Applying for a Sweden Visa from the UK - Step by Step Process

How to Apply for a Sweden Schengen Visa?

Here is a step-by-step guide on how to apply for your Sweden Schengen visa:

Check if you need a visa.
Understand the type of visa you need.
Determine where to lodge your application.
Complete and download the visa application form.
Schedule your visa appointment.
Prepare the required documents.
Attend your appointment.
Wait for the visa to process.
Collect your passport.

Check if You Need a Visa

Whether you need to apply for a Sweden Schengen visa depends on your nationality, the purpose of your visit, and the length of your stay.

Who Needs a Visa?

You will have to apply for a visa when travelling to Sweden if you are:

A citizen of a non-EU country that has not reached a visa liberalisation agreement with the EU.
A citizen of a non-EU country that has reached a visa liberalisation agreement with the EU, but you were rejected from entering Sweden or any other Schengen country visa-free.

Who Doesn’t Need a Visa?

You are exempt from applying for a visa to enter Sweden if you fall into any of the following categories:

You are a citizen of an EU member state, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, or Switzerland.
You hold a passport from the US, Canada, Australia, Japan, or any other country with a visa liberalisation agreement with the EU.
You possess a valid residence permit from any country within the Schengen area.

For those exempt from a visa, check out the required documents for entry into Sweden. It’s always good to be prepared!

Understand the Visa Type You Need

The Sweden Schengen visa is just one visa but can be issued for different purposes depending on why you want to visit the country.

Short-term Visa (Schengen C visa)

Sweden Transit Visa. You can apply for a Sweden transit visa if you need to pass through Sweden on your way to another destination.
Sweden Tourist Visa.If you’re planning to explore Sweden for leisure purposes, you’ll need to apply for a Sweden Tourist Visa.
Sweden Business Visa. You need to apply for this visa to travel to Sweden for business purposes, such as meeting a potential business partner or attending a business conference.
Sweden Student Visa. If you’re considering taking part in short-term study programs in Sweden, you’ll need to obtain a Sweden Schengen student visa.
Sweden Medical Visa.If you require medical treatment in Sweden, you’ll need to apply for a Sweden medical visa
Sweden Cultural Visa. If you’re participating in cultural or artistic events in Sweden, you’ll need to secure a Sweden cultural visa for your visit.
Sweden Official Visa. You need to apply for this visa to attend official meetings as a diplomat or an official representative of your country in Sweden.

Long-term Visa (National D visa)

Sweden Family Visa. You need a Sweden family visa if you plan to join a family member who is already residing in Sweden.
Sweden Work Visa. To work in Sweden, you’ll need to obtain a Sweden work visa.
Sweden Working Holiday Visa. If you’re a young adult looking to work and travel in Sweden, consider applying for a Sweden working holiday visa.
Sweden Investment Visa. This visa offers residency to individuals who make significant investments in the country.

More information about Sweden long stay visas at MigrationSverket.se

Determine Where to Lodge Your Application

At some point during the application process, you will be required to submit your visa application in person to either a Swedish embassy or a third-party representative (e.g., a visa application centre—VAC or another Schengen country representing Sweden). This depends on the available options in your country of residence.

Swedish Embassy/Consulate

If you’re a citizen or a foreign resident of the following countries, you must submit your application to a Swedish embassy:

Bosnia and Herzegovina
Cuba
Iran
Israel
Japan
Romania
South Korea

VFS Global Centre

If you are a citizen or a foreign resident of the following countries, you need to submit your application at a VFS visa office:

Australia
Indonesia
Saudi Arabia
Bangladesh
Jordan
Senegal
Benin
Kenya
Sierra Leone
Bhutan
Lebanon
Singapore
Bolivia
Liberia
South Africa
Cambodia
Malaysia
Sri Lanka
Cameroon
Mauritania
Tanzania
Canada
Mongolia
Thailand
Cape Verde Islands
Morocco
Tunisia
Chile
Myanmar (Burma)
Turkiye
China
Nepal
United Arab Emirates
Colombia
Nigeria
United Kingdom
Ecuador
Oman
United States of America
Egypt
Pakistan
Vietnam
Ethiopia
Palestinian Territories
Zambia
Hong Kong
Philippines
Zimbabwe
India
Russia

Another Schengen Embassy/Consulate Representing Sweden

If you are a citizen or a foreign resident of the following countries, Sweden is represented by another Schengen country where in some cases, you may be directed to submit your visa application to that country:

Country	Sweden represented by:	Country	Sweden represented by:
Algeria	Poland	Kyrgyzstan	Sweden
Angola	Portugal	Laos	France
Argentina	Norway	Libya	Applicants are referred to the Embassy of Sweden in Cairo or Amman.
Armenia	Sweden	Madagascar	Switzerland
Australia	Norway	Malaysia	Denmark
Azerbaijan	France	Malawi	Norway
Bahrain	Sweden	Mali	Denmark
Belarus	Estonia	Malta	Sweden
Bhutan (visa applications must be submitted to VFS Global)	Denmark	Mauritania (visa applications must be submitted to VFS Global)	France
Botswana	Sweden	Mauritius	France
Brazil	Norway	Mexico	Denmark
Bulgaria	Finland	Moldova	Hungary
Burkina Faso	Denmark	Mongolia (visa applications must be submitted to VFS Global)	Sweden
Burundi	Belgium	Mozambique	France
Cambodia (visa applications must be submitted to VFS Global)	France	Namibia	Finland
Cameroon (visa applications must be submitted to VFS Global)	Embassy of Sweden in Nairobi handles applications.	New Zealand	Netherlands
Canada (visa applications must be submitted to VFS Global)	Denmark	Niger	France
Cape Verde (visa applications must be submitted to VFS Global)	Portugal	Oman (visa applications must be submitted to VFS Global)	Netherlands
Central African Republic	France	Paraguay	Spain
China (visa applications must be submitted to VFS Global)	Finland	Peru	Finland
China	Norge	Philippines (visa applications must be submitted to VFS Global)	Embassy of Sweden in Bangkok handles applications.
Congo (DR)	Belgium	Qatar	The Netherlands
Congo (DR)	Belgium	Russia (visa applications must be submitted to VFS Global)	Finland
Congo (Republic)	Italy	Rwanda	Belgium
Costa Rica	Spain	Saint Lucia	France
Croatia	Norway	São Tomé and Principe	Portugal
Cyprus	Finland	Senegal (visa applications must be submitted to VFS Global)	Netherlands
Djibouti	France	Singapore (visa applications must be submitted to VFS Global)	Denmark
East Timor	Portugal	South Sudan	(Embassy of Sweden in Addis Abeba handles applications)
Equatorial Guinea	Spain	Sri Lanka (visa applications must be submitted to VFS Global)	Norway
Eritrea	Italy	Sudan	Norway
Fiji	France	Surinam	Netherlands
Gabon	Spain	Taiwan	Sweden
Gambia	Netherlands (visa applications must be submitted to VFS Global)	Tajikistan	Sweden
Georgia	Latvia	Tchad	France
Ghana	Denmark	The Dominican Republic	Spain
Guinea	France	Togo	France
Guinea-Bissau	Portugal	Trinidad and Tobago	Netherlands
Haiti	France	Tunisia (visa applications must be submitted to VFS Global)	Finland
Ireland	Denmark	Turkmenistan	Sweden
Ivory Coast	Belgium	Uganda	France
Jamaica	Belgium	Uruguay	Spain
Kazakhstan	Lithuania	Uzbekistan	Sweden
Kazakhstan	Latvia	Yemen	(Embassy of France in Djibouti and Embassy of Sweden in Cairo handle applications)
Kuwait	Netherlands	Zimbabwe (visa applications must be submitted to VFS Global)	France

Who Should Apply for a Schengen Visa at the Swedish Embassy/Consulate/VAC?

If Sweden is the only country in the Schengen Area you plan to visit, it’s straightforward – apply at the Swedish embassy/consulate or the authorized Visa Application Center (VAC) in your country of residence.

However, if your journey includes Sweden and at least one more Schengen state, apply at the Swedish embassy/consulate/VAC in your country of residence only if:

You will spend more days in Germany than in the other Schengen countries.
You will spend an equal amount of time in each country, but you are starting your Schengen adventure by entering through Germany.

You can’t apply for a short-stay Swedish visa from a country where you are currently on a short-stay visa. You must hold a residence permit in the country where you are applying.