Swedish citizen by descent after 50 years

Although the new rules are making it more difficult to obtain Swedish citizenship, we are proud to share a success story: our law firm recently helped a client regain her Swedish citizenship after more than 50 years.

According to the Swedish Citizenship Act, it is possible to become a Swedish citizen even if you are born outside Sweden, as long as one or both of your parents were Swedish citizens at the time of your birth. This is known as Swedish citizenship by descent.

However, there is an important limitation: if you were born abroad and have lived outside Sweden for most of your life, you may lose your Swedish citizenship unless you apply to retain it before turning 22 years old.

Our client was born abroad to Swedish parents but never applied to retain her citizenship before the age of 22. On paper, this meant that she had lost her right to Swedish nationality. We argued, however, that she had a special affinity to Sweden through family ties, cultural links, and continued contact with Sweden.

The outcome was positive: the Migration Agency confirmed that our client is indeed a Swedish citizen.

This decision is a very positive outcome for our client, who can now fully reclaim her Swedish identity and legal rights in Sweden. However, the process highlights an ongoing issue: applications concerning Swedish citizenship can often take up to two years before a decision is made.

Whether you are applying for the first time, seeking to retain your Swedish nationality, or trying to reclaim lost citizenship, our team has the expertise to guide you through the legal process.

If you need advice on your Swedish citizenship status, contact us to request a free consultation.