Migration Office in Sweden Declines to Accept Certain Passports for Legitimate Identification Purposes

Migration Office in Sweden Declines to Accept Certain Passports for Legitimate Identification Purposes

The Swedish Migration Agency has set guidelines for accepting identity documents that have been issued without the applicant's personal appearance, a situation that may arise due to COVID-19, wars, or other extraordinary circumstances.

Key Points of the Position Paper

The document, RÄST-2021/19545, issued by the Swedish Migration Agency in 2021, addresses when identity documents can be considered acceptable when issued without a face-to-face meeting with the issuing authorities.

Basic Principles

• Rule: Generally, identity documents issued without the applicant's presence are considered less reliable.
• Exceptions: However, in extraordinary circumstances, it can be acceptable if the issuance process is still considered reliable.
• Judgement: The Migration Agency evaluates each case individually to determine if the document is sufficiently credible, especially when verification is limited on-site.

Acceptance Criteria

Identity documents issued without personal appearance can be accepted, particularly when:

• The validity of the document is supported by additional evidence (such as birth certificates, previous identity documents, biometric data, registration records).
• The issuing country has reliable procedures for identity verification without the applicant's presence (such as electronic or government-supervised methods).
• The issuance took place in exceptional circumstances (such as pandemics, wars, natural disasters), making a personal meeting impossible.
• No concrete doubts about the authenticity of the documents exist and no indications of fraud or forgery are present.

Documentation

The Migration Agency emphasises that a meticulous documentation of each case is necessary. The process must be transparent, and the decision must be easily traceable and justified.

Summary

Conclusion: The Swedish Migration Agency accepts identity documents issued without personal appearance only when extraordinary circumstances are present, the issuance process is still considered reliable, and additional evidence supports the identity. The decision is always made on a case-by-case basis, with special care taken when the risk of fraud is high.

Source: Rättsligt ställningstagande RÄST-2021/19545 (internal document of the Migration Agency, 2021).

For specific examples or case groups, I can provide additional details!

Additional Information:

• In the UK, first-time passports are issued to adults without a physical appearance at a passport office, but occasional interviews may be requested.
• Similar situations were reported by an Irish reader, a Bangladeshi, and seven other British citizens.
• If the alternative identity documents are not provided within three weeks, the Swedish Migration Agency may decide the case, potentially denying Swedish citizenship.
• The UK briefly issued national ID cards between 2006 and 2011, after which existing cards were invalidated.
• The Swedish Migration Agency's position on identity documents issued without a physical appointment was outlined in a legal position paper written in 2021 and most recently updated in 2023.
• In the UK, a British passport holder who has known the applicant for at least two years can countersign the application.
• The Swedish Migration Agency states that an identity document issued without the applicant appearing in person cannot prove identity alone.
• The letter sent to the British reader recommended providing another form of national ID or having a Swedish relative vouch for their identity.
• The Swedish Migration Agency states that a passport renewal that includes checks of the photograph or other biometric data can be equated to a personal appearance, making the passport acceptable as proof of identity.
• The only other alternative provided by the Swedish Migration Agency was to have a Swedish family member vouch for the identity in person, but the British citizen does not have any Swedish family members.
• The Swedish Migration Agency stated that the passport cannot support the identity in an acceptable way.

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