Number of Swedish citizenship seekers summoned for physical identity verification checks
The Swedish Migration Agency has implemented new security measures for citizenship applications, causing delays and changes to the process. Applicants are advised to pay close attention to their appointment letters and the instructions contained within.
In a move aimed at enhancing national security, the Migration Agency introduced additional security checks in April. These checks, which include an 11-page questionnaire, were ordered by the government and its far-right Sweden Democrat allies in January. As a result, the agency was unable to approve any citizenship through naturalisation cases for almost two months due to unfinished appointment routines.
The appointment letter, sent out by post once an applicant reaches the final stages of their citizenship application, confirms the appointment details, lists all documents to bring (passport, ID, proof of residency, etc.), informs about identity verification steps, and warns of additional security-related questions about personal history, travel, and background.
Applicants have eight weeks from the date the letter is sent to book an appointment or contact the Migration Agency, or risk their application being denied. The letters also detail the documents applicants should bring to their appointments and provide instructions on how to book an appointment through the "Min Sida" page on the Migration Agency's website.
The ID checks are part of these new security measures, and applicants might be asked to answer more detailed questions during their appointment, potentially resembling interrogation-like questioning about their background and intentions, to ensure thorough vetting.
Sweden's Migration Minister, Johan Forssell, later denied that the underlying intention was to slow down citizenship applications. However, experts had previously guessed that security checks would be tightened as a pretext of slowing down the awarding of new citizenships until stricter rules are in place in 2026.
Despite the delays, the Migration Agency predicts that it will still be able to conclude 87,000 applications each year in 2025 and 2026, but the new security checks have lowered this estimate to 64,000 in 2025 and 65,000 in 2026.
As of the provided information, over 2,000 appointment letters have been sent out to applicants, and according to the Migration Agency, 75 percent of recently concluded cases involving adults received a decision within 24 months. It is essential for applicants to carefully review their appointment letters and prepare accordingly to ensure a smooth and successful citizenship application process.
Following the implementation of additional security checks by the Swedish Migration Agency, there have been changes and delays in the policy-and-legislation of citizenship applications. This shift in politics, driven by the government and its Sweden Democrat allies, has resulted in a greater focus on general-news such as the introduction of an 11-page questionnaire and more detailed identity verification.
