Swedish Parliament Adopts Stricter Citizenship Rules on April 29

The Swedish Parliament on Wednesday, April 29, adopted a law introducing new, stricter requirements for obtaining citizenship in the country. This was reported by the public broadcaster SVT, as conveyed by «European Pravda».

Under the new rules, foreigners must now reside in Sweden for at least eight years before applying for citizenship, which is three years longer than under previous requirements. Individuals aged 16 and over are also required to pass a special test assessing their knowledge of the Swedish language and civics.

Additionally, a new income requirement has been introduced: applicants must have an annual income of at least 241.8 thousand Swedish kronor, equivalent to approximately 22 thousand US dollars. These new requirements will come into force for prospective citizens starting June 6, regardless of when their application was submitted.

The government-initiated new requirements were approved by 258 votes from deputies against 33, with 58 members of parliament absent. These changes occur amidst broader discussions in Europe regarding migration policy. Recently, the Finnish government submitted a bill to parliament on deportation and entry bans, aimed at expediting the expulsion of rejected asylum seekers. Meanwhile, Germany reported a sharp decrease in asylum applications for 2025, and the Spanish government proposes to legalize 500,000 undocumented migrants and asylum seekers.