We offer the following services

The Consulate of Sweden in San Diego can help Swedish Citizens with:

In this section, you will find information about services and links to downloadable forms.

We offer the information regarding the following services

For your convenience, we also provide information that can guide you in other consular matters in which we are not the main authority.

  • Information about emergency assistance for Swedish citizens.
  • Information for Swedish citizens on how to apply for new passports and visas.
  • Information for persons with both Swedish and American passports
  • Information about Swedish citizenship
  • Information about dual citizenship
  • Information about change of name
  • Information about Automatic Loss of Swedish Citizenship
  • Information about Swedish Pension and Retirement Benefits in the United States
  • Information about Swedish residency (in Swedish)

Emergency Passports

** Please note that we only offer emergency passport services on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays and that you need to call ahead before coming in to have your emergency passport issued.

To apply for a temporary passport in San Diego, please bring the following documents:

  • The old passport, valid or expired. If your passport expired more than three months ago, you need to bring a copy of your population registration record, available from the local tax office where you were most recently registered. www.skatteverket.se
  • Original documentation proving U.S. resident status (valid visa or green card) or U.S. citizenship (naturalization certificate), or notarized copy of same if applicable
  • If the applicant became a U.S. citizen before July 1, 2001, documentation from the Swedish Migration Board must be provided to certify that he/she has regained Swedish citizenship
  • 2 passport photos taken straight ahead with a light background and a neutral facial expression
  • Application fee of $230

If the applicant is a minor:

  • Written consent of both legal guardians.
  • If legal custody has been granted to one parent or to another person, legal proof of guardianship must be submitted with the application
>>Top of Page

Renewal of Swedish Driver's License

Your Swedish driver's license must be renewed every ten years. You must also replace your driver's license if it has been damaged, lost, or if personal information on it has changed.

An application form for a Swedish driver's license can only be obtained from the Embassy of Sweden in Washington D.C. or from any of the Swedish consulates in the U.S.

The form can not be downloaded from internet. You must complete the application yourself and submit it along with photographs to the Swedish National Transport Agency (Transportstyrelsen).

When your new driver's license has been issued, you may pick it up at the consular location you've indicated in your application.

The fee for a new driver's license is $60 and is payable at pick-up in San Diego or at any other Swedish consular location in the U.S. The Consulate of Sweden in San Diego accepts payments in cash or by check. If the license has already been paid for in Sweden, a $20 processing fee is due at pick-up in San Diego or at any other consular location in the U.S.

>>Top of Page

Passports

Different Alternatives for Swedes Abroad

Swedish nationals who reside abroad and who need a new passport or identity card have options for applying for new douments:

• The quickest and cheapest way is to apply while visiting Sweden.  You can contact any passport office (see www.polisen.se).
Normally, you can pick up a new passport or identity card within a week.  It is also possible to pickup your new passport or identity card at an embassy or consulate, although this takes longer and costs more.

• You may submit your application at a Swedish mission abroad.  New documents for travel take between three to four weeks as they are produced in Sweden and sent back by courier.  The documents can be picked up at any passport office in Sweden or abroad.

The Consulate of Sweden in San Diego charges a $20 service fee if you choose to pick up your passport here.

>>Top of Page

Multiple Passports

Persons who are citizens of both Sweden and the United States should carry both passports when travelling between the two countries.

The United States Department of State requires that all U.S. citizens, including those who have dual citizenship, must be in possession of a valid U.S. passport when leaving or entering the U.S.

Swedish citizens are expected to declare their nationality and to present a valid Swedish passport upon arrival in Sweden and/or the European Union.

>>Top of Page

Swedish Citizenship

Citizenship is a legally binding undertaking between a state and an individual (citizen) that commences either automatically at birth or through an application or notification process. Only Swedish citizens are allowed to carry Swedish passports. A Swedish citizen has the unconditional right to live and stay in Sweden.

You can become a Swedish citizen through:

  • birth
  • adoption
  • legitimization (marriage of parents)
  • application (naturalization)
  • notification (children, young adults aged 18-20, and Nordic citizens)

Child passport applicants who were born abroad and have never previously had a Swedish passport must first be added to the Swedish population register by applying for a coordination number.

Detailed information about all laws and regulations is available at the Swedish Migration Board website.

>>Top of Page

Dual Citizenship

One of the basic principles of Swedish civil law has been the avoidance of dual citizenship. With the adoption of the Citizenship Act of 2001, however, Sweden abandoned this principle.

On July 1, 2001, a new Citizenship Act came into effect in Sweden. The new law makes it possible to have dual citizenship. The law also gives children further opportunity to become Swedish citizens independent of their parents.

If you are a Swedish citizen and become a citizen of a second country, the new law means that you can keep your Swedish citizenship if the other country permits it. By the same token, if you become a Swedish citizen you can keep your foreign citizenship if the laws of that country permit it.

The U.S. State Department requires that all U.S. citizens, including those who have dual citizenship, must be in possession of a valid U.S. passport when leaving and entering the U.S. It is thus advisable for dual citizens to bring both passports when traveling internationally.

A provisional regulation made it possible for those who had lost their Swedish citizenship as a result of being granted citizenship in another country before July 1, 2001, to regain their Swedish citizenship through notification before June 30, 2003. This retroactive provision is no longer in effect.

Read more at the Swedish Migration Board website.

>>Top of Page

Change of Name

An application for a legal change of name may not be submitted along with a passport application. Contact the Swedish Tax Authority to apply for a name change before applying for a new passport.

In order to legally change your name, you must complete and submit the name change registration form SKV 7630. Read and follow the directions carefully.

If married, submit a copy of your marriage certificate. Note that your spouse must co-sign the application.

Mail the application to the local tax office where you were most recently registered.

>>Top of Page

Automatic Loss of Swedish Citizenship

You lose your Swedish citizenship when you turn 22, through statutory limitation, if you are a Swedish citizen who (1) was born outside of Sweden, (2) has never lived in Sweden and (3) has not stayed in Sweden under circumstances indicating an attachment to the country.

To avoid losing your Swedish citizenship if you were born and are still living abroad, you can apply to keep it. You must do so before the age of 22.

You do not need to file an application if you have lived in Sweden during any period of your life or if you visit Sweden regularly.

The application can be downloaded via the link on the right and should be submitted to the nearest Swedish embassy or consulate. If you are visiting Sweden, you can send your application directly to the Migration Board in Norrköping.

Read more at the Swedish Migration Board website.

>>Top of Page

Swedish Pension and Retirement Benefits in the United States

A totalization agreement between Sweden and the U.S. improves Social Security protection for people who work or have worked in both countries and eliminates double coverage to avoid the payment of taxes to both systems.

You can access the totalization agreement online at the official website of the U.S. Social Security Administration.

If you live in the United States and wish to apply for Swedish pension or retirement benefits, visit or contact your nearest U.S. Social Security office.

If you've already applied to collect Swedish pension or retirement benefits but have questions about payments or service, contact the National Social Insurance Office in Sweden by e-mail or at the address and number indicated in the box on the right.

The income tax treaty between Sweden and the U.S. is available at the website of the Internal Revenue Service.

>>Top of Page

If you need help with tracing your Swedish Ancestry

According to the 1990 Census, approximately 600,000 Californians have Swedish roots. For those with an interest in tracing their families' history in Sweden, it can be noted that. Sweden has kept excellent records of its citizens for at least 200 years. Consequently, many Americans of Swedish descent can trace their families' history in Sweden several hundred years back, if they just know some of the basic facts.

The Swedish Emigrant Institute promotes emigration research and facilitates contacts between Sweden and its emigrants and their descendents. The Institute's website is www.swemi.nu

There are also a large number of Internet-based resources available to guide you on how to proceed with your search. Some of these are non-profit organizations, while others are operated by professional genealogists.

>>Top of Page