Translation of Residence and Family Documents for Sweden

Migrationsverket and the personal identity number chain

An application for family reunification in Sweden is made to Migrationsverket, and it is usually the family member abroad who opens the application online, while the party in Sweden confirms the relationship and the circumstances on a separate form. Once approval comes through and the applicant arrives in the country, the next step is to register in the population records and obtain the personal identity number that unlocks everyday life. Without that registration a bank account, health care and a good many other formalities become difficult, which is why Swedish files should treat population registration as a target in its own right, on a par with the residence card.

The documents wanted for population registration are not identical to those wanted for the immigration application; original birth and marriage records may have to be produced again. Reading the two institutions’ lists separately is the most practical piece of advice there is about the Swedish process.

Marrying in Sweden: the examination of impediments

Couples marrying in Sweden apply, before the ceremony, for an examination of whether any impediment to the marriage exists. The foreign party is asked for documents establishing marital status and identity; a civil registry extract and a certificate of no impediment obtained in Türkiye are the basic papers at this stage. The certificate issued at the end of the examination is valid only for a limited period. For a marriage solemnised in Türkiye to be recognised in Sweden, likewise, the marriage certificate has to have been translated and certified in the proper form.

Institution	Procedure	Key document
Immigration authority	Residence permit	Evidence of the relationship, maintenance and housing
Population registration	Personal identity number	Original birth and marriage certificates
Pre-marriage examination	Check for impediments	Certificate of no impediment and civil registry extract

The condition that trips people up most: maintenance and housing

Family reunification in Sweden founders most often on the requirement that the party in Sweden show an income sufficient to support both themselves and the arriving family member, together with housing of adequate size. Who is exempt from this condition and how it is calculated have changed over time, so reading the current announcement is essential. The second frequent problem is the additional scrutiny opened where the relationship is of short standing; a temporary permit may then be granted first and the relationship watched for continuity. The third is a translation not made by an authorised translator.

Who should make the translation

In Sweden the title of authorised translator is conferred by examination by a state body, and official procedures expect a translation from a translator holding it. Apostilled sworn translations produced in Türkiye are accepted in some procedures, but at sensitive steps such as population registration a translation by an authorised translator in Sweden may be required. The order is the same in every case: obtain the document, complete the apostille, then translate. For detail document by document see our documents page, and to compare the different regimes across Northern Europe our country guide.

Records on the Turkish side and the spelling of names

Reporting a marriage solemnised in Sweden, or a child born there, to the Turkish population records is a separate procedure, and it generally runs through the Turkish consulate. Where no report is made, the person continues to appear in Turkish records with their former marital status, and that throws up unexpected obstacles in title deed, inheritance and power of attorney matters. This step calls for the Swedish document to be translated into Turkish, so the direction of translation reverses. Agreement between the two countries’ records is the foundation of everything that follows.

The spelling of names needs care in Swedish records too. How letters particular to Turkish are carried into the population system depends on the spelling on the document matching the spelling in the passport exactly. If a surname has changed on marriage, the document showing that change has to be in the file; otherwise no link can be made between papers issued in different surnames, and a correction application follows.

Another practical matter is enrolling children at school and nursery. Enrolment calls for a translation of the birth certificate and for the personal identity number; until that number comes through, access to certain services stays limited. Applying for population registration as soon as the family arrives therefore has a direct bearing on daily life.

At the citizenship stage, recently dated documents are called for again from Türkiye, and they are expected not to conflict with those in the first file. Keeping a record of the spellings and terms used in the first translation is what makes a fresh translation years later consistent with it.

Length of permit and permanent status

The first permit granted in family reunification is temporary, and each extension calls for fresh proof that the relationship is continuing. At the permanent residence stage, language and civic knowledge conditions may come into play; these have been under discussion recently, so the rules in force at the moment of application need checking.

Where children are added to the file, a custody decision and the other parent’s consent are asked for; these documents take longer to translate than civil registry papers. A translation of the birth certificate may be needed again when the child is enrolled at school. To upload your documents and plan together which of them will be needed at which stage, you can request a quotation, and see the cost per page on our pricing page.

The information on this page gives the general framework; the authority receiving the application may ask for further documents or a different form. For the conditions in force, consult the institution’s current list of papers.