Sweden Visa for Indians: Types, Eligibility Criteria & Application Process

Sweden is one of the best countries to work and live in because it boasts excellent working conditions. However, it is crucial to note that Indian citizens require a valid passport, travel insurance and a visa to enter Sweden.

In other words, it is mandatory as of May 2022 to have travel insurance to be able to enter Sweden. So, those wishing to travel, get more information on the application for a visa for Sweden, eligibility and others below.

Sweden doesn’t provide Visa on Arrival or VoA. Passport holders in India will require a Schengen Visa. VFS Global Services Private Limited operates the Visa Application Centre for Schengen Visa.

Indians can submit their Sweden Visa application at New Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Bangalore VFS service centres.

Depending upon the purpose of travel, there are several types of visas in Sweden that Indians can apply for. Here they are:

1. Transit Visa: This visa allows citizens of non-Schengen areas to transit via or wait for a connecting flight in the international area of an airport in Sweden. It is mandatory for people travelling from one non-Schengen country to another. However, a person holding this transit visa cannot enter Sweden.
2. Tourist Visa: For a tourist visa, Indians will require a short-term visa or Schengen visa valid for 90 days if they wish to visit Sweden. Since Sweden falls under the Schengen agreement, a Schengen visa is valid for all European countries that are part of this agreement.
3. Business Visa: Indians who need to visit Sweden for business reasons must apply for a business visa. For this, one must apply for a short stay visa or Schengen visa, which allows a person to stay there for 90 days.
4. Employment Visa: Indians who wish to travel to Sweden for employment must obtain a work permit. For that, one must have an employment contract in Sweden, which they should enclose with the application. An employer in Sweden ensures a work permit application by giving complete information about employment. Therefore, applicants must provide their name, date of birth, education, citizenship, and email address. The Swedish Migration Agency will communicate via this email throughout the application process. Then, one must enclose certain documents along with the application. Finally, after proper examination, the Migration Agency will issue a permit. If a permit is more than three months, one will get a residence permit card allowing a person to stay in Sweden.
5. Family/Friend Visit Visa: A person who wants to visit their family/friends in Sweden for up to 90 days or more must have an invitation from the members residing in Sweden. For example, if a person is an employer in Sweden, he might want their family to accompany him. In that case, one must mention details of their family visiting Sweden. This is because a person visiting Sweden for employment is subject to a maintenance requirement in case their family is accompanying. The family members must have valid passports too.
6. Student Visa: Indians wishing to go to Sweden for education require a Sweden student visa if they plan to stay and study there for less than 90 days. If a person from India is willing to wait for more than 90 days in Sweden requires a residence permit.
7. Cultural and Religious Event/ Sports/Film Crew Visa: Indians travelling to Sweden to attend any cultural or religious event, sports, and film crew must apply for a Schengen visa for a short stay. The Schengen Embassy takes around 15 days to process an application.

All Indians who wish to travel to Sweden must consider the following eligibility criteria to apply for a visa for Sweden:

• Indians who hold a valid Indian passport can only apply for a Schengen visa.
• One must mention the purpose of their visit to the country in their application form.
• People who want to travel to the country for the reason of tourism or business can apply for a visa via the Visa Lounge. However, a person who wants employment there is not eligible to apply for a visa via Visa Lounge.
• Indians travelling to Sweden must have travel insurance which they can get from Visa Lounge.

There are several documents one requires to attach with the application. Here are the general  document requirements for a Sweden visa:

• One needs to duly fill out the Sweden visa application form and print the hard copy of the same.
• Two recent passport-size photographs with the application form.
• Copies of previous visas and the passport valid for three months post-return date are needed. The passport must have at least two blank pages.
• One must provide details of the return ticket. One must not purchase a ticket before getting the visa.
• A travel health insurance that has confirmation of approximately 30,000€ within Sweden and the rest of Sweden area.
• A cover letter mentioning the exact reason to visit Sweden is a necessity.
• A detail of hotel booking and itinerary for the complete stay duration in Sweden.
• Flight tickets mentioning flight numbers and dates detailing the entry and exit from the country.
• Any proof of civil status such as birth certificate of children, death certificate of spouse, marriage certificate.
• Proof of sufficient funds for the entire stay period in the country.

Apart from all these documents, the other documents required for a Sweden visa as per each type are:

For Transit:

• A duly completed and printed visa application form for a short stay in Sweden.

• A photocopy as proof of payment of the transit visa fee

• Two recent passport size photographs according to the specifications mentioned by the authority.
• A valid passport with two blank pages. The passport must not be older than ten years.
• Return flight tickets also showing details of the present journey to India.
• A travel insurance policy of a minimum amount.

• Copies of previous visas (if asked)

For Tourist:

• A passport valid for six months from the arrival date in Sweden along with the old passports.
• Duly filled, printed, and signed visa application forms.
• A cover letter introducing the applicant and mentioning the exact purpose and duration of the visit.
• Two recent photographs of 35X45mm with a white background and having approximately 80% of face size.
• A detailed itinerary of the visit along with the hotel booking details for the entire stay in the country. Return air tickets should also be given.
• Travel and medical insurance details.
• Form 16 or Income tax returns for the last three years.
• If employed, salary slip for the last three months and the release letter from the employer.
• Bank statements of savings banks for the last six months.
• For a retired person- proof of retirement or pension order.
• For self-employed- business registration documents, deeds, MOA, etc.
• If a student- a student ID and a cover letter from the last school.
• For minors travelling with a single parent or alone- a consent letter from the respective.
• For a married couple- marriage registration certificate.

For Business:

• A valid passport with a validity of at least three months within the past seven years.
• Two recent passport-size photographs.
• A complete visa application form duly signed and printed.
• Proof of funds in the bank until the return from Sweden.
• Travel insurance policy with a minimum value.
• Employment certificate and cover letter from the company if travelling on behalf of any business.
• A permission letter from the employer and power of attorney from the company for business travel.
• Proof of trade such as MOA, deed, and business registration certificate.
• ITR return of last three years and ban statement of past six months.
• The employer in Sweden must submit a letter mentioning the exact purpose of the business.

For Employment:

• Employment contract mentioning the details of the employer and the employee.
• Bank statement for last six months.
• A no-objection certificate from the last employer.
• ITR form or income tax deducted from salary.
• Visa application form.
• Two recent passport-size photographs.
• Original and photocopy of the educational qualification documents of the applicant.

If your family is accompanying here are all the details about the Sweden visa one must consider:

• Details of pages of their passports giving details of their information.
• Marriage certificate details or equivalent if husband or wife is accompanying.
• Birth certificates of children/adoption certificates if one adopts any child.
• Consent of the other parent in case only the child is moving to Sweden.

For Study/Training/Research/Internship:

• Proof of financial sustenance till the duration of stay in Sweden.
• An enrolment form that allows attendance to the courses.
• A certificate of completing the courses that a student has attended.

For Family/Friends Visit:

• Visa application form duly filled and signed with two recent passport-size photographs. 
• Valid passport with at least two blank pages and not older than ten years.
• Invitation letter by friend/family residing in Sweden attaching their passport copies. A copy of the residency permit is also mandatory.
• Details of the round-trip reservation along with tickets, flight details, bookings, and day-to-day itinerary.
• Travel insurance policy
• Proof of financial subsistence during the stay in Sweden. That might include bank statements or a sponsorship letter mentioning the person willing to bear all expenses of the one visiting.
• Proof of the family relationship.
• Details of stay mentioning the address and the dates of stay-hostel, hotel, or rent.

For Medical Purpose:

• A medical report providing details of the reason for the visit to the country.
• A medical document from the Sweden hospital or doctor mentioning the appointment date and the medical condition that requires a visit.
• Receipt of the medical fees.

For Cultural and Religious, Sports, Film Crew:

• An invitation letter from the authorities who have organised such events with details of the same .
• Details of crew members and their duration of stay.
• Detailed travel itinerary.

The processing fee for a Sweden visa for adults starts at Rs. 6,900. While the visa charge for children of 6 to 12 years of age is Rs. 3,450.

Disclaimer: The visa fees are subject to change, based on new immigration rules, the country in which you apply, the local currency and currency exchange rates.

The step-wise guide for online visa application includes:

Step 1: Preparation of the documents is necessary to ensure one meets every detail required by the country. Many suggest delaying the payment until the visa arrives. After documentation, one must enclose the additional credentials too.

Step 2: One can visit the Swedish Migration Agency website online and follow the instructions. Then apply and submit all the documents. Finally, one can check for the available times before booking an appointment with the Swedish embassy online and then book a convenient date.

Step 3: When visiting the embassy, one must not forget to carry a printout of the application form and the original documents. After going through a specific question-answer session, the embassy will ask to sign an application. They might also take photographs and fingerprints of the applicant.

Step 4: The embassy decides within 15 days as they keep the passport during the procedure. After the decision, they will affix a visa sticker on the passport and ask to collect it.

Disclaimer: The visa fees are subject to change, based on new immigration rules as well as the country in which you apply and the local currency.

It takes 10-15 days from the day one applies to VFS Global New Delhi as the embassy verifies the details and documents. If anyone submits an application to other centres besides New Delhi, it might take two more days for deliveries via post. One can track their application from the website.

After completing the verification process, the embassy provides a visa sticker affixing it to the passport. One must visit the embassy during official working hours to collect the passport.

It is a must to have travel insurance when travelling to a foreign land as it saves one from many crises. Travel insurance for Sweden will cover costs incurred due to medical emergencies, urgent treatments in hospitals, evacuation, loss of passport, theft, flight cancellation, luggage delays, and many more.

This insurance ensures no financial burden on anyone travelling to a different country. For example, travel insurance for Sweden costs approximately around  Rs. 26,31,210 and must be taken into consideration while applying for a visa for Sweden.