🇸🇪 Citizenship

From 1 October 2026, an ordinary Russian passport without biometric functionality will no longer be recognised by Swedish authorities. A person holding such a document will therefore need another recognised travel document to use the normal Swedish entry, visa or residence-permit processes. For people already holding relevant permission before the implementation date, Sweden has established a specific transitional period. Between 1 October and 31 December 2026, an ordinary non-biometric Russian passport will still be accepted if it contains a valid visa issued before 1 October 2026 by Sweden, another EU Member State or another Schengen country. The same transitional treatment applies where the person holds a valid residence permit issued before 1 October 2026 by Sweden, another EU Member State or another Schengen country. The exception therefore covers both qualifying visas and qualifying residence permits, provided they were issued before the implementation date and remain valid during the transitional period. The transitional arrangement ends on 31 December 2026. From 1 January 2027, Sweden will also stop recognising Russian non-biometric diplomatic and service passports.