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UPDATED: Essential no-deal Brexit checklist for Brits in Sweden

Many of the 20,000 Brits living in Sweden may be wondering what they can to secure their future in the country in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Here are the key steps to take.

Published: 14 March 2019 10:36 CET
Updated: 21 August 2019 16:12 CEST
UPDATED: Essential no-deal Brexit checklist for Brits in Sweden
What do Brits need to do to secure their futures in Sweden? File photo: Erik Mårtensson/TT

Check your residency status

If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, Brits will become third country residents.

In the case of a no-deal Brexit, as The Local has reported before, Sweden has formally guaranteed a one-year 'grace period' during which Brits and their family members can stay in Sweden under the same rights. There's no need to apply for this; the exemption from usual permit laws will apply automatically, but if you plan to travel during that year, you should apply for a passport stamp proving your right of residence.

READ MORE: The stamp Brits need to get in Sweden if there's a no-deal Brexit

But after this year, it's highly likely Brits will require residence and/or work permits in order to stay in the country, and they would need to apply for these during the grace period. 

“Rules will vary depending on your own circumstances, so check the basis for your stay,” the British Embassy in Sweden has said in its checklist. “During [the one-year grace period], you should apply for a residence permit. Once you have applied, your stay is legal and you can continue to receive social benefits until you have got a decision, even if this takes more than a year.”

As of August 2019, it remained unclear what rules would apply to self-supporting Brits, including pensioners as well as those who do not have a job or Swedish partner during the one-year grace period. It's also unclear whether current regulations around work and residence permits would apply, or whether the government would introduce new legislation to deal with the affected Brits.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Sweden cannot guarantee Brits' future in no-deal Brexit


Hans Dahlgren was appointed Sweden's EU minister in 2019. Photo: Anders Wiklund/TT

And those who have already applied for Swedish citizenship but not yet received a decision by the date of any no-deal Brexit must also apply separately for residence.

“An outstanding application for citizenship does not in itself give you the right to stay. If your citizenship application has not been approved towards the end of the one-year exemption, you should apply for a residence permit in the meantime. This will not affect your citizenship application,” advises the embassy.

As for those who have not yet been in Sweden long enough to apply for permanent residence or citizenship, the Swedish parliament in July 2019 approved legislative changes that would allow Brits to count their time in Sweden as EU citizens towards a future residence permit application.

READ ALSO:

Ensure your UK passport is valid

“UK passports must remain valid for the duration of your stay in Sweden,” the embassy has warned.

This means you should check when you need to renew it, which you can do using this tool. There should be at least six months left on a passport in order to travel to most countries in Europe.

Don't be caught out by any rule changes affecting passport validity after a potential no-deal Brexit. In cases where a current passport was renewed before the previous one expired, extra months may have been added to its expiry date. These extra months may not count towards the six months needed, meaning you may need to renew your passport more than six months before the stated expiry date. If travelling after October 31st 2019 in the event of a no-deal, your passport will need to both have at least six months remaining, and be less than ten years old.

Even with a valid passport, as noted above, it's a good idea to get your passport stamped if you're a British resident of Sweden planning to travel outside Sweden during the one-year grace period. Your right to travel within the Schengen area will be applied automatically, but the stamp ensures there won't be any issues proving you have right of residence when returning to Sweden.

The stamp will be issued by the Migration Agency, and once a decision has been made (the agency has said it's aiming for a one-week turnaround) you can take your passport to be stamped at one of 12 service centres across the country.

The agency initially said that it would be possible to apply via their website from March 22nd, with applications processed from March 30th. But after EU leaders agreed to an extension of Article 50, postponing the date of Brexit, the agency said the stamp applications would also be delayed and would become available on their website only if a no-deal Brexit was confirmed. 

As for Brits who want to visit Sweden for up to three months but not to stay long-term, this will be possible without any visa or passport stamp.

READ MORE: Sweden puts 'passport stamp' for Brits on hold

How the Swedish Migration Agency is preparing for a no-deal Brexit
Photo: Adam Wrafter/SvD/TT

Exchange your driving licence

If there's a no-deal Brexit, British licences will no longer be valid in the EU, but the Swedish government has said it plans to give Brits a one-year grace period during which they can continue driving using their UK licences.

After that, however, Brits would likely need a Swedish driving licence, and it's possible to apply to exchange the licence at any time. This is done by applying to the Swedish Transport Agency.

Otherwise, third country nationals without an agreement with Sweden covering driving licences typically need to apply for a Swedish licence from scratch, taking a theory and practical test at an estimated cost of at least 4,000 kronor.

Brits visiting Sweden after the one-year grace period but not intending to be registered in the country (i.e. without a personnummer or coordination number, including tourists and short-term visitors) would be able to drive in Sweden using their British licence, even in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

READ ALSO: How to change your driving licence to a Swedish one

Students: speak to your university 

If there's a no-deal Brexit, British students will be able to use the one-year grace period to apply for a student permit. 

Usually, non-EU students pay tuition fees in Sweden, but the Swedish government has prepared legislation which would exempt UK nationals from paying student fees until 2022, if the student was either admitted to that course before the date of a no-deal Brexit, or already had residence in Sweden by that date. This legislation would come into force after a no-deal Brexit. 

It's also worth being in contact with your university's student office so that they can update you with any new procedures or requirements, whether specific to that university or to all of Sweden.

READ ALSO: Confused about Brexit? Here are 8 essential websites for Brits in Sweden

Confused about Brexit? Here are 8 essential websites for Brits in Sweden
Photo: Melker Dahlstrand/imagebank.sweden.se

Member comments

  1. And I was under the impression that Sweden will follow the UK. I was going to continue buying Swedish Volvo’s even though the ones I buy are made in Gent!!

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TRAVEL NEWS

EES: Could the launch of Europe’s new border system be delayed again?

After being postponed several times already Europe's new biometric Entry/Exit border system (EES) is set to be rolled out in October, but with fears of lengthy queues, problems with a new app and demands for more time, could it be postponed again?

Published: 26 April 2024 11:50 CEST
EES: Could the launch of Europe's new border system be delayed again?

Could the entry into operation of the EU entry/exit system (EES), the new biometric passport checks for non-EU citizens at the Schengen area’s external borders, be delayed yet again?

Originally planned for May 2022, EES has already been postponed many times.

The current launch date, set for October 2024, was chosen to avoid periods of peak traffic and France in particular had requested to avoid it being launched until after the Paris Olympics this summer.

When asked to confirm the October start date this week a spokesperson for the EU’s Commission told The Local that the “roadmap” for the EES IT system foresees it will be ready for Autumn 2024. But the actual start date, in other words, the day when passengers will have to register, would be confirmed nearer the time.

The spokesperson said: “The exact date will be determined by the European Commission and announced on the EES official website well in time for the start of operations.”

READ ALSO: Your key questions answered about Europe’s new EES passport checks

But the reasons are adding up to suggest an October start date is optimistic, perhaps even unlikely.

In the annual report on the ‘State of Schengen’ published last week, the European Commission spelt out that severe challenges remain if member states are to be ready on time.

“In 2023, efforts to ensure the entry into operation of the Entry-Exit System in the autumn of 2024 were accelerated… While important progress has been made across the Schengen area, some Member States are still falling behind, notably regarding the effective equipment of border crossing points. The Commission calls on all Member States to urgently accelerate preparations to ensure the timely implementation of the system…”

A map in the report shows that preparation is still “in progress” in 13 Schengen area countries, including Germany, Norway and Switzerland. “Outstanding issues” still impact Portugal, Malta and Bulgaria.

The state of play for the preparations for EES across EU and Schengen states. Image: European Commission.

There are also reports that EU heavyweight Germany is trying to persuade Brussels to delay.

Matthias Monroy, editor of the German civil rights journal Bürgerrechte & Polizei/CILIP claimed on his website that “the German government is lobbying in Brussels to postpone the date once again, as otherwise the German tests of the EES cannot be completed in full. Other EU countries are also behind schedule, with only eight of them having reported successful integration.”

Even on a French government website it talks of EES being rolled out some time “between the end of 2024 and 2025” rather than stating October 2024.

And according to recent media reports, French airports have been advised to be ready for November 6th, rather than October. 

READ ALSO: EES and Etias – what are the big upcoming travel changes in Europe?

A planned EU app, believed to be essential to the smooth operation of EES because it would allow non-EU visitors to register in advance of travel will not be ready, Gwendoline Cazenave, Managing Director of Eurostar International, the company operating train services via the Channel Tunnel, has told the BBC. The EU however insists the app does not need to be up and running before EES is introduced.

In the UK, which will be heavily impacted by EES due to the fact it is no longer in the EU and so British travellers are no longer EU citizens, the House of Commons European scrutiny committee is conducting an inquiry on the potential disruption the introduction of the EES will cause at the border.

Several respondents have recently raised the alarm about the possible delays the system could cause, especially at the UK-France border, which is used by millions of passengers each year who head to France and other countries across Europe.

Ashford Borough Council in Kent has warned of the possibility of more than 14 hours queues to reach the Port of Dover, which has already been struggling increased checked after Brexit.

The BBC reported that back in March, a P&O Ferries director said the IT system should be delayed again.

Airlines have also complained about the fact pre-travel EES requirements would make last minute bookings impossible.

The Union des Aéroports Français (UAF), which represents airports in France, has simply said more time is needed.

In other words, it would be little surprise if the roll out was delayed again beyond October 2024.

But the Commission spokesperson told The Local that “the timeline for the entry into operation of the EES took into account all the necessary activities to be performed by all relevant stakeholders to ensure a timely entry into operation. 

“The Commission is working very closely with eu-Lisa [the EU agency in charge of the IT system], the Member States and carriers to ensure that everything is ready for the timely and successful launch of the Entry Exit System.

“The roadmap for the delivery of the new IT architecture foresees that the Entry/Exit system will be ready to enter into operation in Autumn 2024.”

New digital border

The EES is a digital system to register travellers from non-EU countries when they cross a border in or out of the Schengen area, the travel-free area. It will be deployed in 29 countries across Europe including 25 EU states plus Norway, Switzerland, Iceland and Liechtenstein. Ireland and Cyprus are the only EU members who won’t apply the EES system.

It doesn’t apply to non-EU nationals who are legally resident in an EU/Schengen area country or those with dual nationality of an EU /Schengen county. The system was designed to increase security and to ensure that non-EU nationals visiting the Schengen area short-term do not stay more than 90 days in any 180-day period.

Instead of having the passport stamped, travellers will have to scan it at self-service kiosks before crossing the border. However, fingerprints and a photo will have to be registered in front of a guard at the first crossing and there are huge concerns the extra time needed could generate long queues in the UK, where there are juxtaposed border checks with the EU.

Preparations are ongoing throughout Europe and some countries have made good progress.

In France, Getlink, the operator of the Channel Tunnel, has recently reported that new EES infrastructure is finished at its French terminal of Coquelles, which will allow travellers to register their biometric data while travelling.

Eurostar is also installing 49 kiosks in stations for the registration of passengers. But the Union des Aéroports Français (UAF), which represents airports in France, said more time is needed.

Exempted

Meanwhile, the Polish government has urged UK citizens who are beneficiaries of the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement to get a residence permit “in the context of EES/ETIAS”, even though there was not such an obligation to stay legally in Poland post-Brexit.

“Having such a document is beneficial as it will exempt from future Entry/Exit System (EES) registration when crossing external borders and from the need to obtain an ETIAS travel permit in relation to short-term travel to EU/Schengen countries,” the government page says.

This article as published in collaboration with Europe Street news.

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