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INDIANS IN SWEDEN

Indians in Sweden: ‘Nations and communities cannot exist in silos’

What India can bring to Sweden's biggest political event of the year, why sex is not an official Swedish sport despite rumours, and much more in The Local's monthly Indians in Sweden newsletter.

Published: 22 June 2023 09:25 CEST
Updated: 26 June 2023 05:49 CEST
Indians in Sweden: 'Nations and communities cannot exist in silos'
Almedalen Week will take place on the island of Gotland during the last week of June. Photo: Henrik Montgomery/TT

Hej,

Almedalen Week is less than a week away. My first experience of Sweden’s biggest political festival was in 2017, when I saw the otherwise tranquil town of Visby on the island of Gotland transform into a coveted hotspot.

Almost overnight, thousands of people appeared on the streets of Visby to attend the over 2,000 seminars that take place during the week. 

Industry representatives, political leaders including the prime minister, NGOs, academia, scientists, and media – all walking down the same alleys, participating in the same seminars, dining at the same restaurants. 

To me this was truly magical because it conveyed so much about openness to new ideas and a willingness to learn.

Started in 1968 by Sweden’s former Prime Minister Olof Palme on the back of a truck at Almedalen Park, the week has grown into one of the world’s largest events that draws people and groups from Sweden, Europe and more recently Asia to exchange ideas and network.

It is this vibrant energy and the diversity of the conversations at the seminars that sowed the seed of an India presence during Almedalen Week; and with that began the genesis of the platform Engaging India at Almedalen – a platform to foster cooperation, collaboration and connections between the industry, government, academia and civil society from Sweden and India.

So why do we need such a platform in a Nordic-centric venue such as Almedalen Week? 

Events over the past few years have, more than ever, shown us that nations and communities cannot exist in silos, especially on issues of climate action and sustainable development. There is an urgent need to collaboratively innovate and find solutions. True collaboration can happen when people start to converse at the same table (platform), understand each other’s perspectives, and co-think on global issues.

The fourth edition of Engaging India at Almedalen is on June 29th, with the theme “Samband for a Sustainable Planet”. Samband means “a connection” and is the same word in Swedish and Hindi. This year is special, since 2023 marks 75 years of Sweden-India diplomatic relations, Sweden holds the EU Presidency, and India holds the G20 Presidency.

You can attend Engaging India at Almedalen in person on June 29th at E22, Almedalsbibliotek, Uppsala University Campus Gotland, or watch the live streaming at engagingindia.org. Almedalen Week will take place between June 27th and July 1st.

While the festival is over half a century old, each year is unique and an immense learning experience, because of the people who participate and their willingness to engage. This is an extraordinary annual event, and I hope someday you will witness it in person.

Best wishes,

Rupali Mehra

The Local would like to thank Rupali Mehra, the founder of impact communications company Content People and an organising partner of Engaging India at Almedalen, for contributing to this month’s newsletter.

Here’s what The Local has been writing about for Indians in Sweden:

Sweden-India Business Council marks 20th anniversary

The Sweden-India Business Council last month celebrated its 20th anniversary, with an event attended by people such as businessman Marcus Wallenberg, Swedish Infrastructure and Housing Minister Andreas Carlson, and India’s ambassador to Sweden, Tanmaya Lal.

Founded in 2003, the council today has more than 250 members and partners and aims to facilitate trade, investment, development and tech collaboration between the two countries.

“By connecting Sweden and India, we open up a world of business opportunities. We combine Sweden’s innovation with India’s market potential for successful business relations,” said Cecilia Oldne, who runs the Sweden India Tech Community (SITEC) and is also the chief India representative at Sweden-India Business Council, in a press statement sent to The Local.

“Together, we build bridges of collaboration and create partnerships which benefit both Swedish and Indian businesses. We’re shaping a promising future by connecting these nations.”

Sweden plans language and civics tests for permanent residency

You may have seen that the government is planning to introduce new permanent residency requirements which would test applicants on their knowledge of Swedish and Sweden. 

An inquiry released last month proposes that these tests be rolled out in 2027, so if you’re already living in Sweden on a temporary permit you should have time to apply for permanent residency before they come into force (although it’s worth noting that Migration Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard told reporters that she would prefer to roll the tests out earlier than 2027).

We’ve written several articles on The Local about these plans, including an in-depth explainer, as well as two articles looking at what the language and civics sections of the test could entail.

Man charged with forcing 11 people from India into labour in Sweden

The trial of a man who allegedly lured 11 people from India to Sweden on the false promise of work, only to exploit them and force them into labour, is under way.

The man, based in Södertälje, is accused of having promised 10 men and one woman from Punjab that he would get them full-time jobs with a monthly salary of around 23,000 kronor in Sweden, if they first paid him 200,000-230,000 kronor, according to charges seen by The Local.

Once they arrived in Sweden, however, there were no full-time jobs for them. According to the charges, they were instead forced to work for the man, who is also originally from Punjab but has been a Swedish citizen for years, under poor conditions. The trial is set to end on July 4th.

Has Sweden really recognised sex as an official sport?

Have any family members from back home asked you whether Sweden has recognised sex as an official sport, hosting the European Championships in sex? You’re not alone. These rumours were wrongly reported in several Indian media, including the Times of India, earlier this month.

The true story is: No, sex is not an official sport in Sweden. The Local even asked the Swedish Sports Confederation, who confirmed that although they did actually receive an application from a fringe group calling itself the Swedish Sex Federation, the application was rejected (because they hadn’t submitted the proper paperwork, which makes this the most Swedish story ever). 

This group did organise a competition they called the European Sex Championships, but it wasn’t an official competition, just a bunch of people having sex live on camera with scores handed out to the best, er, performers. There you have it. No more than an orgy in a teacup.

How to celebrate Midsummer’s Eve

Are you celebrating Sweden’s arguably biggest holiday this week? Midsummer’s Eve falls on June 23rd and despite it being a very traditional, all-things-Swedish holiday, it is actually more inclusive than a lot of other events, and a great opportunity for foreigners to get involved.

Here are five ways to celebrate a Swedish Midsummer. Let us know if you enjoyed it, and if you would like to share your story with fellow readers, send us a picture of your Midsummer’s Eve.

This newsletter for Indians in Sweden is available to paying members of The Local. To receive it in your inbox every month, update your newsletter settings here.

Would you like to guest edit a future edition of The Local’s Indians in Sweden newsletter? Get in touch with The Local’s editor at [email protected].

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For members

INDIANS IN SWEDEN

Indian parents fear Swedish citizenship application will leave children stateless

Gouri Natrajan and her husband will be eligible for Swedish citizenship next year. They would apply, if it weren't for the fact that they fear a seven-decade old Indian law would then render their five-month-old son stateless. And they're not alone.

Published: 23 May 2024 12:12 CEST
Updated: 23 May 2024 16:11 CEST
Indian parents fear Swedish citizenship application will leave children stateless

Several Indian parents or parents-to-be in Sweden told The Local that they are putting their long-term plans on hold out of uncertainty about their children’s legal status if they apply for citizenship.

India does not allow dual citizenship, so anyone wishing to become a Swedish citizen must also renounce their Indian nationality and surrender their Indian passport. And according to India’s Citizenship Act from 1955, if a parent gives up citizenship, their children automatically lose it too.

That would not be an issue if the children were to receive Swedish citizenship instead. However, long delays as well as tougher migration rules make many Indians worry that their children will be left stateless for an extended period in-between losing their old nationality and gaining a new one.

To be eligible for Swedish citizenship, non-EU citizens first have to have permanent residency. As of July 2021, each applicant for permanent residency needs to meet the permanent residency requirements individually, which means that children can no longer get it through their parents.

Previously, children could in theory become permanent residents almost as soon as they were born, and then be able to apply for citizenship three years later (children have to live in Sweden for three years before becoming citizens, whereas it’s currently five years for most non-EU adults).

Now, however, children need to have lived in Sweden with a valid residence permit for four years before they qualify for a permanent permit (you have to have lived in Sweden for three years to get permanent residency, but as permits are granted for two years at a time, it’s four years in practice).

“I just had a son in Sweden – he is five months old today,” Natrajan told The Local. “Me and my husband got permanent residency recently, so we are eligible for citizenship next year, but now as my son needs his own permanent residency we need to wait at least four years to apply for citizenship.”

Once processing time is added, a child could reasonably expect to be granted permanent residency – finally becoming eligible for citizenship – after around five years living in Sweden.

If waiting times for Swedish citizenship are also taken into account, an Indian child born in Sweden can expect to receive Swedish citizenship somewhere between their seventh and eighth birthday.

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“During this time we can’t travel to India if my son’s residence permit is up for renewal,” said Natrajan. “With aging parents back in India, this is an emotional situation to be in.”

Another reader told The Local his child was born after he applied for citizenship, but shortly before he was granted it. He said he didn’t know at the time that India’s rules would lead to his child potentially being left stateless. He wasn’t alone in not being aware of this rule.

“I can’t apply for her citizenship yet as she has not lived here more than three years,” the reader said about his daughter. “But she won’t be able to get her passport renewed, and without a passport, the Migration Agency won’t approve her residency permit, so I’m stuck in an infinite loop.”

He hopes that Sweden and India will come to an arrangement to solve this issue before his daughter qualifies for permanent residency in 2026, otherwise he will try to apply for an alien’s passport from Sweden on his daughter’s behalf, which may allow her to apply for permanent residency. In the meantime the family are avoiding travelling so she does not get stuck.

The issue has put life on hold for a lot of people. A number of Indian parents got in touch with us to confirm that they were putting off applying for Swedish citizenship despite qualifying for it, or even putting off having another child in order to make sure their children do not become stateless.

“If we decide to have another baby, I need to wait another four years from then for my citizenship,” Natrajan said. “So we need to decide between expanding our family or getting citizenship.”

Some readers said that they had managed to secure Swedish citizenship for their children despite them not having lived in Sweden long enough – but not everyone was comfortable taking that risk.

“It’s messy, because they have approved some of my friends in the same situation, so every case officer is doing whatever they want to do,” another reader complained, claiming his citizenship application had been put on hold as his Migration Agency case officer was unsure of what to do. “Some people are still giving citizenship to kids who are less than two or three years old.”

Migration Agency spokesperson Vera Björk told The Local they did not have any applications on hold due to a decision over whether to include a child in their parents’ citizenship application.

But she did confirm that the permanent residency requirement for children can be overlooked in some cases, so it’s not a certainty that Indian children get left behind when their parents receive Swedish citizenship, even if they technically do not yet qualify for citizenship themselves.

“That requirement is not absolute, and the best outcome for the child will also be assessed. The first stage of that assessment is establishing what the best outcome for the child is. In the next stage, the best outcome for the child will be weighed up against other legally relevant interests, through what is called a ‘proportionality assessment’,” Björk said.

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She said the permanent residency requirement still weighed heavily as a general rule above all else, but added: “A situation where a child risks becoming stateless if the parent is awarded citizenship and the child is not would carry enough weight that a child could be granted citizenship together with their parent even if he or she does not have permanent residency.”

“That applies to all children who risk becoming stateless, although an individual assessment will always be made.”

According to the reader whose application is still being processed, the Indian embassy until recently was turning a blind eye to applicants, in some cases allowing Indian children to hold onto their citizenship until they qualified for Swedish citizenship.

“But now it has blown up in their faces, because they weren’t following the rules strictly. So now they’ve updated the website saying ‘your kids will become stateless if you give up your citizenship’, in a very obvious way, which they were not doing before,” he claimed.

The Local has contacted the Indian embassy for comment but has not received a response, but when we checked the Wayback Machine for cached web pages, it appeared the embassy only recently updated its website to warn parents that their minor children could lose citizenship.

The reader, who preferred to remain anonymous in this article, said he had tried contacting Swedish embassies in India and the Indian embassy in Sweden to no avail. The couple plans to stay in Sweden permanently and want to raise a family here, but this could make them reconsider.

“I really want my son to grow up in Sweden, even if we go back to India at some point to take care of my parents. I want him to come back and study here, have a Swedish partner, I want him to grow up in this country. But it’s been quite challenging in the last six months to love the country so much.”

Article by Becky Waterton and Emma Löfgren.

Are you in this situation or know more? You’re welcome to reach out to our editorial team at [email protected]. We might not be able to reply to every email, but your experience helps us cover this issue and other stories that matter to Indians in Sweden.

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