Sweden's new security checks are expected to slow down citizenship decisions even more than first thought, according to a new forecast from the Migration Agency (Migrationsverket).
The agency now expects to process around 55,000 citizenship applications annually in 2025 and 2026 – 10,000 fewer than estimated this spring and 32,000 fewer than before new checks were introduced in April.
The changes mean both current and future applicants must answer extra background questions and verify their identity in person. The rollout initially halted decisions on naturalisation cases for nearly two months.
–The forecast is uncertain and may change again once we see how the new methods affect decision-making. It also doesn’t factor in planned changes to citizenship laws due in June next year, said Eric Ramstedt, planning director at Migrationsverket.