08/09/2026
Important Information for Afghans Applying for Swedish Citizenship 🇸🇪🇦🇫
One of the questions we have received very often in recent months is:
If the identity of an Afghan citizen is clear in Sweden, why can the Swedish Migration Agency still say that the identity is not “proven” (styrkt)? And should the person apply for Swedish citizenship after 8 years or wait 10 years?
To understand this issue, it is important to separate two different questions.
Identity in a residence permit case
A person may have presented an Afghan passport, Tazkira, or other identity documents when applying for asylum, a work permit, or family reunification.
The Swedish Migration Agency may also have issued residence permits and other decisions for many years using the same name, date of birth, and personal details.
However, this does not automatically mean that the person’s identity will also be considered fully proven (styrkt) when applying for Swedish citizenship.
Identity in a citizenship case
When a person applies for Swedish citizenship, the identity issue is assessed separately under the rules applicable to citizenship.
For this reason, an Afghan person’s identity may previously have been accepted in an asylum, work permit, or family reunification case, but the Migration Agency may still conclude during the citizenship process that the Afghan identity documents are not sufficient to prove the identity to the required standard.
This has become an important practical issue for many Afghan applicants.
Some simple examples
Hussain came to Sweden through family reunification. He presented his Afghan passport and Tazkira, and all his Swedish documents were issued with the same identity and complete date of birth.
When Hussain later applies for citizenship, the Migration Agency may still decide that his Afghan documents do not prove his identity to the standard required for citizenship. We have seen this issue in a number of our clients’ cases.
Fatima received residence in Sweden as a refugee. Her name, date of birth, and other personal details were registered in the Migration Agency’s decision, and she has lived under the same identity for many years.
When she applies for citizenship, however, her identity is assessed again according to the citizenship rules. The fact that her identity appears in her asylum decision does not necessarily mean that it is considered fully proven for citizenship.
Mohadeseh came to Sweden for work and had an Afghan passport from the beginning. Her work permit and other documents were issued based on that passport.
Nevertheless, when she applies for citizenship, her Afghan identity documents may be assessed differently. The Migration Agency may conclude that her identity has not been sufficiently proven for citizenship purposes.
Tamim has lived in Sweden for many years using the same name and date of birth, without any significant changes or contradictions.
Even so, if the documents on which his identity was registered are not considered sufficient to fully prove his identity, this may create difficulties when he applies for citizenship.
So, 8 years or 10 years?
This distinction is very important.
Under the current rules referred to in this post, which entered into force on 6 June 2026, the general residence requirement should not be confused with the special rules concerning applicants who cannot fully prove their identity.
Where a person meets the general requirements and their identity is considered proven, the required period of residence is assessed under the general rules.
However, where the main problem is that the person cannot fully prove their identity, an exception may be available after at least 10 years of residence in Sweden, provided that the person can make their stated identity probable (sannolik) and the other applicable conditions are met.
Therefore, for many Afghan citizens whose main citizenship issue is an identity that is not considered styrkt, the difference between 8 years and 10 years can be very important.
An important point for Afghan applicants
Having your name and date of birth registered in Swedish residence-permit decisions — even for many years — does not by itself guarantee that your identity will be considered styrkt when you apply for citizenship.
Similarly, simply having an Afghan passport or Tazkira does not necessarily mean that the Migration Agency will consider the document sufficient to fully prove your identity for citizenship purposes.
In our work during 2026, we have also dealt with cases where clients believed that their identity had previously been fully accepted, but their citizenship applications nevertheless faced an identity objection and they were informed that they should apply after completing 10 years.
For this reason, before submitting a citizenship application, it is important to review how your identity has been assessed in your previous Migration Agency cases, what documents your identity is based on, and whether the 10-year identity exception may be relevant to your situation.
Every case is different. The type of residence permit, identity history, documents submitted, previous Migration Agency decisions, and period of residence can all affect the assessment.
Before applying for Swedish citizenship, consider obtaining legal advice from a reliable legal professional so that your individual circumstances can be assessed properly.
With respect,
Din Röst & Din Rätt Juristbyrå Europa AB ⚖️
