Schengen visa · Sweden

Sweden long-stay (Type D) visa

Required documents, fees and processing time for a Sweden long-stay (Type D) Schengen visa when you apply from United States.

SCHENGEN · VISA C✈ DOCUMENTS

🇸🇪 Sweden·····✈·····🇺🇸 from United States

Sweden

Type

D · LONG STAY

Apply at

USA

Centre

VAC

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Total fees$135 Processing time15–45 days

Visa required

Action needed

Long stay — national (Type D) · applying from United States.

Documents ready00 / 09

Competent authority

Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket) makes all residence-permit decisions; biometrics/passport submitted at a Swedish embassy/consulate or VFS Global centre in the USA (Embassy of Sweden in Washington D.C.).

Application centre

VFS Global (USA) / Swedish embassy or consulate-general for biometrics; application lodged online with Migrationsverket

Application via Migrationsverket e-service (or paper form) for the relevant permit type

Valid passport and correctly made passport copies (valid for the entire permit period)

Proof of legal residence in the USA (green card / valid US visa)

Proof of the purpose of stay (employment contract for work; admission decision for studies; relationship/marriage/cohabitation evidence for family reunification)

Proof of financial maintenance / sufficient means

Comprehensive health insurance where required (studies or employment under one year)

Passport copies and relationship documents for accompanying family members (if any)

Application fee (varies by permit type)

Biometrics (fingerprints and photo) at the embassy/consulate or VFS centre; residence permit card issued after approval

Recommended — commonly expected even when not on the official list

Cover letterA letter of introduction stating who you are and why you are travelling.

Travel itineraryA day-by-day plan of your trip to attach to the application.

Fees

Consular (Type C)

€90

Service fee

$35

Est. total (adult)

$135

Long stay (Type D)

—

The short-stay (Type C) consular fee is harmonised at €90 for adults across all Schengen states; collected in USD · centre: VFS Global.

Fee notes

VFS Global. Long-stay via Migrationsverket residence permit (null).

Fee source ↗

Timeline

medium confidence

Processing

15–45 days

End-to-end

3–8 weeks

Centre

VAC

Appointment wait

No official published wait; realistically ~1-3 weeks, longer in peak summer.

Application centre

VFS Global (mandatory appointment, biometrics). Applications forwarded by VFS to the Embassy of Sweden in Washington DC, which decides.

Timeline notes

Embassy states 15 days from when it receives the application, plus a couple of days for VFS to forward.

Source 1 ↗Source 2 ↗

Funds to show

high confidence

The figures below are the short-stay (Type C) means of subsistence. A long-stay (Type D) visa sets its funds requirement nationally by purpose (study, work, family reunification, income) — check the consulate for the amount that applies to your case.

Per day

SEK 450

Minimum

—

In EUR ≈

€40 / day

Notes

Set by Swedish legislation (as of 15.11.2011): reference amount SEK 450 per day. EUR equivalent approx 40 at ~11.2 SEK/EUR.

Consulates apply discretion and may expect a buffer above this figure — treat it as a floor, not a guarantee.

Funds source ↗

⚠ Special cases & caveats

Work permit applicantsApplication started by the Swedish employer in the e-service; salary threshold SEK 34,470/month (2026) and employer insurance required; fee SEK 2,200.
Higher-education studentsAdmission decision plus maintenance funds (approx. SEK 10,656/month, 2026) required; fee SEK 1,500 (adult).
Family reunificationWell-established relationship required (cohabited 2 years without shared children / 1 year with shared children); marriage or cohabitation evidence; sponsor maintenance requirement.

Verify on the official source ↗← Check another trip