Swedish citizenship: the language requirement and the new tests

Since 6 June 2026 the Swedish citizenship language requirement is law: most adult applicants must show that they know Swedish and know Swedish society. The surprise is that the official Swedish test does not exist yet, and on 30 September 2026 the body building it recommended postponing it. This guide sets out what the Swedish Migration Agency accepts today, how the society test works, and how to plan while the rules settle. You can check where you stand with our free Swedish level test.

Updated November 9, 2026 · 6 min read

What changed on 6 June 2026

Parliament tightened the Citizenship Act, and the new rules came in without transitional arrangements: every case not decided before 6 June 2026 is judged under them, even if the application was filed before that date. An adult applicant must now:

• hold a permanent residence permit, a right of residence, a residence card or residence status (since 12 July 2026, certain groups are exempt from the permanent-permit condition);
• prove their identity, which includes appearing in person at the Migration Agency;
• have lived in Sweden for long enough;
• have lived, and be expected to live, an orderly life in and outside Sweden;
• be able to support themselves;
• know Swedish and know Swedish society, if aged 16 to 66.

How long you must have lived in Sweden

The general rule rose from five to eight years. The Migration Agency's overview lists these periods:

There is also an income condition: long-term income of your own from work or self-employment, of at least three income base amounts a year, which the Agency puts at just over SEK 20,000 a month before tax. A partner's income cannot be added. Parental and sickness benefit count; unemployment benefit, new-start jobs and start-up support do not. People on certain pensions, full-time students with satisfactory results and people who cannot meet it because of a disability may be exempt.

Who has to show knowledge of Swedish

The knowledge requirement applies to applicants aged 16 to 66. The Agency may grant an exemption where a disability or other circumstances make the requirement unreasonable or impossible to meet. Children no longer join a parent's application: each child needs one of their own, and from the age of 12 must consent to it.

What counts as proof of Swedish today

In its notice of 30 September 2026 the Agency lists these ways of showing your Swedish, as examples:

• a passing grade in Swedish or Swedish as a second language in Year 9 of compulsory or adapted compulsory school, or Years 9–10 of special school;
• a passing grade in Swedish or Swedish as a second language at upper secondary school, adapted upper secondary school or a folk high school;
• a passing grade in Swedish or Swedish as a second language in municipal adult education;
• a passing grade in the highest course of Swedish for Immigrants (SFI);
• a passing grade in Swedish at compulsory or upper secondary school in another Nordic country;
• a result from Tisus, the test of Swedish for higher education;
• the result of another Swedish proficiency test that shows "with a high degree of certainty" a functional level of Swedish.

The July overview names Swedex as an example of a test that may be accepted during a transitional period. The Agency decides each case, so if your certificate is not on the list above, ask it before you pay for a test.

SFI: the route most newcomers already know

Skolverket, the national agency for education, describes SFI as municipal adult education for people over 16 who need basic Swedish. It has four courses, A, B, C and D, and the Migration Agency names course D. New rules from 1 January 2026 introduced, among other things, a three-year time limit for SFI, so ask your municipality how that applies to you and keep your grade certificates safe.

The Swedish test that does not exist yet

The citizenship test is being introduced in stages. In July the Agency expected the language part no earlier than autumn 2027. On 30 September it reported that the Swedish Council for Higher Education (UHR) recommends postponing it, and that the Government will decide when it can be introduced. No date has been set on the pages we read. The requirement itself stays, so for now you need one of the proofs above.

The test on Swedish society

The society test is separate and goes ahead. According to UHR, it is:

You only need the test if you cannot show your knowledge of society another way, for example through school or adult-education grades. The UHR questions and answers say the pass mark appears with your result, that the time and number of questions for the next sitting are still to come, and that after a fail you may be able to show your knowledge again: contact the Migration Agency to find out.

UHR's study material on Swedish society was made with Skolverket on the Government's assignment. You can print it or listen to its chapters as MP3 files. UHR warns that practice tests made by others online are not checked by any authority.

A plan while the rules settle

1. Collect every Swedish grade and certificate you already have: you may already meet the requirement.
2. If you have none, finish the highest SFI course, or ask the Migration Agency which test it would accept in your case.
3. Take our free Swedish level test (A1–B2, no account) to see how far you are. It is not a certificate and does not test speaking.
4. Read UHR's society material, or listen to its MP3 chapters, well before the next sitting.
5. Re-read the Migration Agency's pages before you apply, because this area is still moving.

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