Speed up your citizenship application
If your Swedish citizenship application has been pending more than six months, Section 12 of the Administrative Procedure Act (Förvaltningslagen 2017:900) lets you submit a begäran om att avgöra ärende (also called dröjsmålstalan). This is a legal mechanism, not a complaint.
Migrationsverket has to respond
After your request arrives, Migrationsverket has four weeks to either:
- decide your case,
- issue a separate refusal of your request.
You can only file one complaint to Migrationsverket
You can make this request only once per case. If they refuse or miss the four-week deadline, that refusal counts as a formal decision. Under Section 49 of the Administrative Procedure Act, you have the right to appeal it to förvaltningsrätten (the administrative court) that would normally handle an appeal of your citizenship case.
What to write to Migrationsverket
To the Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket)
Case number: [insert case number]
Name: [insert full name]
Personal identity number: [insert Swedish personal number, if applicable]
I submitted my application for Swedish citizenship on [date].
More than six months have now passed without a decision.
In accordance with Section 12 of the Administrative Procedure Act (2017:900),
I hereby request that the Migration Agency determine my case.
Date: [date]
Signature: [name]How to send it
- Via Min sida (recommended): Log in on Migrationsverket’s website and use “Skicka meddelande”.
- By post:
Migrationsverket
Medborgarskapsenheten
601 70 Norrköping
Note: Fax or general e-mail is not valid for a Section 12 request. The four-week countdown starts the day Migrationsverket receives your request.
What Happens Next
Once your request is submitted, the Migration Agency must respond within four weeks. They can either decide your case or issue a refusal to decide. That refusal is an official decision you can appeal to the Migration Court.
This first step is how you turn silence into action and make sure the agency cannot ignore your application indefinitely.
Sources
- Förvaltningslagen (2017:900), 12 § and 49 § — establishes the six-month rule, one-time request limit, and four-week deadline for decision or refusal.
- Migrationsverket — official guidance on begäran om att avgöra ärende (dröjsmålstalan), including contact via web form/“Min sida” and postal address for citizenship matters (Medborgarskapsenheten, 601 70 Norrköping).
- Official request form provided by Migrationsverket for use when invoking Section 12 FL.
Next in the series: How to demand a decision from Migrationsverket
Speed up your citizenship application
If your Swedish citizenship application has been pending more than six months, Section 12 of the Administrative Procedure Act (Förvaltningslagen 2017:900) lets you submit a begäran om att avgöra ärende (also called dröjsmålstalan). This is a legal mechanism, not a complaint.
After your request arrives, Migrationsverket has four weeks to either:
- decide your case, or
- issue a separate refusal of your request.
You can make this request only once per case. If they refuse or miss the four-week deadline, that refusal counts as a formal decision. Under Section 49 of the Administrative Procedure Act, you have the right to appeal it to förvaltningsrätten (the administrative court) that would normally handle an appeal of your citizenship case.
What to write
To the Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket)
Case number: [insert case number]
Name: [insert full name]
Personal identity number: [insert Swedish personal number, if applicable]
I submitted my application for Swedish citizenship on [date].
More than six months have now passed without a decision.
In accordance with Section 12 of the Administrative Procedure Act (2017:900),
I hereby request that the Migration Agency determine my case.
Date: [date]
Signature: [name]How to send it
- Via Min sida (recommended): Log in on Migrationsverket’s website and use “Skicka meddelande”.
- By post:
Migrationsverket
Medborgarskapsenheten
601 70 Norrköping
Note: Fax or general e-mail is not valid for a Section 12 request. The four-week countdown starts the day Migrationsverket receives your request.
What Happens Next
Once your request is submitted, the Migration Agency must respond within four weeks. They can either decide your case or issue a refusal to decide. That refusal is an official decision you can appeal to the Migration Court.
This first step is how you turn silence into action and make sure the agency cannot ignore your application indefinitely.
Sources
- Förvaltningslagen (2017:900), 12 § and 49 § — establishes the six-month rule, one-time request limit, and four-week deadline for decision or refusal.
- Migrationsverket — official guidance on begäran om att avgöra ärende (dröjsmålstalan), including contact via web form/“Min sida” and postal address for citizenship matters (Medborgarskapsenheten, 601 70 Norrköping).
- Official request form provided by Migrationsverket for use when invoking Section 12 FL.
Next in the series: How to demand a decision from Migrationsverket
Continue reading
How to demand a decision from Migrationsverket
Once you file a request for determination, the Migration Agency has four weeks to act. Learn what they must do and how you can appeal if they refuse.
How to file a complaint to Migrationsverket
If the Migration Agency ignores both your request and the four-week deadline, you can turn to Sweden’s oversight bodies: the Parliamentary Ombudsman (JO) and the Chancellor of Justice (JK).
What is migrationsdomstolen?
Learn what Sweden’s Migration Court (Migrationsdomstol) is, how it fits into the legal system, and what role it plays in appeals against Migrationsverket decisions.