Sweden's National Day: Thousands caught in citizenship limbo amid new rules

Sweden's National Day is marked this year by significantly tightened requirements for Swedish citizenship, leaving thousands of applicants in a state of uncertainty and unable to celebrate. The new regulations, which came into effect on National Day itself, extend the minimum residency period in Sweden from five to eight years. Additionally, applicants must now meet formal criteria demonstrating their ability to support themselves, possess basic Swedish language skills, and have knowledge of Swedish society.

The article criticizes the Swedish Migration Agency's slow processing times, which have created a backlog of approximately 13,000 applications. This administrative delay means many individuals who applied under the old rules now find themselves in a legal gray area, facing the stricter requirements without any transitional provisions. The author highlights cases of professionals, such as doctors, who have established lives in Sweden but are now considering leaving due to this uncertainty.

Despite the challenges faced by applicants, Migration Minister Johan Forssell has stated that there will be no exceptions to the new legislation. He questions the language proficiency of individuals who have lived in Sweden for only five years, a stance that contradicts evidence from some of the highlighted cases. The piece suggests that the government's push for stricter rules, possibly stemming from a perception that citizenship was previously too easily obtained, has overlooked the practical implications for thousands of people.

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How would it look if 100,000 people who applied to become Swedish citizens in 2025 would not be covered by the language requirement?