Can you Believe this SKIT?

[Kitty Sue]

Sabeine, you asked about time required in Sweden to be eligible for citizenship. I know people keep throwing about the 5 year thing, but this is what it says on the Migrationsverket website:

"Are you married or living with a Swedish citizen?
Have you been married or living together (cohabiting) with a Swedish citizen for at least the past two years? If so, you can apply for Swedish citizenship after only three years in Sweden. If your husband or wife is a naturalised Swede, he or she must have been a Swedish citizen for at least the past two years."

I think that is pretty clearly stating that you can apply after living here 3 years. That is what I intend to do next April, when I have lived here 3 years.

Also, it has been answered before that you need to renew the PUT you have every 3 years (if you do not become a citizen) but I am not sure if it was made clear that this is just a formality. There is no interview, no payment required. You should receive a letter a month or so before you need to renew your PUT and you take that letter and your passport to your closest Migrationsverket office, where they will put in the new PUT while you wait.

[Sabeine]

Thanks Kitty!

I met you at Leslie's Thanksgiving get-together. My name is Anna.

Well the 3 year rule sounds good. Heck, in the States it's 7 years minimum from what I understand.
My renewal for my PUT has to be before Mary 23rd, 2003. Do they require me to send in my passport at that time? I will have been here for 3 years in June 2003, but I will have to renew the PUT before that I assume. I wonder if I'll have to wait 3 more years (for the PUT to run out) before I can apply for citizenship.

How does everyone feel about citizenship? To me it sounds like a good idea, that is if I can still keep my U.S. one. Someone here (Brandy perhaps) wrote that if one travels somewhere else and something happens both countries can claim you as a citizen of the other country. For instance, the States could say that since I sought to become a Swedish citizen the States would no be the country to which I would seek help. Is this true? Could this happen?

And lastly, does anyone know what is required for citizenship? Interviews? Tests? etc...
When my parents became U.S citizens they had to take a long citizenship test. They studied for months leading up to it, and it was very nervewracking for them. They worried, that if one passed and the other didn't then what would happen? They both passed though. They probably know more about U.S history than the majority of Americans do. ;D

[Carolyn]

What is required for citizenship is a clear report from Kronofogden, perhaps a clear police report, filling out a form and 1,500 SEK. They are discussing a language requirement, but so far, that hasn't been passed. I think that's only fair, though, that if you become a citizen of a country, you should at LEAST have a minimal ability to use the language of that country, if not more.

[Carolyn]

Okay, we decided, we're coming back anyway the end of February.

Anders found and printed out the original e-mail from Migrationsverket, the one that says, "Hey, if you want, just come back in on a visitor's visa and apply from in Sweden". It's signed and dated and everything, TELLING us it's okay to do that.

Besides, all our paperwork, including marriage license, are back home in Sweden. After the end of February, my job is over, no income. My friend we share this house with is moving into another smaller, cheaper place, so no place to live! It's her car we've been using, so no transportation. And Anders doesn't want to chance being a wetback for longer than 5 extra months, in case they decide to ban him from this country for the next ten years. Two we can deal with, but 10 might be a bit much.

So, everybody here hold your thumbs the end of February 'cause I'm blowing this joint and heading home, despite the latest missive from Migrationsverket. Let them throw the old lady out, if they can!

[Sabeine]

I can't imagine that they would throw you out. You received so many different answers from different people, how were you to know?

[Natooke]

If it at all helps ;D I'll cross my fingers & legs and hold onto my thumbs tightly ... I'm hoping that all works out just fine.

[Natooke]

And lastly, does anyone know what is required for citizenship? Interviews? Tests? etc...
When my parents became U.S citizens they had to take a long citizenship test. They studied for months leading up to it, and it was very nervewracking for them. They worried, that if one passed and the other didn't then what would happen? They both passed though. They probably know more about U.S history than the majority of Americans do.

Sabeine wrote:

Sorry I could get the link to work for this This article was when the elections were in full force and as I understood, it was a election promise and debated on TV.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
news.ft.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=FT.com/StoryFT/FullStory&c=StoryFT&cid=1031119155410


"In recent months backing for the Liberals has tripled to almost 12 per cent, boosted largely by Mr Leijonborg's demand that immigrants must pass a Swedish language test before they have the right to citizenship."

"In the language issue though Mr Leijonborg hit electoral gold. "The lack of knowledge of Swedish is a terrific problem," he hammered home once more in a television interview last week. He gave examples where immigrants who had been in Sweden for 12 years still needed interpreters to cope at school-parent meetings and visits to the doctor. Most of all bad Swedish excluded immigrants from the job market, he said.

Sweden has by far the largest number of immigrants in the Nordic region, with 22 per cent of the population born outside the country or with a parent born abroad."

How does everyone feel about citizenship? To me it sounds like a good idea, that is if I can still keep my U.S. one. Someone here (Brandy perhaps) wrote that if one travels somewhere else and something happens both countries can claim you as a citizen of the other country. For instance, the States could say that since I sought to become a Swedish citizen the States would no be the country to which I would seek help. Is this true? Could this happen?

When I got my PUT there wasn't a choice of Dual's citizenship ... I either could become a Swede or live under my citizenship with a PUT, but couldn't vote national only kommunens. If I remember correctly the new law passed in 2000 & yes I was given the same warning about which country would or wouldn't help if needed ... i have no idea of the legalities.
Now that we have 2 kids, I want to become a dual so that my one vote will help in their future ... I also feel that it is important to understand as much as one can about the country & language to be able to vote ... just my thinking ... but in the mean time there isn't a test. After the New Year I'm sending in all the paper work for my kids and myself. ;D

[Sabeine]

Thanks Natooke!

I also agree that some level of Swedish should be required for citizenship. It is only fair, I think. I think it's strange that some people find that to be rascist, or discriminatory. It also seems to be the same in the States. There as soon as any politician mentions language requirements especially for children in school, some rights group gets steamed and starts crying rascism.

There are people who have lived in the States for many many years and neither they, and in a lot of cases their American born children cannot speak English.
The same is true here in Sweden. I met a lady the other day originally from Spain. She started to ask me some questions in Swedish (she was a customer at the store I work in) and was having trouble with the language. She got a little embarrased and told me that she wasn't so good in Swedish. I told her that mine isn't perfect either. I asked her how long she had been living here. I was honestly expecting her to say 2-3 years. She told me that she had been living here for 41 years!! I swear I didn't know at all what to say. How can someone live here that long, and still only have about 25% language ability?! That just ticks me off.

Yes, I think there should be a language requirement for citizenship here. There should be in all countries.

A little off the subject, but I need to renew my PUT before May 23rd. In June however I have been here for 3 years. I qualify to apply for citizenship then. Do I still have to send in for a PUT extension if I going for citizenship?

[Carolyn]

Regarding renewing the PUT, I think you should check with Migrationsverket (HA, isn't that ironic to hear me say THAT!), but it would seem to me that since you can't apply until after your 3 years' residence, you should probably go ahead, get the renewal (doesn't cost anything after all), and then pick up the paperwork for the citizenship at the same time and get that started.

From what TimK was saying, it did take about 2 months altogether, but then he (like you) began the process during the summer months and you know what THAT is like in Sweden.

[Natooke]

I second what Carolyn suggested.
Have your PUT extended because when you're going to hand in your paper work, Migrationverket wants your passport sent at the same time.

Why not pop into your local Migration office and ask for the Dual/svenskt medborgarskap application ... the booklet is strait forward (well mostly ) ... at least you'll have a few months of filling in the info required.

[LadyDuff]

Sabeine said:

Thanks Natooke!

I also agree that some level of Swedish should be required for citizenship. It is only fair, I think. I think it's strange that some people find that to be rascist, or discriminatory. It also seems to be the same in the States. There as soon as any politician mentions language requirements especially for children in school, some rights group gets steamed and starts crying rascism.


There are people who have lived in the States for many many years and neither they, and in a lot of cases their American born children cannot speak English.
The same is true here in Sweden. I met a lady the other day originally from Spain. She started to ask me some questions in Swedish (she was a customer at the store I work in) and was having trouble with the language. She got a little embarrased and told me that she wasn't so good in Swedish. I told her that mine isn't perfect either. I asked her how long she had been living here. I was honestly expecting her to say 2-3 years. She told me that she had been living here for 41 years!! I swear I didn't know at all what to say. How can someone live here that long, and still only have about 25% language ability?! That just ticks me off.



Yes, I think there should be a language requirement for citizenship here. There should be in all countries.


A little off the subject, but I need to renew my PUT before May 23rd. In June however I have been here for 3 years. I qualify to apply for citizenship then. Do I still have to send in for a PUT extension if I going for citizenship?

I agree with you, there should be fair treatment for everyone and they should know the language as much as possible if they are going to be living there! I can relate to what you said about the kids, as I am one of those kids, and I think that all children should pseak both theie mother tounge and that other which they have learned from living where ever it is that they live! There is nothing racist about that but I think some people like to use what ever they can to make people look at them!


I agree on this too and again about the kids, it is really important, but even more so it is also important for the parents! Ok maybe they will never become fluent, people learn languages differently, but they should still try it as hard as they can! I can tell you that there is nothing which means as much to me as when someone who has English as their mother tounge tells me that I speak English very well!

Yes I think so too!!
I cant see why you should, but maybe you should anywyas..just in case...