WORK PERMIT INFO
- Offer of Employment Form no. 232011
Your employer must also demonstrate that the position was advertised in Sweden and the EU for 10 days. I can't find a form for this on the website, but not having this delayed my application by several weeks (unbeknownst to me), so make sure your employer speaks with Migrationsverket and demonstrates this correctly.
- You can apply electronically for a work permit here. They list a 3 week turnaround. DON'T BELIEVE THEM! Especially over the summer, when most everyone in Sweden is on vacation and things don't happen very fast. It took me exactly 2 months to get approval, plus time to send in my visa to DC upon approval.
***You will need good quality, yet small file size (<1MB) scans of your documents
*** In addition to the documents listed on the website (passport, offer of employment), you will also need a scan of your marriage certificate if you are applying with a spouse. You won't find this out until the very last page of the application. So if you have ridden your bike to your sister's house to use her PC computer, you will have to ride it back up the hill with your memory stick and scan your marriage certificate at your house, then go back down and finish the application. So scan it ahead of time!
Swedish Embassy in DC is 202-467-2600. Press 9 to speak to customer service. Visa phone hour (where you can speak to someone who actually knows something) is between 11am-noon EST, Monday through Friday except Tuesday, so call then.
The visa folks in DC will only be able to answer procedural questions. The actual visa process happens in Sweden at Migrationsverket. To find out the status of your visa (i.e., why is it taking so long and when will it be ready), you have to call them directly: +46-771-235-235 (press 2 for customer service, then press 1 for English). Or you can check the status of your application online here, but this requires you know your case number (not your check number), which I only received from speaking to someone at Migrationsverket (if it is ever shown during the application process, WRITE IT DOWN, as you won't receive an email or any other record with it). Note that they are only open from 8:30am-12:30pm from July 19- August 6.
Once your application is approved by Migrationsverket, they will communicate electronically with the embassy in DC who actually issues the visa. At this point, you must mail your materials to the embassy in DC. There are not specific instructions for electronic application on the DC website, but they told me that all that's needed is your passport, 2 passport photos, and a check for return postage ($10 regular, $17 overnight).
The address is:
Embassy of Sweden
Attn: Visa Section
2900 K Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20007
You have already paid the processing fee, and they will look you up by last name so you don't need to include other information. They said they were able to do this overnight once the visa is approved. Today is Thursday. I will FedEx them so they get there Friday. They said they will issue the sticker Monday and mail Tuesday, or Wednesday by the latest. Plenty of time to catch our flight on Sunday, phew!
Alternatively, you can apply through the mail, filling out these two forms and sending passports, photos, and all documentation by mail. This takes 2-3 months, during which time you won't have your passport, so electronic is preferred.
- Visa application for person with offer of employment:
- Visa application for accompanying spouse:
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