The first cards issued to British people to prove their post-Brexit residency status in Sweden are up for renewal over the coming months. Here’s how the system works.

When were post-Brexit residency cards issued? 

The first post-Brexit residency cards were issued, always with a five-year validity, in the middle of December 2020, with the majority of British people receiving their cards over the next few months.

Many British people will have already had their cards taken by the Migration Agency when they applied for citizenship (which some argue the Migration Agency should not have done), and others will already have had them replaced with new cards to show permanent post-Brexit residency.  

When can I apply for a renewal and what happens if I miss the deadline? 

As your post-Brexit residency rights are permanent and continue even after your card has expired, there is no application process as you might expect from applying for citizenship or a residency permit. 

This is less a renewal process than a card replacement process.

You do not need to wait for it to expire to order a replacement and it does not affect your residency rights if you wait for months, or even years, after it expires before ordering a replacement. It has been possible to replace cards (if lost or stolen) since November 2020. 

Reader Question: Will my Swedish post-Brexit residence status expire?

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How do I get a replacement card? 

All you need to do is book an appointment at your nearest Migration Agency service centre, but following this link here.  

You then need to sign in with your BankID, which will take to a page where you can book an appointment time. 

The Migration Agency’s website has a page for booking appointments at its service centres. Photo: Richard Orange

Once you’ve got your appointment, you need to visit your nearest Migration Agency Service Centre (you can find them in most Swedish cities), where you will have to have your photo taken and leave fingerprints. 

You can, but do not need to, bring your expired card. You do, however, need to bring a valid ID document.  

There is no charge for renewing the card.