The Swedish Migration Board is being criticised for the lack of progress made with citizenship applications, with the authorities pointing out that it is taking too long for the Migration Board to make a decision regarding these applications.
According to an audit report published by the Swedish National Audit Office, thousands of people who apply for citizenship have to wait “an unreasonable amount of time” to receive a decision on their application, Schengen.News reports.
The report reveals that in 2023, about 75,000 decisions for citizenship cases and 58,000 out of these were applications for citizenship. Citizenship cases represent the largest case group that the Migration Board handles.
Swedish Migration Board’s Handling of Citizenship Cases Is Not Effective, Audit Office Says
It is estimated that many people who have applied for Swedish citizenship have waited over four years. This long processing time has a negative impact on people, the National Audit Office points out.
Delays could impact their lives, causing them to miss out on job opportunities, the opportunity to vote and education.
On the other hand, the head of the Swedish Migration Board, Maria Mindhammar has noted that the reason for the long processing time is related to a large number of applications received by asylum seekers, as many of asylum seekers that came to Sweden in 2015 are now applying for citizenship.
Mindhammar said that the agency will take the criticism seriously and address the issue accordingly.
Over 62,000 Applied for Swedish Citizenship in 2024
According to statistics published by the Statistical Database Sweden (SCB), a total of 62,989 applications for Swedish citizenship were filed in 2024, with 16,291 being recorded in the fourth quarter alone.
The highest number of applications were filed from Afghanis, who filed a total of over 5,000 applications.
The Swedish government has plans to tighten rules for citizenship applicantsmaking it forbidden for foreigners who want to become Swedish citizens to obtain citizenship if they represent a threat to national security.
The proposals I received today will not give us the possibility to take back Swedish citizenship from gang leaders in criminal networks sitting abroad, directing shootings, bombings, and murders on Sweden’s streets.
These measures follow reports of many terrorist attacks that have been recorded in recent years. In addition to that, tensions from the war in Ukraine and other political developments have impacted the national security in Sweden.