Is it possible or will this affect my case?
Visiting Sweden During Your Application
It’s a widely spread notion that you can’t visit your partner in Sweden while your application is in process, which is in fact false. It's stated very clearly on immigrations website (see tab 7) that you are able to visit during your application process.
What is important to know, and what may not be very clear is that there is a difference WHEN you visit your partner in Sweden during the application process. To make this easier we will separate the application process into two categories. This is not official terminology, but created to make it easier to explain the differences.
The investigation part - this is the part from when your application is handed in, until the agency has review your application and invited you to book your interview. Due to how the process is formed, the majority of cases won’t be able to go to decision without an interview. This is the crucial detail which means that a visit to Sweden won’t pause your application process during this time. You still need to notify immigration of your visit at the generic email migartionsverket@migrationsverket.se.
The decision part - After you've had your interview you will move into the part of the process where the agency is processing your application for a decision. Due to the fact that they can't make a decision on your case while you are in Sweden, they will automatically pause your case until you are out of the country again.
For people applying for visa to visit family during application
Many people have found it tricky to get approved for a visitors/tourist visa if you are in the process of applying for residency in connection to your partner. The main reason to why this can be complicated is that the authorities believe there is a higher risk for someone who is waiting to reunite with their partner in Sweden to overstay their visa illegally and not come back. We’ve seen time and time again people not being able to visit their partners due to rejected visas. In these cases it is super important to show ties to your home country and prove intent of your return home (such as house ownership/rental, return flight, work contract, etc). What ever you can show to prove you can't stay in Sweden is to your advantage.
Unfortunately, there has been instances where people have been rejected, due to the sole purpose of being in Sweden during this time of their process. According to the law, applicants can't be in Sweden when submitting the application, or when the decision is being made. In some cases, when the agency has been ready for a decision while the applicant has still been in Sweden, they have reached out and informed the applicant to leave the country. This may seem contradictory to the information concerning the pausing of the process, however it has happened to multiple of people, including our own case. How this can be possible? We actually don't know, as we and the others have informed them that we are in Sweden, which would technically pause our application.
When visiting Sweden during the application period, it is also important to note the general 90 days spent during an 180 day span rule that applies in the Schengen area. This basically mean that on a rolling 180 day cycle, you can only spend 90 days within Sweden (to make sure you are not overstaying, use this calculator). This is regardless if you are either from a country which doesn’t need a visa (i.e. U.S.) or if you are from somewhere who needs a visitors visa (i.e. Turkey). Neither of these will automatically pause you’re application, while if you apply for a visitors permit, your residency permit will be paused/rejected, as you can only have one permit application running at a time, and the agency will approve the one most favorable for you. Read more about this on immigration website (See tab 7).
*This is general information and neither can nor should replace legal advice in the individual case,
but supposed to be an exchange of ideas/thoughts on how to structure, shape and proceed with your application
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