This guide covers the UK visa from Sweden in 2026: the ETA now required of Swedish citizens, current fees, and the visa routes for non-EU residents. Sweden sits in the EU but outside the eurozone, so UK fees are set in pounds and the krona amount varies at payment. Whether you need a quick ETA for a London trip or a Standard Visitor visa as a non-EU resident, this guide sets out the requirements, costs, and how to apply.
Source: Home Office ETA datasets and entry clearance visa fees, year ending March 2026.
Swedish citizens have needed an ETA since 2 April 2025, and it is now fully enforced — no ETA, no boarding. In the year to March 2026 the UK issued about 518,000 ETAs to Swedish nationals at a 99.6% approval rate. The ETA costs £16 (around €24) and lasts two years; only non-EU residents of Sweden need an actual visa. Sweden is in the EU but uses the krona, so UK fees are charged in pounds.
UK Visa from Sweden: Requirements and Fees 2026
Swedish–British ties run deep: Viking traders from Birka opened some of the earliest commercial links with Britain, and Swedish iron and timber later fed the Industrial Revolution. The bond is modern too — the 2023 UK–Sweden Strategic Partnership and Sweden's 2024 NATO membership, strongly backed by Britain, drew the countries closer, with over 90,000 Swedes visiting the UK each year. Since Brexit, though, Swedish travellers face the same ETA system as other visa-exempt nationals, and it must be approved before boarding.
Swedish citizens do not need a visa for visits of up to six months, but they do need an ETA (£16, about €24, valid two years) obtained through the UK ETA App. Non-EU residents of Sweden need a Standard Visitor visa (€163) instead. For work, study, or family stays, Swedish nationals apply for the relevant visa and give biometrics through the UK Immigration: ID Check App — no visa centre visit.
UK Entry Requirements for Swedish Citizens
Entry is straightforward for short trips but no longer automatic. Swedish nationals can no longer use EU lanes and pass through the same control as other non-EU visitors. The core requirement is a valid passport plus an approved ETA before travel — the ETA is checked at boarding, so it must be in hand before you leave Sweden.
- A valid passport for the duration of the stay
- An approved ETA (£16, about €24, valid two years, via the UK ETA App)
- Evidence of return or onward travel
- Accommodation details or a host's address
- Enough funds to support the visit without working
- Genuine intention to leave within six months
At the border, officers may ask about your plans, accommodation, and funds, though detailed questioning is rare for Swedish visitors. Keeping your booking and return ticket on your phone speeds things up. Travellers from elsewhere in the region face the same system, including those covered by our France ETA guidance.
Do I Need a Visa for the UK from Sweden?
It depends on your nationality, not your residence. Swedish citizens need only an ETA (£16, about €24) for visits up to six months. Non-EU residents of Sweden — Indian or Pakistani passport holders, for example — need a Standard Visitor visa (€163) regardless of their Swedish residence status. For work or study beyond six months, every nationality needs the appropriate visa.
The UK's system is nationality-based, so your Swedish residence permit (uppehållstillstånd) does not change what you need — only your passport does. According to the official gov.uk ETA guidance, Swedish citizens have needed an ETA since 2 April 2025, with a 99.6% issue rate in the latest Home Office figures — approval is effectively automatic for eligible travellers.
UK Requirements by Nationality (from Sweden)
| Your Nationality | What You Need | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Swedish citizen | ETA (UK ETA App) | £16 (≈ €24) |
| Other EU/EEA citizen in Sweden | ETA (UK ETA App) | £16 (≈ €24) |
| Indian passport holder in Sweden | Standard Visitor visa | €163 |
| Pakistani passport holder in Sweden | Standard Visitor visa | €163 |
| Other non-EU resident of Sweden | Standard Visitor visa | €163 |
The full rules, exemptions, and how the scheme works across nationalities are covered in our guide to the UK Electronic Travel Authorisation scheme. The same ETA route applies to German citizens travelling to the UK.
UK Tourist Visa from Sweden
Swedish citizens need no tourist visa — only the ETA (£16, about €24) for visits up to six months. Non-EU residents of Sweden need a Standard Visitor visa (€163) for any trip. Both cover tourism, sightseeing, and visiting friends or family. Swedish nationals apply via the ETA app; non-EU residents apply through the visa centre in Stockholm.
"UK tourist visa from Sweden" means different things by nationality. A Swedish passport holder visiting as a tourist only needs an ETA. A non-EU national living in Sweden must apply for a Standard Visitor visa, regardless of how long they have lived there.
What You Can Do as a Visitor
- Tourism: sightseeing, attractions, events, and festivals
- Family visits: seeing friends and relatives in the UK
- Business activities: meetings, conferences, and negotiations — no paid work
- Short courses: study up to 30 days where it is not the main purpose
- Private medical treatment at UK private facilities
- Transit through the UK to another destination
For repeat trips, the long-term visitor visa allows unlimited entries over two, five, or ten years while still capping each stay at six months.
UK Visa Fees from Sweden 2026
Swedish citizens pay £16 (about €24) for an ETA. Non-EU residents of Sweden pay from €163 for a six-month Standard Visitor visa. Work visas run from €988, the Student visa is €673, and a partner/family visa is €2,489. UK fees are set in pounds; because Sweden uses the krona, the amount in SEK depends on the exchange rate at payment. The figures below reflect the 2026 schedule.
Home Office fees are set in pounds. Applicants in Sweden pay in their card currency at the rate applying when the fee is charged, so the krona amount varies. The euro figures below are the standard European conversion and are a close guide to what Swedish applicants pay.
Visitor and Short-Stay Fees
| Visa Type | Fee (EUR) | Max Stay Per Visit |
|---|---|---|
| ETA (Swedish citizens) | £16 (≈ €24) | 6 months |
| Standard Visitor (6 months) | €163 | 6 months |
| Long-term Visitor (2 years) | €610 | 6 months |
| Long-term Visitor (5 years) | €1,089 | 6 months |
| Long-term Visitor (10 years) | €1,360 | 6 months |
| Marriage Visitor | €163 | 6 months |
| Private Medical Treatment | €282 | 11 months |
| Direct Airside Transit (DATV) | €50 | Airside only |
| Visitor in Transit | €90 | 48 hours |
For travellers planning repeat trips, the long-term visitor visa spreads the cost over several years while still capping each stay at six months.
Work, Study and Family Fees
| Visa Category | Fee (EUR) |
|---|---|
| Student | €673 |
| Skilled Worker (up to 3 years) | €988 |
| Skilled Worker (over 3 years) | €1,951 |
| Health and Care Worker (up to 3 years) | €391 |
| Youth Mobility Scheme | €410 |
| Partner / Family visa | €2,489 |
| Adult Dependent Relative | €4,384 |
| Priority service | +€603 |
| Super Priority service | +€1,206 |
Any visa over six months also carries the Immigration Health Surcharge, charged in pounds at £1,035 a year (students and Youth Mobility participants pay £776). It is paid on top of the visa fee and, like the visa fee itself, is converted from pounds at payment. Health and Care Worker visa holders are exempt.
UK Visa from Sweden for Indians
Indian nationals in Sweden pay €163 for a six-month Standard Visitor visa in 2026. A Swedish residence permit (uppehållstillstånd) does not grant visa-free UK access, but it strengthens the application by showing ties to Sweden. Applications go through the visa centre in Stockholm, with processing of about three weeks.
Sweden's Indian community is large and growing — many are IT professionals, researchers, and students. Indian nationals in Sweden must apply for a UK visa regardless of residence status; the uppehållstillstånd or permanent residence (PUT) does not provide visa-free access. The upside is that settled life in Sweden helps demonstrate a clear reason to return.
- Valid Indian passport with adequate remaining validity
- Swedish residence permit valid beyond your return date
- Bank statements from a Swedish account, covering recent months
- Employment letter from a Swedish employer confirming leave
- Travel itinerary and UK accommodation bookings
- Evidence of ties to Sweden — property, family, ongoing work
Legal residence in Sweden — especially permanent residence (PUT) — helps a UK visitor application by showing strong ties and a clear reason to return. Include your residence permit, employment contract, and evidence of settled life such as property, bank accounts, or children in school alongside the standard documents.
Build the file using our UK visa supporting documents checklist, and if a relative is hosting you, our guide to the sponsor's invitation letter shows what to include. If a visit was refused before, our guides on why UK visas are refused and the odds of success when reapplying explain how to strengthen a fresh application.
Working and Studying in the UK
Swedish citizens need a work visa since Brexit. The main route is the Skilled Worker visa (€988–€1,951), needing employer sponsorship and a salary at or above the £41,700 general threshold. Swedish nationals give biometrics through the UK Immigration: ID Check App from home. The Youth Mobility Scheme (ages 18–35, €410) and the Student visa (€673) are the other common routes.
Free movement ended on 31 December 2020, so Swedish nationals now need permission to work or study long-term. The upside is convenience: as an EU national, you verify your identity through the UK Immigration: ID Check App rather than attending a visa centre. UK visa grant rates for Swedish applicants are high across all routes in the latest Home Office figures.
Skilled Worker Visa
The Skilled Worker route is the main path for Swedish nationals taking UK employment. You need a job offer from a licensed sponsor and a salary meeting the general threshold of £41,700, with lower thresholds for some roles. The fee is €988 for up to three years or €1,951 beyond that, plus the health surcharge, and it leads to settlement after five years.
Youth Mobility and Student Routes
Swedish citizens aged 18 to 35 can apply under the Youth Mobility Scheme to live and work in the UK for two years without a job offer; places are limited and allocated by ballot, and the fee is €410. For courses over six months, the Student visa costs €673 and allows part-time work. After a degree, the Graduate route gives two years' post-study work. Shorter courses up to six months need only an ETA.
Partner and Family Routes
Swedish nationals joining a British or settled partner can apply for a partner visa, currently €2,489, with a minimum income requirement of £29,000. Where the sponsor holds EU Settlement Scheme status instead, the free EUSS family route may apply rather than the paid partner visa.
How to Apply for a UK Visa from Sweden
The process depends on whether you are a Swedish citizen or a non-EU resident of Sweden. Swedish nationals do almost everything by app; non-EU residents use the Stockholm visa centre for biometrics — the UK visa application centre in the country.
- Complete the online application and pay the fee at gov.uk (charged in pounds)
- Swedish citizens: give biometrics via the UK Immigration: ID Check App from home
- Non-EU residents: book biometrics at the Stockholm visa centre
- Upload your supporting documents
- Wait for the decision — about 3 weeks standard, 5 days on priority
- Receive your eVisa or a vignette in your passport
For an ETA there is no form beyond the app itself — download it, scan your passport, take a photo, and pay. If a visa decision runs late, our guide on UK visa delays explains how to chase it, and priority and super-priority services can speed things up where available. You can track timelines with our guide to processing after biometrics.
- Swedish citizens need an ETA (£16, about €24), applied for via the UK ETA App — issue rate 99.6%
- For visas, Swedish nationals use the ID Check App — no visa centre visit
- Indians and other non-EU residents pay €163 for a six-month Standard Visitor visa
- UK fees are set in pounds; the krona amount depends on the exchange rate at payment
- Work visas need sponsorship and a £41,700 general salary threshold
- The health surcharge (£1,035/year, £776 students) applies to visas over six months
For official confirmation, use the gov.uk visa checker and the Standard Visitor visa guidance. Neighbouring guides cover the Denmark ETA guide, Norwegian travellers to the UK, UK visa from Finland, and the Iceland ETA guide.
Frequently Asked Questions about UK Visa from Sweden
No visa is needed for visits up to six months, but Swedish citizens must hold an ETA before travelling. It costs £16 (about €24), lasts two years, and is obtained through the UK ETA App. The requirement has applied since 2 April 2025 and is enforced at boarding — without an approved ETA, carriers will not let Swedish travellers board transport to the UK.
No. Sweden uses the krona, and UK visa fees are set in pounds. Swedish applicants pay in their card currency at the exchange rate applying when the fee is charged, so the krona amount varies a little. The euro figures quoted for UK visas are the standard European conversion and serve as a close guide to what Swedish applicants pay.
Indian nationals in Sweden pay €163 for a six-month Standard Visitor visa in 2026, regardless of Swedish residence status — the uppehållstillstånd does not grant visa-free access. Longer visitor visas cost €610 for two years, €1,089 for five years, or €1,360 for ten years. Applications go through the visa centre in Stockholm.
A Swedish citizen with an ETA can stay up to six months per visit for tourism, family, or business. There is no annual cap on visits, but frequent or very long stays may prompt questions about whether you are a genuine visitor. Working, studying long-term, or settling all require the relevant visa with its own conditions.
No. Since Brexit, Swedish citizens need a work visa. The main route is the Skilled Worker visa (€988–€1,951), needing sponsorship from a licensed UK employer and a salary at or above the £41,700 general threshold. Swedish nationals aged 18–35 may also use the Youth Mobility Scheme. Business meetings are allowed on an ETA, but paid work is not.
Yes. Swedish and other EU, EEA, and Swiss nationals applying for UK work, study, or family visas can verify their identity through the ID Check App from home, so no visa centre visit is needed. You scan your passport chip with your phone's NFC reader and take a photo to complete identity checks.
Standard processing is about three weeks for visitor and other non-settlement visas, and up to twelve weeks for settlement visas such as partner routes. Priority service (€603) targets five working days for visitor visas, and super priority (€1,206) aims for the next working day where available. ETAs are usually decided within minutes, up to three working days.
The UK ETA App is for applying for an Electronic Travel Authorisation, which Swedish citizens use for short visits up to six months. The UK Immigration: ID Check App is for giving biometrics when applying for an actual visa — work, study, or family. In short, the ETA app is for visiting and the ID Check app is for longer stays that need a visa.