The Swedish Migration Agency is strengthening control in matters of Swedish citizenship

Published 4 October 2024 at 15.52

Domestic. The Swedish Migration Agency is strengthening control in the handling of cases about Swedish citizenship. The measures presented in a report to the government aim to detect potential security threats, strengthen ID control and develop the work with revocations of residence permits. The authority also points to the need for legislation that allows the use of fingerprints and photographs for identification.

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In the regulation letter for 2024, the Swedish Migration Agency has been tasked by the government to take measures to strengthen checks in matters concerning citizenship.

– It is important that a thorough check is made in matters of Swedish citizenship. The decisions cannot be revoked, so it is our last opportunity to discover, for example, potential security threats or that residence permits should be revoked on other grounds, says director general Maria Mindhammar.

In the report, the Swedish Migration Agency reports on the efforts made and the action plan drawn up with measures in the four areas that the assignment covers – checks to detect security threats, increased competence on security threats, strengthened ID control and revocations of residence permits.

Among other things, the transfer of information to the security police must increase and also cover certain cases of citizenship through notification. Competence regarding security threats has been strengthened through specially trained specialists and a training effort is being carried out in the autumn.

In order to strengthen identity control, a standard is being designed for the handling, registration and review of ID documents. The plan also includes proposals for technical development, increased use of photo comparisons and further review training. There is also an internal review of the conditions for people to verify their identity through a close relative and to be exempted from the requirement for verified identity.

The report states that the Swedish Migration Agency is currently not allowed to take fingerprints and photographs in order to check the identity in matters of Swedish citizenship and that there is a strong need for legislation that makes this possible.

Finally, measures are reported to develop work on revoking residence permits. When a person with a residence permit wants to become a Swedish citizen, there may be indications in the processing that the existing permit should be revoked. One of the measures is a developed initial screening to detect such indicators.