Sweden residence permit: how long can you stay outside Sweden?
Up to a year with a permanent residence permit. The Swedish Migration Agency revokes a permanent permit once you no longer live in Sweden, and says you can be away for up to one year and keep it. Moving abroad for a while? Notify the agency at least a week before you leave.
When do you need to be back in Sweden?
Pick your status and the day you leave or left. You get the last day to be back before the limit runs out.
Sweden residence permit: the limits at a glance
| Status | Time away | How it’s counted | Past the limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Permanent residence permit (PUT) | 1 year away from Sweden | Longer can mean you no longer live in Sweden | The permit can be revoked |
| Permanent residence permit after research | 2 years after you move away | If you notify the agency before you leave | The permit can be revoked after that |
| EU long-term resident status | 12 months in a row outside the EU | 24 after a Blue Card; or 6 years outside Sweden | The status is revoked |
| Temporary residence or work permit | No set limit while you still live in Sweden | Long stays abroad weigh on an extension | Revocable if you don’t mean to stay |
Permanent residence permit: up to a year away
The Aliens Act says a permanent residence permit (permanent uppehållstillstånd, PUT) shall be revoked once you no longer live in Sweden. It sets no number of days; the Swedish Migration Agency explains how it applies the rule:
- Holidays and short trips usually don’t affect the permit.
- Up to one year away — you keep it.
- Longer than that, the agency may decide you’ve stopped living in Sweden and revoke the permit.
Moving abroad for a while: notify a week before
If you’re moving out of Sweden but want to keep the permit, notify the Migration Agency with form 187011, by post. It must reach the agency at least one week before you leave; if your plans change, tell them by the day you were due to go.
| You notified the agency | The permit can be revoked |
|---|---|
| Yes | No sooner than 1 year after your residence in Sweden ended |
| Yes, and your permanent permit followed one for research or doctoral studies | No sooner than 2 years after |
| No | Once you no longer live in Sweden |
The one-year limit applies since 13 July 2026; before, the law allowed two years to everyone who notified.
Work permits and other temporary permits
A temporary permit has no set limit on days abroad. A work permit lets you travel as long as you still have the job; long stays outside Sweden can count against an extension or a later permanent permit. Since 13 July 2026, a temporary permit can also be revoked if you don’t intend to stay in Sweden.
EU long-term resident status
Long-term resident status (ställning som varaktigt bosatt) is revoked after 12 months in a row outside the EU — 24 if you got it through an EU Blue Card — or 6 years in a row outside Sweden. If you lose your residence permit through time abroad but keep the status, you get a new permit on notification when you come back to settle. More on EU long-term resident status.
Worked example
| You leave Sweden | Status | Plan to be back by |
|---|---|---|
| 1 September 2027 | Permanent residence permit | 1 September 2028 |
| 1 September 2027 | Permanent permit after research, notified | 1 September 2029 |
| 1 September 2027 | EU long-term resident, outside the EU | 1 September 2028 |
Other Nordic countries: Norway, Finland and Denmark. Another EU country that joined the directive: Poland residence permit. All countries, side by side: residence permit absence rules by country.
How FlySee counts it
FlySee doesn’t have a Sweden residence tracker yet. Its Log records every day you’re outside Sweden and rebuilds past trips from your photos, so you can see when each absence began. The calculator above counts calendar months from the day you leave: leave on 1 September 2027, and a year ends on 1 September 2028.