- English
Schengen visa if you want to visit Sweden (or Denmark and Estonia if applying in Kathmandu as a resident in Nepal) and you are not a citizen of the EU/EEA, you may need a visa. A visa gives you permission to enter and stay in Sweden for a short period. It is valid throughout the Schengen area, but you apply to the country that is the main destination for the journey.
Visas can be granted for such purposes as:
Applications shall be lodged no more than six months and for seafarers in the performance of their duties no more than nine months before the start of the intended visit. Apply as far in advance as possible, especially during the peak season. Usually, you get a decision within 15 calender days.
A Schengen visa can be granted for between 1 and 90 days. You have to make use of these days within a given time frame of six months at the most (period of validity).
How many days you are allowed to stay in the Schengen area, and for how long altogether are stated on the visa sticker attached to your travel document.
If you need to travel to Sweden (or Denmark and Estonia if applying in Kathmandu as a resident in Nepal) often, you can ask to be given multiple entries. If the visa is valid for more than six months, you can stay in the Schengen area for a maximum of 90 days within a period of 180 days.
A visa does not automatically mean you can enter the Schengen area. Entry checks are always made at Schengen external border points. So it is a good idea to bring along copies of the documents you submitted when applying for a visa. Border controls may result in your being denied entry.
It is the Embassy that decides whether you are to be granted a visa. In certain cases, the matter is referred to the Swedish Migration Agency for a decision.
As soon as you receive your short-stay visa, make sure that all the information it contains is correct.
Check the following:
Do this yourself in order to avoid any problems or extra costs arising when using your visa. If you think that the information on the visa is incorrect, tell the Embassy immediately, so that any errors can be corrected.
How to read the visa sticker
DURATION OF STAY………DAYS indicates the number of days, you may stay in the Schengen area. The days should be counted from the date you enter the Schengen area (the entry stamp) to the date you exit the Schengen area (the exit stamp), i.e. both days included.
The period of time between “FROM …UNTIL” is usually longer than the number of days printed in the “DURATION OF STAY” field. The difference in period is meant to give you flexibility to plan your entry into and exit from the Schengen area, but your stay in the Schengen area must never exceed the exact number of days in the “DURATION OF STAY …DAYS” field. No matter how many days you have stayed in the Schengen area, you must leave no later than the date printed in the “UNTIL” field."
Controls at the border
Your short-stay visa allows you to travel to Sweden and usually to other Schengen States. But it does not automatically entitle you to enter the Schengen area. So you may have to provide certain information at border or other controls. You may, for instance, have to provide information on your means of support, how long you intend to stay in Sweden (or Denmark and Estonia if applying in Kathmandu as a resident in Nepal) and why you are visiting Sweden. In some cases, such checks may result in a refusal for the visa holder to enter Sweden or the Schengen area.
It is therefore recommended that you carry with you copies of the documents which you presented when you applied for the visa (e.g. letters of invitation, travel confirmations, other documents stating the purpose of your stay). This will help to make the border control procedure easier and avoid delays at the border.
NB: You must keep to the period of stay allowed by your visa. Misuse and overstay may result in you being expelled and banned from obtaining a new visa for a certain period of time.
If you know when applying that you will need to stay in Sweden for longer than three months, you should not apply for a Schengen visa but for a Visitor's permit. Such permits are decided in accordance with national Swedish rules. This means, for instance, that Schengen rules do not apply and that visa decisions are not subject to appeal. If you are a resident in Nepal you have to apply directly at the Embassy of Sweden in New Delhi since VFS cannot receive this kind of applications. National visas for Denmark and Estonia will not be dealt with at the Swedish Embassy, you are advised to contact respectively Embassy for further information.
An application for visitor's permit is always sent to the Migration Agency in Sweden, where the decision is taken. If the application is granted, residence permits are usually issued for between 91 days and twelve months.
If you are to be granted a visitor's permit, the purpose of the trip must be to visit Sweden, not to settle there. You must have the means to support yourself throughout your stay, and you must possess either a return ticket or enough money for your return journey. Medical travel insurance is not compulsory, but it is advisable, since medical costs can be high.
Please note that the Embassy only cooperates with VFS Global in Nepal. The embassy has nothing to do with sellers outside the premises of the embassy or the VFS Global office who offer services for payment. No sellers can influence either the processing period or the decision.
If you find that any of the Embassy or VFS Global staff offer you a visa for money (in addition to the visa fee), for other favours or else behave in a corrupt way please send an email to ambassaden.new-delhi@gov.se