Sweden Live with a Partner: Proof of Cohabitation + Communication Bundle
Sweden's residence permit for partners allows spouses or cohabiting partners of Swedish citizens or residents to live in Sweden. Both partners must normally be over 21. The person in Sweden must meet maintenance (income) and housing requirements. Applications are typically made from outside Sweden through the Migrationsverket online portal, and an interview at a Swedish embassy/consulate is required.
Visa Types
- Residence Permit — Spouse — Processing: ~6-14 months
- Residence Permit — Cohabiting Partner — Processing: ~6-14 months
Why Chat Evidence Matters
Migrationsverket evaluates whether the relationship is "serious" (seriost foerhallande). While mandatory documents (passport, marriage certificate) are primary, communication records showing ongoing contact and shared life planning strengthen the application — especially if you are applying as cohabiting partners without a marriage certificate. PartnerProof enforces Sweden-specific requirements: Latin-only filenames (no oe, ae, aa characters), ISO 8601 date format (YYYY-MM-DD), and A4 paper size.
Evidence Requirements
- Identity Documents: Valid passport for the applicant. Register your marriage/partnership with the Swedish Tax Agency (Skatteverket) if applicable.
- Relationship Proof: Marriage certificate, or documentation of your cohabiting relationship (photos, communication records, statements about how you met and your relationship history).
- Sponsor's Status: Swedish/Nordic citizenship proof, permanent residence permit, or qualifying temporary permit. Registration in the Swedish population register.
- Maintenance Requirement: Sponsor must prove sufficient income to support both partners and provide adequate housing (at least one room plus kitchen).
- Communication Evidence: WhatsApp messages, email threads, call logs, and other correspondence showing ongoing contact. Submit in Swedish or English. Non-Swedish/English documents need certified translations.
Step-by-Step: Create Your Evidence PDF
- Export your WhatsApp chat — Export your conversation from WhatsApp. If messages are not in Swedish or English, prepare certified translations alongside the original.
- Upload to PartnerProof — Drop your file into PartnerProof. Processing is 100% local — your data stays in your browser.
- Select Sweden as destination — Choose Sweden from the country selector. PartnerProof applies A4 format, ISO 8601 dates (YYYY-MM-DD), Swedish labels (Bilaga), and automatically sanitizes filenames to Latin-only characters.
- Select representative messages — Use sampling to pick conversations showing ongoing contact, future plans, and daily life. Keep individual files under 20 MB and total uploads under 500 MB.
- Add photos and supporting documents — Upload relationship photos and any supporting documents. PartnerProof organizes them with Latin-only filenames as required by Migrationsverket.
- Download and submit — Download the PDF and apply via Migrationsverket's online portal. Indicate which Swedish embassy you will visit for your interview.
Evidence Checklist
- Online application via Migrationsverket portal
- Valid passport
- Marriage certificate (if married) registered with Skatteverket
- Communication evidence PDF (Swedish or English)
- Photos from different occasions
- Sponsor's proof of Swedish citizenship or residence
- Maintenance requirement documentation (income proof)
- Housing proof (adequate accommodation)
- Certified translations for non-Swedish/English documents
- All filenames Latin-only (no oe, ae, aa characters)
- Individual files under 20 MB; total under 500 MB
Frequently Asked Questions
What documents prove we share a home for Sweden partner visa?
Joint lease or rental agreement, registration at the same address with the Swedish Tax Agency (Skatteverket), utility bills in both names, bank statements showing the same address, and mail addressed to both partners at the shared address. If you are not yet in Sweden, provide evidence of plans to live together and communication showing domestic discussions.
How to format bills/lease evidence for Migrationsverket?
Submit documents in Swedish or English as PDF files. Use A4 paper size, clear scans, and Latin-only characters in filenames (no oe, ae, aa). Keep individual files under 20 MB. Migrationsverket accepts PDF, DOC, DOCX, JPG, PNG, RTF, and TXT formats. Certified translations are required for documents in other languages.
When should I add communication records for Sweden partner visa?
Always, but especially when: (1) you are applying as cohabiting partners without a marriage certificate, (2) you have spent significant time apart before the application, or (3) your relationship is relatively new. Communication records provide supplemental evidence of an ongoing, serious relationship.
What is the maintenance requirement for Sweden partner visa?
The person in Sweden must show they can financially support both partners. The exact amount varies but is based on the Swedish norm for basic living costs. They must also show they have adequate housing — at minimum one room plus kitchen. Employment contract, payslips, and bank statements are typical evidence.
Do I need to translate documents to Swedish for Migrationsverket?
Migrationsverket accepts documents in Swedish or English. Any documents in other languages must include a certified translation and a copy of the original-language document. Chat evidence in other languages should ideally include key excerpts translated to English or Swedish.
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