The Swedish language requirement for citizenship
Since 6 June 2026, most adults who apply for Swedish citizenship must show sufficient knowledge of Swedish and of Swedish society. The requirement is in the citizenship law (lagen om svenskt medborgarskap) and applies to applicants aged 16 to 66. Before June 2026 Sweden had no language requirement for citizenship at all.
The planned test in Swedish has two levels, set out in the government bill:
| Skill | Level in the law | CEFR equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Reading | funktionell nivå (functional) | B1 |
| Listening | funktionell nivå (functional) | B1 |
| Speaking | grundläggande nivå (basic) | A2 |
| Writing | grundläggande nivå (basic) | A2 |
That is why this check concentrates on reading and listening: they are the skills where the bar is higher. The law itself doesn't name the CEFR, but the government bill says outright that functional level means B1 and basic level means A2.
Two different requirements: language and civics
People often mix these up. The civics test (medborgarskapsprovet i samhällskunskap) checks what you know about Swedish society: democracy, rights, the welfare state, history and so on. It started in August 2026, is run by UHR (the Swedish Council for Higher Education), and you take it after Migrationsverket has referred you. It is written in Swedish at B1 level, so in practice you need B1 reading to pass it.
The language requirement is separate. The citizenship test in Swedish doesn't exist yet, so today you meet it with grades or another test, listed below.
Timeline
| When | What |
|---|---|
| 6 June 2026 | Knowledge requirement in Swedish and civics comes into force, with no transitional rules. |
| August 2026 | First civics test, in Stockholm. Free in 2026; a 2,000 kronor fee applies from 2027. |
| End of Sept 2026 | UHR asks the government to move the reading and listening test to autumn 2029. |
| 1 Oct 2027 | Deadline in the government's assignment to UHR for the reading and listening test. Likely to move if the government accepts UHR's request. |
| 2030 at the earliest | Speaking and writing, according to UHR's proposal. |
How to prove your Swedish today
Until the language test exists, the law lists these ways to show sufficient Swedish:
- A pass in the highest SFI course (svenska för invandrare, course D).
- A pass in Swedish or Swedish as a second language from the last year of compulsory school, upper secondary school, folk high school at upper secondary level, or Komvux.
- A pass on Tisus, the Swedish test universities use for admission.
- A pass on another Swedish test that shows functional level with a high degree of certainty. The government bill says this route should be applied restrictively and dropped once the full citizenship test is in place, so check with Migrationsverket before you rely on it.
- A pass in Swedish from school in another Nordic country. A pass in Danish or Norwegian there exempts you from the Swedish part altogether.
If SFI is where you are, the practical route is clear: finish course D. Our guide SFI or an app? covers how to combine SFI with self-study, and the full guide to the citizenship language requirement goes through every option and exception.
Who doesn't need to show Swedish
- Applicants who have turned 67, and children under 16.
- People with a pass grade in Danish or Norwegian from school in another Nordic country.
- People who, because of a disability or other personal circumstances, cannot reasonably be expected to show the knowledge. Migrationsverket decides this case by case.
What B1 means, in plain terms
The CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) runs from A1 to C2. B1 is the first level where you count as an independent user. For reading and listening, that means roughly this:
| Level | Reading | Listening |
|---|---|---|
| A2 | Short, simple texts: notices, timetables, text messages, simple forms. | Short, clear messages about everyday things: times, prices, directions. |
| B1 | Letters from the authorities, emails at work, short news on familiar topics: main point and key details. | Announcements, voicemails and the main points of radio news or a conversation, in clear standard speech. |
| B2 | Longer articles and opinion pieces, including what the writer implies. | Most radio and TV at normal speed, including arguments and opinions. |
A2 to B1 is a real step. A2 gets you through a transaction; B1 lets you follow a letter about your child's school or a radio report without needing every word. To find your level across grammar and vocabulary as well, take the Swedish level test; to see how hard a particular letter or article is, paste it into the text difficulty checker.
How this check works
Every text and recording was written for this page; none come from real test papers. There are thirteen reading questions and nine listening questions, each aimed at A2, B1 or B2. For each skill you reach a level when you get at least 60 per cent of that level's questions right, and every level below it. Recordings are read by your device's own Swedish voice, which is clearer and steadier than real speech, so treat a borderline listening result with care. The real test will also be entirely in Swedish, instructions included.
Want to raise your level? Season 1 of Complete Swedish is free in full: video lessons with synced transcripts that train exactly the listening and reading this requirement is about.
Sources
- Migrationsverket, Nya regler för svenskt medborgarskap från 6 juni 2026 and Medborgarskapsprovet i svenska kan flyttas fram.
- Regeringen, Regeringen justerar uppdraget för medborgarskapsprovet i svenska (February 2026: reading and listening test by 1 October 2027).
- Government bill prop. 2025/26:175 Skärpta krav för svenskt medborgarskap (law text, levels, ways to show Swedish, exemptions).
- SOU 2021:2 Krav på kunskaper i svenska och samhällskunskap för svenskt medborgarskap (riksdagen.se), where the B1/A2 levels were first proposed.
- UHR, Slutredovisning om införandet av medborgarskapsprov (autumn 2026), and the regulation SFS 2026:451 on the citizenship test (fee).
- The Local, Swedish agency calls for citizenship language tests to be postponed until 2029.
Last checked 7 October 2026. Rules can change; Migrationsverket decides what applies to your application. This page is general information, not legal advice, and Lingolib is not affiliated with any Swedish authority.
Frequently asked questions
What level of Swedish do you need for Swedish citizenship?
The citizenship test in Swedish is planned to test reading and listening at a 'functional level', which the government equates with B1 on the CEFR scale, and speaking and writing at a 'basic level', A2. Today the requirement is met through grades or other tests instead, because the language test has not started yet.
Is SFI D enough for citizenship?
Yes. A pass grade in the highest SFI course, which is course D, is one of the ways the law lists to show sufficient Swedish. A pass in Swedish or Swedish as a second language from year 9, upper secondary school, folk high school at upper secondary level or Komvux also counts, as does a pass on Tisus.
When does the Swedish language test for citizenship start?
Not yet. The government told UHR to hold the reading and listening test by 1 October 2027 at the latest, but at the end of September 2026 UHR, which runs the citizenship test, asked the government to postpone it to autumn 2029, with speaking and writing in 2030 at the earliest. The government had not announced a decision when we last checked. Until a test exists, you show your Swedish with grades such as SFI D, or with Tisus.
Is the civics test the same as the language test?
No. The civics test (medborgarskapsprovet i samhällskunskap) checks what you know about Swedish society and has been held since August 2026. It is written in Swedish at B1 level, so you need to read Swedish to pass it, but it does not grade your Swedish. The language requirement is separate and is shown with grades or a test in Swedish.
Who has to meet the language requirement?
Applicants for citizenship who are 16 or older and have not turned 67. People with a pass grade in Danish or Norwegian from school in another Nordic country are exempt from the Swedish part. Migrationsverket can also make an exception when a disability or other personal circumstances mean the applicant cannot reasonably be expected to show the knowledge.
Does this check count as proof for my application?
No. It is a free practice check that estimates your level. Only the ways listed in the citizenship law count, such as SFI D, school grades in Swedish, Tisus, and later the official citizenship test. Lingolib has no connection to Migrationsverket or UHR.
How long does it take to get from A2 to B1 in Swedish?
It depends on how much time you put in and how close your first language is to Swedish. As a rough guide, many learners need a few hundred hours of study and practice to move up one CEFR level at this stage. Daily listening and reading speed it up more than anything else.
I applied before 6 June 2026. Do the new rules apply to me?
According to Migrationsverket, yes: the new rules came in without transitional provisions, so applications that were still being processed on 6 June 2026 are decided under the new rules. Check migrationsverket.se for your own case.