Swedish Embassy opens visa processing for Pakistani citizens

The Swedish Embassy in Islamabad has stated that they will once again start services for visa application for Pakistani citizens starting April 9.

This means you can now go to the embassy to submit your application if you are planning on working, studying, or moving to Sweden to live with family or friends.

In the embassy’s statement, sent out by the Sweden Migration Agency, they said that applicants who are to submit an application, or who need to provide biometric data, have their passports checked, or who need to attend an interview after applying, can now do so in the embassy.

Nonetheless, the embassy specified that only those who have applied for a residence or work permit or who wish to stay in Sweden for more than 90 days would be allowed to travel.

This extended to those who have filed residence permits for longer terms in Sweden. The embassy added that short-term Schengen visa applications for visits of up to 90 days are still not being taken in Islamabad.

In the past, visa processing for Pakistani citizens was conducted on-site in Addis Ababa of Ethiopia. For short-stay Schengen visas, the applicants continue to submit to VFS Global in other countries including Bangkok, Manila, or Tokyo. Applications submitted would then be processed and a decision would be made at the Swedish Embassy in Bangkok.

The reinstatement of visa services is a significant milestone for Pakistani citizens seeking to visit Sweden for work, study, or family reunification purposes, as short-term Schengen visa applications must still be made from other international centers.

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