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Sweden Grants Swedish Citizenship to Nearly 90,000 Individuals, Including Thousands of Iraqis

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Hemin Bakir
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Woman strolls through the Sodermalm area of Stockholm, Sweden October 22, 2020
<br>Image Credit: Reuters

The Swedish Immigration Service made an announcement on Saturday, revealing that Swedish citizenship has been granted to approximately 90,000 individuals during the year 2022.

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Among these, more than 3,000 Iraqis were included in the list of new Swedish citizens.

The data showcases the diverse range of nationalities that have become part of Swedish society through the acquisition of citizenship.

Syrian Immigrants Lead in Obtaining Swedish Nationalities

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The statistics released by the Swedish Immigration Service shed light on the countries from which individuals have obtained Swedish nationality.

Syrian immigrants topped the list, with 19,500 nationalities granted to Syrian citizens.

Eritrea followed in second place, with 8,500 nationalities, while Somalis secured 6,000 nationalities.

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Afghans were granted 5,600 nationalities, and Iraqis were among those receiving 3,200 nationalities.

These figures reflect the significant contributions made by immigrants from various nations in building a diverse and inclusive society in Sweden.

Long Waiting Periods and Citizenship Applications

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The Immigration Authority addressed the issue of waiting periods for citizenship decisions. Out of the applications that were processed, 75 percent received a decision within a timeframe of fewer than 36 months.

However, the remaining 25 percent faced a longer waiting period.

The Swedish Migration Agency currently has 86,000 pending applications for citizenship, with 92,000 decisions issued, granting or refusing citizenship, up until the beginning of the current year, 2023.

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The backlog can be attributed to the high number of applications received from refugees in 2015 and subsequent years, which has posed challenges in processing them in a timely manner.

Swedish Nationality: A Constitutional Right with Limited Exceptions

While the Swedish Migration Agency acknowledges the extended waiting times, it emphasizes that Swedish nationality is a constitutional right that is generally not withdrawn once acquired.

However, there is one exception to this rule. If an individual who has obtained Swedish nationality was born outside Sweden and reaches the age of 22 without residing in or visiting the country, and fails to submit an application to retain citizenship, their nationality may be revoked.

This provision aims to ensure that individuals actively engage with the country of their citizenship.

IntegrationMatters SwedishCitizenship ImmigrationToSweden NewSwedishCitizens DiverseSociety
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