Schengen visa, applied for from the UK

Sweden visa from the UK for non-UK passport holders

If you live in the UK on a non-UK passport, you apply for a Sweden Schengen visa through VFS Global's online portal and its centres in London or Edinburgh. The visa fee is €90, charged in pounds, plus a €27 VFS service charge. Allow around 15 days in Sweden, plus courier time.

Checked against official sourcesLast reviewed 9 October 2026 · sources at the foot of the page

Consulate fee, adult. €45 for ages 6 to 11, free under 6.: €90
VFS Global in London and Edinburgh. Its charge is added at the centre.: 2 centres
Standard processing after the appointment.: 15 days
The earliest you can apply before you travel.: 6 months

Who can apply from the UK

You can apply in the UK if you live here. VFS's checklist asks for your UK residence permit to be valid for at least one month after you leave the Schengen area, the same as the EU's common list for UK applicants.

If you visit several Schengen countries, Sweden must be your main destination. Otherwise you apply to the country that is.

You can use either centre, London or Edinburgh. If you gave fingerprints for a Schengen visa in the last 59 months, you can post your passport to VFS or drop it off instead of attending a biometrics appointment.

Children under 18 must attend a centre with both parents. Postal applications are not accepted for them.

Sweden visa for Pakistani passport holders in the UK
Sweden visa for Bangladeshi passport holders in the UK
Sweden visa for Nigerian passport holders in the UK
Sweden visa for Sri Lankan passport holders in the UK
Sweden visa for Ghanaian passport holders in the UK
Sweden visa for Gambian passport holders in the UK
Sweden visa for Somali passport holders in the UK
Sweden visa for Guinean passport holders in the UK

Documents for a Sweden visit visa

You provide

Passport Valid for at least 3 months after you leave the Schengen area, with 2 blank pages, plus a copy of the photo page.
UK immigration status Proof of your UK residence, valid for at least one month after you leave the Schengen area. VFS's checklist dates from before eVisas and still asks for the residence permit card with copies of both sides.
Photo Needed if you reuse earlier fingerprints or are under 12: colour, light background, no older than 6 months. Uploads must be JPG at 300 dpi or more.
Bank statements Your own UK statements, or credit card statements showing your monthly limit, covering at least the last 3 months and showing the balance. If a spouse or parent supports you, add proof of the relationship, their statements and a statement of support.
Job or study evidence Employees: a recent signed letter with your position, salary and the employer's UK registration number, plus 3 months of payslips. Self-employed: an accountant's, banker's or solicitor's letter stating your annual salary, plus your self-assessment. Students: a letter with your weekly hours and attendance record.
Invitation from your host Family or friend visits: Sweden's official form 'Invitation – Before application for a Schengen visa' (no. 241011 in English), completed and signed by your host, with a copy of their passport or ID and residence permit, and proof of your relationship.
Children's documents Birth certificate. If a child travels with one parent or neither: both parents' passports or certified copies, parental consent and a British school certificate.

We provide

Application form Completed on VFS's Sweden e-application portal. Once VFS has checked the uploaded documents, the form is generated, signed and uploaded again.
Cover letter Sets out your dates, plans, who pays and your ties to the UK.
Return flight reservation A reserved return ticket to the UK, or proof of onward travel.
Hotel booking A confirmed hotel booking for your whole stay, or a tour booking confirmation.
Travel medical insurance At least €30,000 of cover, valid in every Schengen country for your whole stay, covering medical repatriation, urgent care, emergency hospital treatment and death.
VFS appointment or mail-in We book your biometrics appointment in London or Edinburgh, or arrange mail-in if you gave fingerprints for a Schengen visa in the last 59 months.

Where and when to apply

Sweden takes UK short-stay applications through VFS Global in London or Edinburgh. Apply no earlier than 6 months and no later than 15 days before you travel.

VFS Global is the only service provider for Swedish Schengen visas in the UK, through an online e-application and centres in London and Edinburgh. The Embassy of Sweden in London handles no visas: the Swedish Migration Agency decides in Sweden, and your passport is couriered there and back.

Appointments in London →Appointments in Edinburgh →

Worth knowing about this consulate

You apply on VFS's Sweden e-application portal: you upload PDF scans under 1 MB each, pay online and wait for VFS to check your documents. Unfinished applications are deleted after 30 days.
The Swedish Migration Agency decides in Sweden. Its normal handling time of around 15 days starts only when your passport arrives there, so add courier days both ways.
VFS's current fee sheet lists a €27 service fee including VAT for every applicant, children included. If you cancel after your documents are verified, only the visa fee is refunded.
If you gave fingerprints for a Schengen visa in the last 59 months, you can post your passport to VFS or drop it off in person. Fingerprints given for a residence permit, a D visa or a refused application cannot be reused.
The Embassy of Sweden in London does not handle Schengen visas or answer questions about them. Contact VFS Global instead.
Optional VFS extras include courier return of your passport (£29.48) and SMS updates (£3.42), both including VAT.

Notes by passport

Pakistani passport holders

Pakistan is on the EU's prior-consultation list (version of 1 November 2024), so your application may be checked with other Schengen states before a decision. This can add time, so apply early.
Only changing planes at a Swedish airport on the way somewhere else? As a Pakistani national you need an airport transit visa unless an exemption applies. The EU exemption for UK residents names the Biometric Residence Permit, and all BRPs have now expired, so with an eVisa plan on needing the transit visa unless Sweden confirms otherwise.

Bangladeshi passport holders

Bangladesh is on the EU's prior-consultation list (version of 1 November 2024), so your application may be checked with other Schengen states before a decision. This can add time, so apply early.
Only changing planes at a Swedish airport on the way somewhere else? As a Bangladeshi national you need an airport transit visa unless an exemption applies. The EU exemption for UK residents names the Biometric Residence Permit, and all BRPs have now expired, so with an eVisa plan on needing the transit visa unless Sweden confirms otherwise.

Nigerian passport holders

Nigeria is on the EU's prior-consultation list (version of 1 November 2024), so your application may be checked with other Schengen states before a decision. This can add time, so apply early.
Only changing planes at a Swedish airport on the way somewhere else? As a Nigerian national you need an airport transit visa unless an exemption applies. The EU exemption for UK residents names the Biometric Residence Permit, and all BRPs have now expired, so with an eVisa plan on needing the transit visa unless Sweden confirms otherwise.

Sri Lankan passport holders

Sri Lanka is on the EU's prior-consultation list (version of 1 November 2024), so your application may be checked with other Schengen states before a decision. This can add time, so apply early.
Only changing planes at a Swedish airport on the way somewhere else? As a Sri Lankan national you need an airport transit visa unless an exemption applies. The EU exemption for UK residents names the Biometric Residence Permit, and all BRPs have now expired, so with an eVisa plan on needing the transit visa unless Sweden confirms otherwise.

Ghanaian passport holders

Only changing planes at a Swedish airport on the way somewhere else? As a Ghanaian national you need an airport transit visa unless an exemption applies. The EU exemption for UK residents names the Biometric Residence Permit, and all BRPs have now expired, so with an eVisa plan on needing the transit visa unless Sweden confirms otherwise.

Gambian passport holders

EU restrictions on The Gambia (Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/1781) mean only single-entry visas and a standard processing time of 45 days instead of 15. Apply well ahead.

Somali passport holders

EU restrictions on Somalia (a Council decision of 25 June 2026) mean only single-entry visas and a standard processing time of 45 days instead of 15. Apply well ahead.

Guinean passport holders

EU restrictions on Guinea (a Council decision of 10 July 2026) mean only single-entry visas and a standard processing time of 45 days instead of 15. Apply well ahead.

How a Sweden application runs, day by day

Day 0Eligibility and checklistA yes, a no or a “not yet, because”.
Days 1–5File builtYou send documents on WhatsApp; we do the rest.
VariesAppointment waitWe watch releases daily and book the first that fits.
15 daysConsulate decisionFingerprints at VFS Global, then we track the file.
DonePassport backThen we confirm your real flights and hotel.

What it costs, and who you pay

Separate payments to separate people. Only ours is set by us, quoted in writing before you commit.

Consulate visa feePaid to the consulate. €45 for children aged 6 to 11. Not refundable if refused.: €90
VFS Global service chargePaid at the centre. VFS Global sets the amount, and we confirm it in your quote.
Fast Travellers, file and appointmentEverything from eligibility to decision, quoted in writing before you commit.
Fast Travellers, urgent or after a refusalAdds a daily slot search and a refusal review, quoted in writing before you commit.

Sweden visa questions from UK residents

Can I apply for a Sweden visa on a BRP?

BRPs have been replaced by eVisas. VFS's Sweden checklist still refers to a residence permit card valid for at least one month after you leave the Schengen area, so check with VFS which eVisa proof it wants.

Where do I apply for a Sweden visa in the UK?

Online on VFS Global's Sweden e-application portal, then at the VFS centre in London or Edinburgh for fingerprints and your passport. The Swedish Embassy does not take visa applications.

How long does a Sweden visa take from the UK?

Around 15 days once your passport reaches the Swedish Migration Agency in Sweden, and up to 45 in some cases. Add courier time of a few working days each way.

How much is a Sweden Schengen visa from the UK?

The visa fee is €90 for ages 12 and over and €45 for children aged 6 to 11, charged in pounds. Children under 6 pay nothing. VFS adds a €27 service fee.

Can I post my passport for a Sweden visa?

Yes, if you gave fingerprints for a Schengen visa in the last 59 months. You can post it to VFS or drop it off instead of attending an appointment. Children must attend with both parents.

Will my passport be stamped when I enter Sweden?

No. Since 10 April 2026 the EU's Entry/Exit System records your entries and exits digitally instead of stamping your passport. As a visa holder, the system stores a photo of your face taken at the border; your fingerprints are already on file from your visa application.

Can I visit other Schengen countries on a Sweden visa?

Yes. A Schengen visa covers all 29 Schengen countries for up to 90 days in any 180, as long as Sweden is your main destination.

Where these facts come from

Fees and rules are checked against official and visa-centre pages. Last reviewed 9 October 2026. Rules change: we confirm everything again before you pay.