Sweden & Iran

Required documents

To apply for any kind of visa, you must fulfill the basic requirements. You should also submit the supporting documents in order to be granted a visa.

Basic requirements for the Embassy to accept the application

All visa applicants should submit the basic and supporting documents requested depending on the individual situation. Make sure you fulfill A to E.

A. For the Embassy to be able to receive and process an application for a visa, Sweden must be the main destination for the journey.

The application cannot be lodged earlier than six months before the intended journey and the following documents must be presented:

  • Printed and signed web application form or a completed and signed application form no. 119031, Application for Schengen Visa. This must be completely filled out and signed. If the applicant is under 18 years of age, the application must be signed by the custodian.
  • Valid passport or travel document. Your passport must:
    • be valid for at least three months after the planned exit from the territory of the Schengen States.
    • contain at least two empty page
    • have been issued in the last ten-year period.
  • Receipt confirming payment of application fee in original, if you didn’t apply online.
  • Also the biometric data (fingerprints and photo) shall be collected by the Embassy

If these requirements are not fulfilled when you come to the Embassy, your application will not be accepted and processed. In such case the documents will be handed back to you and the application fee will be refunded to you.

In order to be granted visa, you also need to submit supporting documents as stated below.

Supporting documents

A fundamental rule is that all documents must be submitted in original. There are a few documents that you only need to show in original at the Embassy and then submit a copy of the document. A basic condition is also that the document should be in Swedish or English or translated into these languages.

Please note! The documents that are submitted are only the starting point for the assessment of the application and do not mean that a visa will be issued merely because the application is complete.

The reason to ask for supporting documents is to provide evidence of the following:

B. The purpose of the intended journey;

C. Proof of accommodation and sufficient means of subsistence both for the duration of the intended stay and for the return to your country of origin or residence,

D. Proof of having medical travel insurance,

E. Information enabling an assessment of your intention to leave the territory of the Member States before the expiry of the visa applied for.

All visa applicants should submit the basic and supporting documents requested depending on the individual situation. Make sure you fulfil A to E. 

 B. The purpose of the intended journey

Documents to prove the purpose of the intended journey which could be: 

Please see relevant headings in the menu or click on the above links.

C. Proof of accommodation and sufficient means of subsistence both for the duration of the intended stay and for the return to your country of origin or residence

  • A hotel reservation, or
  • confirmation of accommodation and/or coverage of costs by the inviting/ sending entity or private individual, or
  • account statement from a bank in Iran for the last three months (only printed on A4 paper size), or
  • other proof of financial means available during the visit (international credit card, traveller’s cheques, etc.).

In general, Sweden requires you to have SEK 450 per day/person. The required amount may be less if for instance you have paid for board and lodging in advance or live with friends or relatives. The Embassy requires proof that you can support yourself, e.g. in the form of a statement of account from your bank or a wage specification for the past three months. If the person who is inviting you to Sweden will be paying for your support, you must show in the same way that he/she has enough money to do so.

D. Proof of having medical travel insurance

Most visa applicants are required to have medical travel insurance. It must cover any costs that may be incurred in connection with emergency medical aid, urgent hospital treatment or transport to the country of origin for medical reasons or in the event of death.

Read more about travel insurance under Medical travel insurance.

E. Information enabling an assessment of your intention to leave the territory of the Member States before the expiry of the visa applied for

  • Travel reservation:  flight tickets or flight reservations.

Evidence of socio-economic stability (enabling assessment of the applicant's intention to leave the territory of the Member States area before expiry of the requested visa):

  • All applicants:
    • Bank statements for the last three months and proof of ownership of property in Iran, if applicable
    • Shenasnameh (identity document with family record from the register office).
  • Officials: act of appointment or certificate of tenure and last payslip;
  • Employees: certificate of employment or recent employment contract + payslips for the last three months, certificate of affiliation to Tamin-e Ejtemaei (Social Security Organisation), Khadamat-e Darmani (Health Services Organisation) or equivalent, or letter of the employer explaining why this certificate is missing. Please note that Tamin-e Ejtemaei booklet or Tamin-e Ejtemaei stamped record needs to be presented.
  • Traders: proof of entry in the trade register (e.g. trade licence or declaration from official trade organisation) and proof of membership of Tamin-e Ejtemaei (Social Security Organisation), Khadamat-e Darmani (Health Services Organisation) or equivalent, if applicable;
  • Directors or shareholders of Iranian companies: introduction letter signed by a legal representative of the company confirming the office or status of the applicant; proof of existence of the company in Iran (e.g. notice published on the Official Journal); proof of appointment if not mentioned on the Official Journal;
  • Artists: proof of membership to one of the artist's official professional associations (e.g. House of Cinema, House of Photography, etc.) and/or proof of previous engagement in professional artistic activity (exhibitions, festivals, etc.) and certificate of affiliation to Tamin-e Ejtemaei (Social Security Organisation), Khadamat-e Darmani (Health Services Organisation) or equivalent, if applicable;
  • Pensioners: proof of receipt of a retirement pension;
  • Students or minors: evidence of the parents’ social or employment status and, where applicable, school attendance certificate or student card;
  • Un-employed persons: proof of adequate socio-economic status (e.g.: marriage certificate, family record book, documents confirming ownership of a property).

Non-Iranian nationals residing in Iran:

As a non-Iranian national residing in Iran, you should submit basic and supporting documents listed above. You should also show Iranian residence permit, valid for at least three months after expiry of the requested visa.

Minors:

The consent of the parental authority or legal guardian should be required only if the minor travels alone or only with one parent. Consent is not required if the single parent with whom the minor is to travel holds the parental authority alone. Additional documents as described under Minors in the menu.

Documents to be submitted by persons of specific categories: 

  • Member of the Government, Parliament or a Constitutional body: Verbal Note, certificate of tenure or some other official document;
  • Staff of an embassy, consulate, UN Agency representation office or official body of a Member State: certificate of tenure from the relevant embassy, consulate or representation office;
  • Notary: appointing decree;
  • Members of a profession, organised by a professional body (doctors, surgeons, dentists, pharmacists, lawyers, architects, and members of their family): certificate from the professional body;
  • Judges: certificate of tenure from the Judiciary;
  • High-ranking officials: Verbal Note or certificate of tenure from the relevant body;
  • Academic (assistant, lecturer, senior lecturer, director, dean of faculty, rector): certificate of tenure from the higher education establishment;
  • Officers of the Iranian army, Iranian police or other military bodies: Verbal Note or certificate of tenure from the relevant Administration;
  • Journalists: Journalists' ID Card; certificate of employment from the publication or broadcaster;
  • Sportsmen/sportswomen: certificate of the official Iranian sports organisation specifying date of enrolment and category (i.e. professional/amateur) and/or evidence of participation to national or international official competitions.

For the extra documents that are specifically associated with the type of visit you are planning, check under the relevant heading in the menu or click on the following links: