Maintenance requirement for family of EU long-term residents: 2026 amounts

By Mikkel Gerdes, Kliently. Published 2 November 2026.

Short answer: from 1 October 2026 new maintenance rules apply to a limited group, family members of persons with EU long-term resident status in Sweden. The requirement is that the family income after tax must cover the rent and additionally leave a specified amount per household member. The 2026 amounts are fixed per category, but they do not apply to family reunification in general, only to this specific group.

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In short:

• The new rules cover family members of persons with EU long-term resident status, not family reunification in general.
• Income after tax must cover the rent and leave the household cost amount remaining.
• 2026 amounts: SEK 8,116 for a single adult, SEK 13,408 for cohabiting couples, SEK 4,337 to 6,941 per child depending on age.
• Child amounts are reduced by child allowance and large family supplement.
• The applicant's own income may be included in the family's total income.

Table of contents

• Who is covered by the rules?
• The calculation model step by step
• Amounts for 2026
• What counts as income?
• Exceptions

Who is covered by the rules?

The rules from 1 October 2026 apply to those applying for a residence permit as a family member of a person with EU long-term resident status in Sweden. That is a limited group. If the reference person instead has, for example, a permanent residence permit under Swedish rules, other maintenance conditions apply. Check which category your case belongs to before drawing conclusions from the amounts.

The calculation model step by step

1. Calculate the household income after tax.
2. Subtract the household monthly rent.
3. Check that the remaining amount covers the sum of the amounts for all household members in the table below.

The applicant family member's own income may be included in the family's total income, which can be decisive in households with two adults.

Amounts for 2026

• Single adult: SEK 8,116
• Cohabiting spouses or partners: SEK 13,408
• Child aged 0 to 6: SEK 4,337
• Child aged 7 to 10: SEK 5,205
• Child aged 11 to 14: SEK 6,074
• Child aged 15 or older: SEK 6,941

The amounts must remain after the rent is paid. Child amounts are reduced by any child allowance and large family supplement.

What counts as income?

Accepted income includes salaries, income from self-employment and sickness benefit. Assets can in some cases be accepted to meet the requirement. However, income from subsidised employment, unemployment insurance, activity grants and other labour-market related benefits do not count. That means households living on benefits during a period may struggle to meet the requirement, even if the overall economy is stable.

Exceptions

The requirement does not apply where there are special grounds for an exemption, for example if illness or disability has permanently reduced the family member's ability to work. Such assessments are individual and often require medical evidence. If your family has such a situation, prepare the documentation early and have a migration lawyer assess your chances.

Frequently asked questions

Do the amounts apply to all family reunification?

No. The amounts apply to family members of persons with EU long-term resident status. For ties under Swedish rules, other amounts and rules apply.

Can the applicant's income be counted?

Yes, the applicant's income may be included in the family's total income.

What is deducted first?

The household monthly rent is deducted from income after tax, and after that the household cost amounts must remain.

Do study loans and grants count?

No, study assistance normally does not count as accepted income for the maintenance requirement.

Can the requirement be waived due to illness?

Yes, for special grounds, for example if illness or disability has permanently reduced the ability to work, the requirement can be waived after individual assessment.

Sources

• New rules for family members of long-term residents in another EU country, Swedish Migration Agency

Recommendations

• Family immigration and ties, legal help
• Work permits in Sweden, legal help
• Permit extensions, migration lawyer

This is general information about rules that may change and does not constitute legal advice. For an assessment of your specific case, contact a lawyer.