A Migrationsverket or Skatteverket rejection states its own appeal deadline and names the body that reviews the case first. A Försäkringskassan rejection runs on the same kind of clock, fixed by rule rather than printed on the letter itself. Which clock applies depends on which agency issued the decision, and the three routes do not run on the same calendar.
This guide covers the receiving body, the deadline, and the next step after a rejection from Migrationsverket, Försäkringskassan, or Skatteverket. It also covers what an appeal letter must contain and whether you may stay in Sweden while an immigration appeal is reviewed. It covers what happens if a court rejects the appeal too.
How every Swedish appeal follows the same shape
An appeal against a Swedish agency decision is sent back to the agency that made it, not straight to a court. The agency reviews its own decision first, and it can change that decision without any court seeing the case. Migrationsverket states this directly: "Om vi anser att det ska ändras skriver vi ett nytt beslut som ersätter det tidigare beslutet". This means that if Migrationsverket agrees the decision should change, it writes a new decision that replaces the earlier one.
Skatteverket follows the same shape. It reconsiders the appealed decision itself first, and only forwards the case to förvaltningsrätten if it keeps its original decision. Domstol.se sets out the mechanic in full: "Skicka ditt överklagande till Skatteverket... Skatteverket omprövar beslutet som du har överklagat. Om de inte ändrar sitt beslut efter att du överklagat, lämnar de ärendet vidare till förvaltningsrätten för prövning." You submit the appeal to Skatteverket, never to the court directly. Skatteverket forwards the case itself, only if it does not change its own decision.
Appealing a Migrationsverket decision: three weeks on a visa refusal, then migrationsdomstolen
A visa-refusal appeal must be submitted within three weeks of the day you received the decision. Migrationsverket states this directly: Du ska lämna in ett skriftligt överklagande senast tre veckor från dagen som du fick beslutet. This means a written appeal must arrive no later than three weeks from the day you received the decision. Send it to the body that issued the refusal, which the decision itself names: "Det står i beslutet hur du ska göra för att överklaga". For a Schengen visa that is often the Swedish embassy or consulate that decided the application, not Migrationsverket. Other decision types carry the deadline printed on the decision itself, rather than the three-week figure above. This includes a rejected work or residence permit application and a rejected partner or family permit.
Other Migrationsverket decisions carry their own deadline instead of the three-week figure. Migrationsverket's own explainer states it plainly: "The deadline for the Swedish Migration Agency to receive your appeal is specified in the decision." Check the decision itself for the exact date, rather than assuming three weeks applies to every case type.
A late appeal does not reach a court. Migrationsverket states that a late submission will dismiss your appeal and will not forward it to the authority that would otherwise examine it. Missing the deadline ends the case at Migrationsverket, not at the court that would otherwise have reviewed it.
If Migrationsverket keeps its decision, the case moves on to a court. For a citizenship rejection, domstol.se confirms the route: "Överklagandet skickar du till Migrationsverket, som sänder det vidare till migrationsdomstolen". This means you send the appeal to Migrationsverket, which forwards it to migrationsdomstolen, the migration court. Migrationsverket adds that most appeals go to the Migration Court, though some decision types are examined by the Administrative Court instead.
What the appeal letter must contain
An appeal must name the exact decision being challenged, state the outcome sought, and give the grounds for it. Saying the decision feels wrong is not enough.
Kammarrätten i Stockholm lists four required elements for a valid appeal:
- The decision being appealed, identified by its beteckningsnummer (reference number)
- The outcome you want the court or agency to reach instead
- The grounds supporting that outcome
- The evidence you rely on, and what it is meant to show
Kammarrätten i Stockholm names these same four elements directly: "Vilket beslut som avses." "Vad som yrkas." "De omständigheter som åberopas till stöd för yrkandet." "Bevis som åberopas och vad bevisningen ska visa." Migrationsverket asks for the same information in its own words. It requests "vilket beslut du vill överklaga", which decision you want to appeal. It also requests "hur du tycker att beslutet ska ändras", how you think the decision should change. It requests "varför du tycker att beslutet är felaktigt" too, why you think the decision is wrong.
The exact evidence needed depends on the decision and the grounds you raise.
Staying in Sweden while an immigration appeal is pending
Filing an appeal does not by itself let you stay in Sweden while it is reviewed. The decision itself states whether you may remain. Migrationsverket confirms this for work-permit cases: "I beslutet står det också om arbetstagaren har rätt att stanna kvar i Sverige medan överklagandet prövas". This means the decision also states whether the employee has the right to remain in Sweden while the appeal is reviewed.
Some decisions require leaving immediately, regardless of an appeal. A decision marked for immediate enforcement requires the person to leave Sweden as soon as it is received. This applies even if they choose to appeal, per the same Migrationsverket page.
An asylum rejection instructs the applicant to begin planning departure even while appealing, since the expulsion order still stands. Migrationsverket states: "Även om du överklagar ska du därför börja planera för din hemresa". This means that even if you appeal, you should start planning your journey home.
A re-entry ban following removal usually runs for a set period. Migrationsverket states: "Ett återreseförbud gäller oftast i två år från det att du har lämnat medlemsstaternas territorium och Schengenområdet". This means a re-entry ban usually runs for two years from the day you leave the member states' territory and the Schengen area. Longer bans, between two and five years, apply where Migrationsverket assesses a risk that the person will abscond.
If migrationsdomstolen says no again: Migrationsöverdomstolen and prövningstillstånd
A further appeal to Migrationsöverdomstolen is not reviewed automatically. It requires prövningstillstånd (leave to appeal). Domstol.se states: "Det finns ingen automatisk rätt att få en migrationsdomstols dom eller beslut prövad av Migrationsöverdomstolen; det krävs prövningstillstånd". This means there is no automatic right to have a migrationsdomstolen ruling reviewed by Migrationsöverdomstolen; leave to appeal is required.
Leave is granted only in narrow circumstances. Domstol.se states that Migrationsöverdomstolen kan Migrationsöverdomstolen ge prövningstillstånd om målet ger vägledning (prejudikat). This means leave can be granted if the case would give legal guidance, a prejudikat. Leave can also be granted om det finns synnerliga skäl för att pröva överklagandet, if there are synnerliga skäl, exceptional grounds, for reviewing the appeal.
Migrationsdomstolen usually decides a case with four people. Domstol.se states: "Ofta är det fyra personer som dömer: en juridiskt utbildad domare och tre nämndemän. Men i vissa mål dömer juristdomaren själv." Often four people decide: a legally trained judge and three lay judges, nämndemän. In some cases, the legal judge decides alone.
Appealing Försäkringskassan: omprövning first, then two months to förvaltningsrätten
A Försäkringskassan decision goes through the agency's own reconsideration, omprövning, before any court sees it. Försäkringskassan states: "Vi måste få din begäran inom 2 månader räknat från dagen då du tog del av beslutet". This means Försäkringskassan must receive the request within two months of the day you received the decision.
Försäkringskassan aims to decide quickly, though delays happen. Försäkringskassan states: "Vår målsättning är att du ska få ditt omprövningsbeslut inom 6 veckor, men det kan dröja längre". This means the target is to issue the omprövning decision within six weeks, though it can take longer.
If the outcome still stands, a further appeal follows the same two-month pattern. Försäkringskassan states: "Vi måste få ditt överklagande inom 2 månader räknat från dagen då du tog del av omprövningsbeslutet". This means the further appeal must reach Försäkringskassan within two months of receiving the omprövning decision. The letter goes to Försäkringskassan itself, not to the court: "Skicka ditt brev med överklagandet till Försäkringskassan". Försäkringskassan then forwards it to förvaltningsrätten where you live.
Appealing Skatteverket: six years to request a review, two months to take it to kammarrätten
Most final tax decisions can be reconsidered or appealed within six years of the relevant income year, per Skatteverket. The same six-year window covers both routes. Skatteverket states: "You can request a review regarding any of the past six income years. This means that in 2026, you can request a review regarding income year 2020 onwards." On appeals it states: "You can submit an appeal against a decision reached by the Swedish Tax Agency relating to any of the past six income years." This applies to a Skatteverket tax decision generally, not to every case type on the same timeline.
You submit the appeal to Skatteverket, which forwards it on if it keeps its decision. Domstol.se confirms this routing for tax cases at "Överklaga skattebeslut".
A further appeal of a tax judgment to kammarrätten runs on a shorter clock than the initial review window. Domstol.se states: "I många fall är det tre veckor som gäller, från det att du fått del av domen. Men i till exempel skattemål och socialförsäkringsmål har man oftast två månader på sig att överklaga." In many cases three weeks apply, from the day you received the judgment. In tax cases and social-insurance cases, though, you usually have two months to appeal instead.
Choosing appeal over a fresh application
An appeal and a new application are not the same route back. The right choice depends on what actually went wrong in the first decision.
An appeal argues that the original decision was wrong on the facts or law already in the file. It works when you believe Migrationsverket, Försäkringskassan, or Skatteverket misjudged the case as it stood.
A new application fits better when circumstances have changed since the rejection. New employment or corrected documentation can justify a fresh application for a denied citizenship application, rather than an appeal of the old decision. For a rejected partner or family permit, a new sponsor or a changed relationship often points toward reapplying rather than appealing.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do you have to appeal a Migrationsverket decision?
A visa-refusal decision gives you three weeks from the day you received it. Other Migrationsverket decisions state their own deadline directly on the decision, so check the decision itself for the exact date.
Can you stay in Sweden while an appeal is pending?
Only if the decision says so. The decision states whether you may remain while the appeal is reviewed. A decision marked for immediate enforcement requires leaving as soon as you receive it, regardless of an appeal.
What happens if migrationsdomstolen rejects the appeal too?
A further appeal to Migrationsöverdomstolen needs leave to appeal, not automatic review. Leave is granted only where the case would set legal guidance, a prejudikat, or where synnerliga skäl, exceptional grounds, exist.
How do you appeal a Försäkringskassan decision?
You send it to Försäkringskassan itself, not to a court, within two months, for omprövning. Only if Försäkringskassan keeps its decision does the case move on to förvaltningsrätten.
Conclusion
The agency that rejected you reviews its own decision first. No court sees the case unless Migrationsverket, Försäkringskassan, or Skatteverket declines to change it.
Migrationsverket runs on three weeks for a visa refusal, with other decision types carrying the deadline printed on the decision itself. Försäkringskassan runs on two months, twice: once for omprövning, once for the court appeal that follows it. Skatteverket allows six years to request a review of most final tax decisions, with two months for a further appeal to kammarrätten.
Staying in Sweden during an immigration appeal depends on what the decision itself says, not on the fact of appealing. Identify which agency issued your decision, confirm the deadline that applies, and follow the matching route above before that date passes.
