The Swedish Sambo Visa in 2015/2016 Part 10: The Sambo Manual (FAQs and Resources)

Warning: This is an "Information Overload" post!!

It's been some time since I last posted, because I've spent the past month in Sweden with my love for the holidays.  And we just passed a major milestone: 1 year since we applied for my UT!! WOO-HOO!!

For the past 2 months I have been planning my 1-year anniversary post.  I was going to make it all about our memories, things I had learned about myself and the world, sunshine, rainbows, and unicorns. :D But let's be real: we all need information right now, so I have put together the following masterpiece: The Sambo Manual.

I have already provided some extensive guides for the beginning part of the Sambo Visa process. You can find the topics at the following links: 

Part 1:  What is the Swedish "Sambo" Visa?

Part 2: The Application Process and Processing Times

Part 4:  The Interview 

Part 7b:  Current Application Timelines Statistics

Part 8: Understanding the New Immigration Laws (including Maintenance Requirements)

Those parts give a very detailed (in most cases) run down of each topic.  Now I would like to summarize some key points, questions, and offer resources for those trying to investigate this process for themselves.  The topics are organized in the following sections, color-coded for ease of identification if you want to scroll to a particular section:

Table of Contents

A.  Key Definitions and Acronyms 

B.  Application Process (including Quick Links)

C.  Overview of Processing Times (and your legal rights)

        1.  Processing Times

        2.  Your legal rights to a timely decision

D.  Technicalities, Loopholes, Options, and Applying for "Priority"

E.  Maintenance Requirements

F.  The Queue System

        1.  How it (is supposed to) work

        2.  "E3" and Technical Failures

G.  The Lifetime of a Residence Permit (from UT to Citizenship and the Appeals Process) 

H.  Supplying "additional information" to MV

I.  Other Resources 

J.  FAQs

(Important Update on 12 February 2016): The Swedish Sambo Visa in 2015 Part 8: Explaining the "New Immigration Rules"

NOTE (12  February 2016): For information on the pending "Maintenance Requirement" rules, please kindly navigate to my Swedish Sambo Visa Part 10: The Sambo Manual post , and scroll to Part E. Maintenance Requirements. In that post, you will find all the latest information I could gather on the impending Maintenance Requirements, as well as links to the official governmental proposal and press release which seem to indicate that all sambo applications submitted BEFORE 31 May 2016 will be EXEMPT from the new rules.

Please bear in mind that as of the date of this update, this is still a proposal.  It needs to be discussed, decided upon, and then implemented.  Anything could change.  So, please check back for more information, and still consider to weigh your options just in case the law turns out to affect some cases retroactively.

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On 24 November 2015, the Swedish parliament ("Riksdag") convened for a press conference. Therein, Prime Minister Stefan Löfven [Social Democrats / Socialdemokraterna ("S")] and Green Party [Miljöpartiet / ("MP")] co-leader Åsa Romson announced notable updates to the asylum seeking procedures in Sweden.  It was an "historic" day in terms of the controls and limitations they have realized are the only way to save the country from collapse.

The rules do not just affect asylum seekers, but also all relationship applications (like us sambo applicants) as well. Sweden's government homepage (http://www.regeringen.se) has an outline article generalizing the measures. The English version can be found here; the Swedish version (including video of the press conference) can be found here.

In addition, a very brief press release about these measures has been published on MV's website here.  Pay particular attention to the last 2 paragraphs of that article.

(EDITED) The Swedish Sambo Visa in 2015 Part 2: The Process (updated 9 Nov 2015)

EDIT (9 November 2015):  I wrote the following blog post less than 2 months ago, and already the wait times have elongated substantially.  I have also learned a lot more.  So, the following contains several changes to the original post (published 7 September, and updated once previously on 25 October). 

This is just a quick run-down of the process for applying for a UT ("Uppehållestillstånd, or residence permit) on the basis of a relationship. And just another reminder: this is the process for NON-EU CITIZEN APPLICANTS.  EU citizens have a whole different process.  Read more about it on MV's website here.

I've edited this piece several times as I learn new information. What you're about to read is not pretty, and it is not going to feel good.  So, prepare yourself for it.  However, it is the truth and the reality of the situation we (or, more appropriately, Sweden) has found itself in due to the refugee bonanza.  One thing you need to do is take a slow, deep, calming breath, and when you're ready, say firmly to yourself:  "I AM GOING TO SURVIVE THIS." Because, you will.  It will hurt like hell, but you WILL MAKE IT THROUGH.

With that said.....

The Swedish Sambo Visa in 2015 Part 1: What is it?

This topic will require several installments, as well as full disclosure that I am still figuring it out, piece by piece. Given that I am only little more than half way through the process (8 months and counting), I can't speak with full authority on how this will all shake out.  But I have 8 months under my belt, and have spoken to Migrationsverket ("MV") enough times to ensure they hate me, so I might as well share what I have learned about the Swedish Sambo Visa.

EDIT: A reminder that this is the overview for NON-EU CITIZEN APPLICANTS.  EU citizens have a whole different process.  Read more about it on MV's website here.