Title	UNHCR Observations on the draft proposal "Certain stricter conditions for family immigration and limited possibilities for residence permit due to humanitarian reasons" [Utkast till lagrådsremiss: Vissa skärpta villkor för anhöriginvandring och begränsade möjligheter till uppehållstillstånd av humanitära skäl]
Publisher	UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
Publication Date	28 March 2023
Country	Sweden
Topics	Family reunification | Refugees | Residence permits / Residency
Cite as	UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), UNHCR Observations on the draft proposal "Certain stricter conditions for family immigration and limited possibilities for residence permit due to humanitarian reasons" [Utkast till lagrådsremiss: Vissa skärpta villkor för anhöriginvandring och begränsade möjligheter till uppehållstillstånd av humanitära skäl], 28 March 2023, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/642453d34.html [accessed 18 May 2023]
Comments	UNHCR recommends the Swedish Government to: 1. Indicate clearly in the Proposal or in the law that refugees and beneficiaries of subsidiary protection should be presumed to have reasonable prospects of obtaining the right of permanent residence; 2. Ensure that the age limit in Chapter 5:17a in the Aliens Act is not used as a blanket refusal of family reunification for spouses and partners between 18 and 21 years, and adopt an inclusive and culturally sensitive approach to the definition of family; 3. Maintain the possibility for beneficiaries of subsidiary protection to be exempted from maintenance requirements if the application for family reunification has been submitted within three months from the date of granting of protections status; 4. Refrain from the proposal to move the three-month cut-off date for resettled refugees to be exempted from the maintenance requirement from the date of arrival to the date of decision of the residence permit.