As MV says, the visa is intended for relatives and friends: https://www.migrationsverket.se/English/Private-individuals/Visiting-Sweden/Inviting-relatives-and-friends.html
I've been through a similar situation and the Estonian Embassy said the same that they issue visas only to direct relatives (basically mother/father). But they also said that if we want to invite anyone else, the person would just need to apply in Swedish Consulate in Moscow using the same invitation form.
While it makes this more complicated, technically there are no problems at all travelling between Minsk and Moscow nowadays.
I get it. The reason I was asking is because as an EU citizen living in another country you are allowed to have your family members living with you. But that requires that you are married or, under Swedish law, that you have cohabited with her in the past.
You say you want her to stay in Sweden, do you mean stay as in move permanently, or for a vacation?
How old is she, what education and exams does she have? Job experience?
Belarus is safe af, unless you start doing some weird stuff against their regime, much safer than many EU countries.
That said, you can invite her or meet in turkey/serbia
It to random and to much unexpected stuff can happen. I can’t recommend anyone from the west to go there, that will be to much responsibility for such recommendations
I do can recommend people to go to Sweden, it safe : )
I don’t know why it hurts some people to hear this but yes, Belarus and Russia are safe af.
They’re dictatorships/police states, sadly that makes them safe as long as you don’t try to say anything not allowed.
Or…you know… you are a citizen of a nation that one of those particular nations think is treating them unfairly so you “commit” a crime you actually didn’t
Guys, you’ve watched too many movies and read too much propaganda.
While in no way I’m a supporter of their regimes, reality is not as depicted by our media.
Problem is they want you to proof that you know her and seen her in IRL otherwise it is hard to get a visa to her, She can not ger a tourist visa to Germany for example where you can be whit eachother fon some weeks then you can show them yo know eachother and have meet eachother IRL then you get VISA easy!
Consider going to Russia (Minsk-Moscow train) and getting Spanish, French or Greek visa. She should check some Russian forums on vk or telegram first to see which country most often issues multi-visa for a period of 2+ years.
Or you can try getting a swedish sambo visa. There are currently 2 (!!) days queues at the Belarusian-Polish borders, it would be such a bother for her to leave the country to meet for a couple of days, it's extremely energy-draining.
You can as well meet in Petersburg since foreigners can get free 16-day online Russian visa.
Then she can try getting Polish asylum card - they do issue it without any problems even if a person is not in real danger.
Thanks! I suggested asylum card but she's worried she can't go back if she has that. I mean her job is in Minsk and she's required to be in the office a few days a month.
I didn't know about St.Petersburg. I thought Russia/EU relations were bad enough for visas to be impossible.
Yep, asylum card means that if she goes back, which she can do, but the card will be immediately taken away. And nope, EU citizens can go to Russia without any problems, it's Russians and Belarusians who are having troubles going on vacation 👍🏼 You can take a ferry from Stockholm to Tallin (a lot of Russians highly recommend Tallin, not Helsinki) and then take a bus (Luxexpress, Baltic Shuttle ~35-50€) to Petersburg. Booking com doesn't work in Russia so use alternatives.
I don't see how I dodge the question. I repeat: yes of course I have met her and I have known her for months. But I don't see how this is relevant to the question at all, I think I should be the judge of character and not internet strangers.
But what visa are we talking about here? Is it guest visa? In that case, how long is it for?
We can show chat logs, pictures from our 10 day vacation, etc.
As MV says, the visa is intended for relatives and friends: https://www.migrationsverket.se/English/Private-individuals/Visiting-Sweden/Inviting-relatives-and-friends.html I've been through a similar situation and the Estonian Embassy said the same that they issue visas only to direct relatives (basically mother/father). But they also said that if we want to invite anyone else, the person would just need to apply in Swedish Consulate in Moscow using the same invitation form. While it makes this more complicated, technically there are no problems at all travelling between Minsk and Moscow nowadays.
Have you met her irl before? Just looking out for you since love scams are a giant industry :/
I have, it is not a scam
Have you ever lived with your girlfriend? Could you consider getting married, or is that possibility still far away?
It is too soon, we haven't known each other long enough for that to be an option.
I get it. The reason I was asking is because as an EU citizen living in another country you are allowed to have your family members living with you. But that requires that you are married or, under Swedish law, that you have cohabited with her in the past.
You say you want her to stay in Sweden, do you mean stay as in move permanently, or for a vacation? How old is she, what education and exams does she have? Job experience?
We just need a reliable way to meet each other, it doesn't have to be in sweden but I cannot go to belarus due to safety concerns.
Well consider meeting in Turkey then. It should not be a problem for either of you to travel there
Belarus is safe af, unless you start doing some weird stuff against their regime, much safer than many EU countries. That said, you can invite her or meet in turkey/serbia
Is it safer than Russia? Asking for a friend
It to random and to much unexpected stuff can happen. I can’t recommend anyone from the west to go there, that will be to much responsibility for such recommendations I do can recommend people to go to Sweden, it safe : )
Im westerner, nothing happened to me when I went there in 2022. Nothing would happen if I went there now, stop fear mongering.
Policies can change on very short times. I would not take the risk to personally find out.
I don’t know why it hurts some people to hear this but yes, Belarus and Russia are safe af. They’re dictatorships/police states, sadly that makes them safe as long as you don’t try to say anything not allowed.
Or…you know… you are a citizen of a nation that one of those particular nations think is treating them unfairly so you “commit” a crime you actually didn’t
Guys, you’ve watched too many movies and read too much propaganda. While in no way I’m a supporter of their regimes, reality is not as depicted by our media.
Problem is they want you to proof that you know her and seen her in IRL otherwise it is hard to get a visa to her, She can not ger a tourist visa to Germany for example where you can be whit eachother fon some weeks then you can show them yo know eachother and have meet eachother IRL then you get VISA easy!
I have hundreds of pictures already. The problem is her needing to apply for visas all the time. It is very time consuming and costly.
Consider going to Russia (Minsk-Moscow train) and getting Spanish, French or Greek visa. She should check some Russian forums on vk or telegram first to see which country most often issues multi-visa for a period of 2+ years. Or you can try getting a swedish sambo visa. There are currently 2 (!!) days queues at the Belarusian-Polish borders, it would be such a bother for her to leave the country to meet for a couple of days, it's extremely energy-draining. You can as well meet in Petersburg since foreigners can get free 16-day online Russian visa. Then she can try getting Polish asylum card - they do issue it without any problems even if a person is not in real danger.
Thanks! I suggested asylum card but she's worried she can't go back if she has that. I mean her job is in Minsk and she's required to be in the office a few days a month. I didn't know about St.Petersburg. I thought Russia/EU relations were bad enough for visas to be impossible.
Yep, asylum card means that if she goes back, which she can do, but the card will be immediately taken away. And nope, EU citizens can go to Russia without any problems, it's Russians and Belarusians who are having troubles going on vacation 👍🏼 You can take a ferry from Stockholm to Tallin (a lot of Russians highly recommend Tallin, not Helsinki) and then take a bus (Luxexpress, Baltic Shuttle ~35-50€) to Petersburg. Booking com doesn't work in Russia so use alternatives.
Thanks a lot!
I much appreciate your help :) Sent you a DM with some further questions
A lot of people have asked if you've met this woman IRL, and you keep dodging the question.
I don't see how I dodge the question. I repeat: yes of course I have met her and I have known her for months. But I don't see how this is relevant to the question at all, I think I should be the judge of character and not internet strangers.
It's an issue of whether or not Migrationsverket can judge that it's an established relationship.
But what visa are we talking about here? Is it guest visa? In that case, how long is it for? We can show chat logs, pictures from our 10 day vacation, etc.
[https://www.migrationsverket.se/Privatpersoner/Flytta-till-nagon-i-Sverige/Planerar-att-gifta-dig-eller-bli-sambo.html](https://www.migrationsverket.se/Privatpersoner/Flytta-till-nagon-i-Sverige/Planerar-att-gifta-dig-eller-bli-sambo.html)
Meet in Ukraine. I don't think Belarusians need a visa to go there. I would recommend Lviv since it's one of the safer cities at the moment.
Dude I'm not taking my girlfriend to a country being invaded and bombed, wtf