Princess Madeleine, Chris O'Neill & Family, General News Part 4,February 2021

[Prinsara]

Originally Posted by Tatiana Maria

Based on this page from the Migration Agency's website, I had the impression that spouses of Swedish citizens were permitted to stay in Sweden. What am I missing?

https://www.migrationsverket.se/Engl...g-partner.html

I think the issue is that Chris along with a multitude of others are entitled to the residence permits, but it can presumably take much longer ("up to two years") to be issued one if you are not the King's son-in-law.

[Tatiana Maria]

Originally Posted by Prinsara

I think the issue is that Chris along with a multitude of others are entitled to the residence permits, but it can presumably take much longer ("up to two years") to be issued one if you are not the King's son-in-law.

That would make sense. If the 2021 tabloid reports that Princess Madeleine intended to move back to Sweden were true, it might perhaps explain why the move took two years to materialize.

[Prinsara]

Originally Posted by Tatiana Maria

That would make sense. If the 2021 tabloid reports that Princess Madeleine intended to move back to Sweden were true, it might perhaps explain why the move took two years to materialize.

If that's the case, then Madeleine may have to explain things have been in motion for that long, in order to avoid potential accusations of favoritism or line-skipping.

[Somebody]

Given that the issue of the residency permit has been raised, it would be best to ensure and publicly make it known that no 'special treatment' was applied. The fact that they already start about 'exceptions' seems to suggest that he might however/indeed receive a special treatment.

[Marengo]

I imagine the treatment will be simular to that of most high income expats - with or without a Swedish or royal spouse.

[JR76]

The problems referred to in this very informative talk (I learned a lot) with the Migration Minister isn't that Chris will have any problems with having his application of residence approved, but lies in the generally long processing time for those applications.
While the process can take up to two years the general processing time for applications of residence from partners of Swedish citizens living in the USA is 307 days. Both Chris' citizenships are in so called third countries meaning that they are in countries outside of the European Union.
While the general rule is that when a third country citizen applies for a permit of residence to join their Swedish partner that partner has to be living in Sweden, an exception is made from that rule for families living abroad together with the intention that they should be able to move to Sweden together. Like all couples in their situation Chris and Madeleine would have started the process together at a Swedish embassy or consulate by her stating her serious intent to return to Sweden whereupon he can submit his application of residence and then later during the process they would have to prove their serious intent of moving by showing that they for example have arranged for a place to stay or have jobs. Because of the long processing time many have a hard time arranging these proofs of serious intent because you can't put homes and jobs on hold for to long. This is why many families choose to or are forced to split up while waiting for the permit of residence for the non-Swedish partner to be approved.
As we all know Chris has a job, the family has a home waiting for them and neither Chris nor Madeleine are lacking in funds so he shouldn't have any trouble getting his permit of residence approved without any pulling of strings.
Given that the law states that Chris can't move to Sweden without that permit it's likely that his application has already been approved since they've already communicated when they're coming back.
The possibly long process of getting a permit of residence for Chris together with the enlargement and redecoration of the family's flat and Madeleine visiting Campus Manilla last year (?) indicates that there might have been a long-term plan for the family to return to Sweden.

[LadyFinn]

The Migration Agency at its Facebook
https://m.facebook.com/photo.php/?fbid=587674113401117

[Mbruno]

Originally Posted by Somebody

Given that the issue of the residency permit has been raised, it would be best to ensure and publicly make it known that no 'special treatment' was applied. The fact that they already start about 'exceptions' seems to suggest that he might however/indeed receive a special treatment.

Maxima Zorreguieta and Mary Donaldson got special treatment if I am not mistaken since their citizenship applications were fast-tracked in the Netherlands and Denmark respectively.

I don’t know if Chris got any special treatment in Sweden, but, if he did, it would be consistent with unrelated precedent in other European monarchies.

[Biri]

But Maxima and Mary were to beome spouses of future Sovereigns, while Chris is not.

[Tatiana Maria]

Originally Posted by JR76

The problems referred to in this very informative talk (I learned a lot) with the Migration Minister isn't that Chris will have any problems with having his application of residence approved, but lies in the generally long processing time for those applications.
While the process can take up to two years the general processing time for applications of residence from partners of Swedish citizens living in the USA is 307 days. Both Chris' citizenships are in so called third countries meaning that they are in countries outside of the European Union.
While the general rule is that when a third country citizen applies for a permit of residence to join their Swedish partner that partner has to be living in Sweden, an exception is made from that rule for families living abroad together with the intention that they should be able to move to Sweden together. Like all couples in their situation Chris and Madeleine would have started the process together at a Swedish embassy or consulate by her stating her serious intent to return to Sweden whereupon he can submit his application of residence and then later during the process they would have to prove their serious intent of moving by showing that they for example have arranged for a place to stay or have jobs. Because of the long processing time many have a hard time arranging these proofs of serious intent because you can't put homes and jobs on hold for to long. This is why many families choose to or are forced to split up while waiting for the permit of residence for the non-Swedish partner to be approved.
As we all know Chris has a job, the family has a home waiting for them and neither Chris nor Madeleine are lacking in funds so he shouldn't have any trouble getting his permit of residence approved without any pulling of strings.
Given that the law states that Chris can't move to Sweden without that permit it's likely that his application has already been approved since they've already communicated when they're coming back.
The possibly long process of getting a permit of residence for Chris together with the enlargement and redecoration of the family's flat and Madeleine visiting Campus Manilla last year (?) indicates that there might have been a long-term plan for the family to return to Sweden.

Thank you for the informative summing up.
What about schooling: Without special treatment, how far in advance would the couple had to begin reserving places for their children in Stockholm-area schools?

Originally Posted by Mbruno

I don’t know if Chris had any special treatment in Sweden, but, if he did, it would be consistent with unrelated precedent in other European monarchies.

The Migration Agency Facebook post linked above says roughly "There is no exemption on the grounds of connection to royalty for a third-country citizen who applies for a residence permit. Nor does the Migration Agency have simplified procedures for this and the file is therefore handled in accordance with the normal process".

Originally Posted by Biri

But Maxima and Mary were to beome spouses of future Sovereigns, while Chris is not.

True. Princess Claire of Luxembourg and the children-in-law of Princess Astrid of Belgium were not awarded citizenship even though the marriages were dynastic.

[BriarRose]

Originally Posted by Tatiana Maria

Thank you for the informative summing up.
What about schooling: Without special treatment, how far in advance would the couple had to begin reserving places for their children in Stockholm-area schools?

If they have had to wait two years for Chris' residency approval, it's equally likely that they also put the children's names down for schools during that time. I also recall the rumors that Madeleine was touring schools last year (and the subsequent, now disproven, blather that there must be a divorce coming).

Parents do move and change schools in Sweden with far less than two years notice. Also, the future King of Denmark had to change schools last year with only a few months notice.

[JR76]

Originally Posted by Tatiana Maria

Thank you for the informative summing up.

What about schooling: Without special treatment, how far in advance would the couple had to begin reserving places for their children in Stockholm-area schools?

Unfortunately I have no idea. What I do know is that Campus Manilla has ca 530 students in their primary school classes and 260 students in their high school classes and last year had 10-11000 children waiting in the queue for a place at the school.
From what I understand schools are legally required to follow certain rules regarding their queues so they can't pick and choose any students they want, but are free to set a few terms of their own as long as they don't contradict public policy. Siblings of students already in attendance at the school generally have a priority before other applicants.The school also have a few spots reserved for children of Swedes and foreigners that are recent immigrants to the country. Since this include refugees there was a scandal some time ago when CM had let children from very privileged backgrounds use these spots to cut the line instead of refugees because as they said "no refugees had applied for a place at the school".

That said I'm sure that members of the Royal family won't have problems placing their children in any good school in the Stockholm region.

[Tatiana Maria]

Originally Posted by JR76

From what I understand schools are legally required to follow certain rules regarding their queues so they can't pick and choose any students they want, but are free to set a few terms of their own as long as they don't contradict public policy. Siblings of students already in attendance at the school generally have a priority before other applicants.The school also have a few spots reserved for children of Swedes and foreigners that are recent immigrants to the country. Since this include refugees there was a scandal some time ago when CM had let children from very privileged backgrounds use these spots to cut the line instead of refugees because as they said "no refugees had applied for a place at the school".

That said I'm sure that members of the Royal family won't have problems placing their children in any good school in the Stockholm region.

Would it be legal for a school to give royal applicants priority over other equally qualified applicants?

[JR76]

Originally Posted by Tatiana Maria

Would it be legal for a school to give royal applicants priority over other equally qualified applicants?

I highly doubt that it would be. There could of course be issues like security that could justify them being admitted to a school that's already under surveillance because of another royal student already attending, but in general preferential treatment is both frowned upon and in many cases illegal in Sweden. Besides giving priority for siblings and admitting students according to their place in the queue the general rule is that no-one should be able to cut the queue except for special reasons. Also there can't be any testing of primary school students to give admittance admittance with the exception of for classes focusing on music, arts and sports.

Being happily childless I'm gathering facts as I go along so I might not be entirely correct.