July 7, 2025 – Islamabad/Stockholm
Sweden recently made headlines when it resumed visa services to Pakistan by opening an embassy and visa processing operations in Islamabad to accept short-stay Schengen applications, effective July 7th. The decision followed consultations held between their foreign ministries held recently in Stockholm. For more information visit swedenabroad.se or dunyanews.tv for updates.
Pakistani nationals can now apply within Pakistan for Schengen visas to Sweden for stays of up to 90 days, streamlining travel procedures for tourism, family visits, business trips and cultural exchange. VFSglobal.com @ 2; Dawn | @ 2, Dunyanews TV. tv.
Diplomacy in Action
The decision was reached following a July 2 meeting between Pakistani officials and Swedish diplomat Sara Lofgren, Director General for Global Affairs in Stockholm. Pakistan’s delegation was led by Additional Foreign Secretary for Europe; both sides saw the restoration of visa services as a symbol of renewed bilateral cooperation and diplomatic goodwill.
Envoyglobal.com +13 and Dawn +13 both reported this news story before their respective sites went offline envoyglobal +13 or dawn +13 as the source. For more details see both Daily Pakistan.com +13 for details
Pakistan’s Foreign Office welcomed this step, calling it a sign of strengthening bilateral ties between both countries. taglichpakistan.com.pk/1 = positif development
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Historical Context
Sweden temporarily suspended visa operations in Islamabad due to increased security risks in April 2023, forcing all Schengen visa applications from Pakistani nationals to be outsourced to VFS Global centers abroad primarily located in Bangkok under jurisdiction of Sweden’s Embassy there (fb.com/02023… +12, dawn.com… +12). For further reading: CorporateImmigrationPartners.com and facebook
Sweden resumed residence and work permit services in Islamabad starting April 9th this year, enabling applicants to submit biometric data and passport checks locally for residency/work permits; however, short stay Schengen visa applications still required overseas submission – until now. https://facebook.com, +8, EnvoyGlobalal, +8, Iccimmigration.ca and +8 are among several resources providing information.
What This Means for Applicants Schengen Visa Access: As of today, Pakistanis can now apply directly in Islamabad for up to 90-day Swedish visas without traveling through Bangkok or elsewhere.
Accelerated Turnaround: Local processing should significantly cut wait times and travel-related expenses.
Work/Residence Permits: These services, which resumed operations in April, remain accessible locally for applicants of short-stay visas; short-stay applicants no longer require separate application channels. www.iccimmigration.ca can now serve as one such channel of application.
VFS Global, an outsourced visa processing agency, announced on July 7 that its Islamabad center has begun accepting Schengen visa submissions effective July 7. Migrationsverket.se and SwedenAbroad.se are two sources to see what impacts there may be for travel and bilateral relations as a result.
Pakistani travelers are looking forward to the reinstatement of visa services: it signifies opportunities and potential savings.
Travel Simplification – Tourism, study, business and family visits to Sweden no longer require costly trips abroad for visa processing.
Cost Savings – By eliminating additional expenses associated with travel and overnight stays abroad, cost savings are realized.
Enhance Cooperation – This diplomatic initiative may lead to enhanced cultural, educational, and economic exchanges between both nations.
Looking Ahead
Now that visa procedures have resumed in Islamabad, Swedish officials emphasize maintaining security at their embassy for staff and applicants. Pakistan’s Foreign Office highlighted this move as part of wider efforts to deepen strategic ties amid current global political shifts.
Applicant are advised to seek guidance from either the Swedish Embassy or Visa Center regarding documentation requirements, appointment booking procedures and processing timelines.
As Sweden and Pakistan enter a more collaborative phase, reopening visa services marks an important milestone. Not only will travel logistics be simplified but this action also signals their shared vision of stronger diplomatic, cultural, and economic ties between their two nations.