Last chance for Brits living in Sweden to exchange Swedish driving licence.

As we know scheduled date of Brexit is approaching, Sweden's British residents have been advised to get paperwork in order to avoid problems if the UK crashes out of the EU without a deal. One task which needs to be finalised before any no-deal Brexit occurs is the transfer of UK driving licences to Swedish ones.

Brits who currently meet the criteria for residence under EU freedom of movement will be able to remain in Sweden for 12 months following any no-deal Brexit due to the so-called 'grace period' offered by the Swedish government. During this period, they will retain many of their current rights and in most respects will be able to continue their lives as they do today, including most importantly the right to live and work in Sweden without requiring residence or work permits, and the right to access healthcare on the same conditions as Swedish citizens.

But for those British citizens who want a Swedish driving licence and don't yet have them, the process for applying will become more complex as soon as the UK leaves the EU. As EU citizens, Brits have the right to have their UK licences exchanged for Swedish ones without taking any test, as long as they are resident in Sweden and have a UK driving licence. They will lose this right if there is a no-deal Brexit.

This means that not only do Brits need to submit their application before October 31st if they want to exchange their licence, but the Swedish Transport Agency (Transportstyrelsen) needs to have approved the exchange by this date. That process is typically completed within two weeks.

"A decision to approve the exchange must be made before October 31st. Applications that are not approved by this date will be rejected," a Transport Agency press spokesperson told The Local by email.

"If the application is complete, it is usually possible to make a decision within one or two weeks. In other words, it is high time to apply for an exchange for those who want to exchange their driving license before October 31st," she warned.

So what about Brits who miss this deadline?

Third-country citizens can usually use their home country licence for one year after arriving in Sweden before they are required to have a Swedish licence.

British ambassador to Sweden Judith Gough told a townhall meeting on Monday that Brits would still be able to use British licences for one year after a no-deal Brexit, regardless of when they arrived in Sweden. However, after that year, they would need a Swedish licence in order to continue driving in Sweden, and this application process is more complicated than the exchange EU citizens can make.

Find full details on how to get a Swedish driving licence, whether you're an EU citizen or not, in the article below: