Age, Asylum, and the Ticking Clock

Under Swedish asylum policies, the difference between the applications of minors and adults is critical. Minors have a much greater chance of remaining in Sweden, but once they turn 18, they become far easier to deport. With application processing times sometimes approaching nearly two years, the clock is ticking for those awaiting asylum. In this video, interviews with four individuals with firsthand knowledge of the asylum process describe policy changes from 2015 to present—and the implications of being processed as an adult.