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SVI Fokus

New to Sweden

Your first weeks in Sweden are about getting into the system: a personal number, BankID, a bank and tax. Here is the order to do things in — one path if you came to work, one if you came to study.

  • Personal number

    Your personal identity number from Skatteverket. Almost everything — tax, healthcare, a bank, BankID — connects to it.

  • BankID

    Sweden's electronic ID. Not required by law, but you will need it for banking, 1177 healthcare and government services.

  • ID card

    A Skatteverket ID card is only needed if you lack another approved Swedish photo ID. Fee SEK 400.

  • Driving licence

    An EU/EEA licence stays valid. A non-EU licence usually works only for your first year here.

The big picture, in order

Whether you came to work or to study, the sequence is the same. Take the steps in order — each one builds on the one before.

  1. 1

    Permit or right of residence

    Non-EU citizens need a permit from Migrationsverket before travelling. EU/EEA citizens can arrive and start straight away.

  2. 2

    Register with Skatteverket

    Once in Sweden, register your move. If your stay is 12 months or more you are entered in the population register and get a personnummer.

  3. 3

    Get an ID card

    With a personnummer you can order a Skatteverket ID card — the photo ID that banks ask to see.

  4. 4

    Open a bank account

    Bring your ID and personnummer. In the EU/EEA you have the right to a basic payment account.

  5. 5

    Activate BankID

    Your bank issues BankID once you are a customer. This is what logs you into almost every service.

  6. 6

    Tax and everyday life

    Sort out your tax with Skatteverket, then healthcare, insurance and — if you keep driving — your licence.

Two paths: working or studying

The foundation is the same, but the start differs. Choose your path and follow the steps in order.

Coming to work

You have a job or are looking for one

  1. 1Secure your work permit or right to work
  2. 2Register your move with Skatteverket
  3. 3Sort out your tax
  4. 4Order a Skatteverket ID card
  5. + 3
Read more

Coming to study

You are enrolled at a Swedish university

  1. 1Get admitted
  2. 2Apply for a residence permit for studies
  3. 3Register with Skatteverket
  4. 4Order a Skatteverket ID card
  5. + 2
Read more

Personnummer or coordination number?

Which number you get depends on how long you are staying. It is Skatteverket that decides, based on whether your stay is expected to last a year or more.

Personnummer

Personal identity number

Who gets it
People living in Sweden long-term
Typical stay
12 months or more
In the population register
Yes — you are registered
Lets you get an ID card
Yes
Works for BankID
Yes
How you get it
Register your move with Skatteverket in person

Coordination number

Temporary identity number

Who gets it
Short-term workers, exchange students and others who need a Swedish number
Typical stay
Under 12 months
In the population register
No
Lets you get an ID card
No
Works for BankID
Often not on its own
How you get it
Usually requested by an employer, university or authority

The key documents, in detail

Four things decide how quickly everyday life falls into place. Here is what each one needs — and in what order.

Practically essential

BankID

Sweden's electronic identification, issued by the banks. You use it to log in and sign almost everywhere: your bank, the Tax Agency, 1177 healthcare, insurers, your landlord.

  • You need three things: a personnummer, to be a customer of a bank that issues BankID, and a valid ID document.
  • This creates a catch-22 — the bank wants ID, and the easiest Swedish ID needs a personnummer first.
  • Solve it in order: personnummer → ID card (or a bank that accepts your passport) → account → BankID.
  • BankID is not required by law, but everyday life in Sweden assumes you have it.
Practically essential

Bank account

You will need a Swedish account for your salary or maintenance, rent and everyday payments.

  • Bring a valid ID document, your personnummer or coordination number, and usually proof of address and your job or studies.
  • In the EU/EEA you have the right to a basic payment account — a bank cannot refuse you for lacking a Swedish address or nationality, only on anti-money-laundering grounds.
  • A Swedish ID card makes it smoother; many banks treat a foreign passport alone as not enough for full digital access.
Only if you lack other ID

Skatteverket ID card

The Tax Agency's photo ID card. You only need it if you don't already have another approved Swedish photo ID.

  • You must be registered in the population register and have a personnummer — a coordination number is not enough. Minimum age is 13.
  • It costs SEK 400, paid in advance to Skatteverket's bankgiro with your personnummer in the message.
  • Then book an appointment online and visit a service centre in person. The card is valid for five years and collected in person after about two weeks.
Required if you work

Tax and Skatteverket

If you work, you must be registered for tax so the right amount is withheld from your pay.

  • A-tax is the standard status for anyone working or living here six months or more; shorter stays are taxed under SINK.
  • Everyone liable for tax gets a personal tax account (skattekonto) that reconciles what your employer withheld against your final tax.
  • You file an income tax return each year, and can apply for jämkning to adjust your withholding up or down.

Your driving licence (körkort)

What happens to your existing licence depends on where it was issued. Transportstyrelsen is the authority.

An EU/EEA licence

Stays valid in Sweden as long as it is valid in the country that issued it. You may exchange it for a Swedish licence if you want, but you don't have to. No test.

A non-EU licence you can exchange

Licences from the United Kingdom, the Faroe Islands, Switzerland and Japan can be exchanged for a Swedish one without a test — provided you meet the conditions and apply while yours is still valid. From 2026 the exchange rules are stricter.

Any other non-EU licence

It is valid to drive on only until you have been registered as resident for one year. To keep driving after that you must pass the full Swedish theory and driving test. (UK and Faroe Islands licences are the exception and stay usable past one year.)

Send an exchange application with your original licence to Transportstyrelsen in Örebro. A licence not in a standard international format needs a certified translation into Swedish, English, German, French, Danish or Norwegian.

Required or optional — at a glance

A quick reference for both paths. 'Depends' means it hinges on your situation — usually how long you are staying or which country you come from.

WhatWorkingStudying
Permit before arrival (non-EU)RequiredRequired
University admission—Required
Personnummer (12+ months)RequiredRequired
Register for tax (A-tax/SINK)RequiredDepends
Skatteverket ID cardDependsDepends
Bank accountEssentialEssential
BankIDEssentialEssential
Exchange driving licenceDependsDepends

Common questions

Quick answers to what newcomers most often wonder about in their first weeks.

How long does it take to get a personnummer?

It varies. After you register your move, Skatteverket reviews your case, and it can take several weeks before your personnummer is decided and your ID card can follow. Start as soon as you arrive.

Can I open a bank account before I have a personnummer?

Sometimes. In the EU/EEA you have the right to a basic payment account with a passport, but full digital banking and BankID usually need a personnummer and a Swedish ID card.

Is BankID mandatory?

No law requires it, but banks, 1177 healthcare, the Tax Agency and most employers assume you have it. In practice it is essential.

Do I need a Swedish ID card if I have a passport?

For proving your identity to the state, your passport is enough. But many banks won't issue BankID on a foreign passport alone, which is why the Skatteverket ID card exists.

Can I drive on my foreign licence?

An EU/EEA licence stays valid. A non-EU licence generally works only for your first registered year; after that you must exchange it (only a few countries qualify) or take the Swedish test.

What's the difference between a personnummer and a coordination number?

A personnummer is for people living here long-term (12 months or more) and comes with population registration. A coordination number is a temporary identifier for shorter stays and doesn't give you the same access to services.

Sources

Official details can change. Always confirm what applies to your own case directly with the responsible authority.

Practise anywhere

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