Moving to Sweden

New in Sweden and not sure who to call first? This page puts your first steps in order and gathers the numbers, websites and offices you will actually need – from Skatteverket and Migrationsverket to health care, housing queues and city contact centres.

This guide is for you if you are moving to Sweden – for a job, for studies, to join a partner or to come home after years abroad. Whether you are an EU citizen who can simply arrive and start working, or you need a permit from Migrationsverket (the Swedish Migration Agency) first, you will deal with many of the same offices: the tax agency, the social insurance agency, a health centre and your local municipality.

Start with the step-by-step table: it shows what usually has to happen first, because most things in Sweden hang on your personnummer (personal identity number). Then keep the address book at hand. Every phone number, opening hour and address here comes from official sources and was checked on 22 September 2026. Where we could not confirm a detail, we say so rather than guess.

Comparing countries? See how Sweden measures up against Norway and Denmark on jobs, pay and prices: Moving to Scandinavia.

Already living in Norway or Denmark? Moving or commuting between the Nordic countries has its own rules: Moving within Scandinavia.

Who are you? Choose your guide

Pick the profile that fits you best. Each one gives you your own step-by-step path, the rules that apply to you and the guides to read first.

EU/EEA or Swiss citizen

A government inquiry has proposed that EEA citizens staying longer than three months should once again register, but in autumn 2026 that is only a proposal, not law. Today, if you work, study, run a business or can support yourself, you may live here without ever contacting Migrationsverket (the Swedish Migration Agency). Swiss citizens are the exception.

Step	What to do
Check that you have a right of residence	Work, run a business, study or have enough money to support yourself. That gives you uppehållsrätt (right of residence) beyond three months, with nothing to apply for. — Where: Migrationsverket
Swiss citizen? Apply for a permit	Staying longer than three months, you apply for a residence permit. If you can support yourself, you may start working or studying before the decision. — Where: Migrationsverket
Report your move online	Staying at least a year? Use the e-service Flytta till Sverige (Moving to Sweden), available in English, no earlier than 14 days before you move. Each person, children included, needs a separate report. — Where: Skatteverket (Swedish Tax Agency)
Prove your identity in person	Book an identity check at a service office and bring all original ID documents. After about four weeks a case officer takes your case; once folkbokförd (registered) you get a personnummer (personal identity number). — Where: Statens servicecenter (Government Service Centres)
Start work or look for a job	You need neither a personnummer nor a samordningsnummer (coordination number) to start working. Coming to look for work? You can stay six months to find a job. — Where: Skatteverket
Open a bank account	Anyone who can show they live in the EEA has a right to a basic payment account. The bank must decide within 10 banking days, and a missing personnummer is not in itself a reason to refuse. — Where: Your bank
Get a Swedish ID card	Once registered, book a visit at an office that issues ID cards and pay the 400 kronor fee in advance. The card is valid for five years, and Skatteverket sends no reminder to renew it. — Where: Skatteverket
Sort out insurance and healthcare	Under EU rules you are normally insured where you work; Försäkringskassan (the Swedish Social Insurance Agency) decides. Once registered, you pay the same patient fees as everyone else. — Where: Försäkringskassan

Rules that apply to you
After five years of continuous right of residence you get permanent right of residence. It ends if you stay outside Sweden for more than two years in a row.
A certificate of permanent right of residence is free; 75 per cent of recent cases were decided within three months.
An EEA driving licence stays valid as long as it is valid at home. A Swiss licence stops being valid a year after you are registered, but can be exchanged.
Once registered, EU citizens can vote in municipal and regional elections. Only Swedish citizens vote for the Riksdag.
Since 6 June 2026, Swedish citizenship normally requires eight years' residence, knowledge of Swedish and of Swedish society, and an income of your own.

Source: Migrationsverket, Skatteverket, Försäkringskassan, Transportstyrelsen, Valmyndigheten, read 22 September 2026.

Nordic citizen

Since 6 June 2026 the general residence requirement for Swedish citizenship is eight years, but Nordic citizens can apply after two – and commuters taxed under SINK (special income tax for non-residents) pay 22.5 per cent in 2026, down from 25. You need no permit to live, work or study here; just register with Skatteverket (the Swedish Tax Agency) if you will stay at least a year.

Step	What to do
Move – no permit needed	Danish, Finnish, Icelandic and Norwegian citizens need no permit from Migrationsverket (the Swedish Migration Agency) to move, work, study or live in Sweden. — Where: Migrationsverket
Report your move if you stay a year	Use the e-service Flytta till Sverige (Moving to Sweden) no earlier than 14 days before you move. Each person, including each child, needs a separate report. — Where: Skatteverket
Prove your identity in person	Book an identity check at a service office and bring original ID documents. After about four weeks a case officer takes your case; once folkbokförd (registered) you get a personnummer (personal identity number). — Where: Statens servicecenter (Government Service Centres)
Commuting rather than moving?	Live in another country and work in Sweden without staying overnight, and you are normally taxed under SINK: 22.5 per cent in 2026, 20 per cent from 1 January 2027. — Where: Skatteverket
Tell the Social Insurance Agency	Försäkringskassan (the Swedish Social Insurance Agency) decides whether you are insured here. Moving with children under 16? Submit their details to get barnbidrag (child benefit). — Where: Försäkringskassan
Find a health centre	Once registered you pay ordinary Swedish patient fees; coming from another Nordic country, you need no S1 certificate for that or for state dental support. List at any vårdcentral (health centre) in Sweden. — Where: Your region (1177)
Become Swedish if you wish	Apply after two years' residence, or use the simpler notification after five: it costs 475 kronor, and 75 per cent of recent notifications were decided within 5 months. — Where: Migrationsverket

Rules that apply to you
Your Nordic driving licence counts as an EEA licence: it stays valid in Sweden as long as it is valid at home, even after you register.
Once registered, you can vote in municipal and regional elections straight away. Riksdag elections are for Swedish citizens only.
Finnish citizens who live near the border in Finland and work regularly in a Swedish municipality also have the right to sfi (Swedish for immigrants).
Insured in Sweden and travelling in the Nordic countries? You need no EU health card for necessary care – a valid ID and your Swedish address are enough.
Under SINK you file no Swedish tax return. You can choose ordinary taxation instead, with the basic allowance, if at least 90 per cent of your income is Swedish.

Source: Migrationsverket, Skatteverket, Försäkringskassan, Transportstyrelsen, Valmyndigheten, Skolverket, read 22 September 2026.

From the UK

Since Brexit, new arrivals from the UK are treated like any other non-EU citizen, and since 1 June 2026 the work permit most of you need requires at least 90 per cent of the Swedish median salary – currently 34,470 kronor a month. If you lived here with right of residence before 31 December 2020, the withdrawal agreement's uppehållsstatus (residence status) applies instead.

Step	What to do
Work out which group you are in	Lived in Sweden with right of residence before 31 December 2020? You may have residence status under the withdrawal agreement. Not here by then? You need an ordinary residence permit. — Where: Migrationsverket (Swedish Migration Agency)
Late for residence status? Explain why	In exceptional cases you can still apply if you explain in writing why you are late and Migrationsverket finds it reasonable. Having been folkbokförd (registered) is not enough of a reason. — Where: Migrationsverket
Apply for a work permit before you come	Get a job offer paying at least 34,470 kronor a month and apply from outside Sweden. Since 1 June 2026, permits for stays of up to a year also require comprehensive health insurance. — Where: Migrationsverket
Visiting? You may not work	Visa-free, you may stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period in Schengen, but not work or study. Your passport must be under 10 years old and valid 3 months beyond your planned departure. — Where: Polisen (Swedish Police)
Register as a resident	Staying at least a year? Report your move to be registered and get a personnummer (personal identity number); allow about 4 weeks. Britons with residence status have their own section in the guidance. — Where: Skatteverket (Swedish Tax Agency)
Keep or exchange your UK licence	A UK licence does not expire after a year here – use it while valid. To exchange it, normally within a year of registering, send the original and a validity certificate from the UK licensing authority. — Where: Transportstyrelsen (Swedish Transport Agency)
Bringing family	Family members of a Briton who already has residence status, and children born or adopted into the family, can still apply for residence status. Others follow the new family rules from 1 October 2026. — Where: Migrationsverket

Rules that apply to you
With residence status, or proof that you applied for it, you can enter on a UK national ID card or passport. Other Britons need a valid passport.
Since 12 October 2025 the EU Entry/Exit System records your face and fingerprints on short visits. ETIAS had not started in September 2026 – beware of fake sites.
From 1 October 2026, someone with a temporary permit must normally have lived in Sweden for two years before family can join them, with some exceptions.
From 1 October 2026 the family maintenance requirement also applies to extensions, with transition rules until 1 October 2027 for permits already granted.
Since 13 July 2026, stricter conduct (vandel) rules apply when residence permits are assessed, for example for work.

Source: Migrationsverket, Polisen, Skatteverket, Transportstyrelsen, read 22 September 2026.

From the US or elsewhere outside the EU

Since 1 June 2026, a Swedish work permit requires a salary of at least 90 per cent of the median wage – at least 34,470 kronor a month since the median wage update of 16 June – and permits for stays of up to a year need comprehensive health insurance. Apply from outside Sweden: a visa-free visit of up to 90 days never allows you to work.

Step	What to do
Secure a job offer that pays enough	The salary must be at least 34,470 kronor a month. Some groups, such as several care jobs and staff at small, young tech or life science firms, have a lower threshold of 28,725 kronor. — Where: Migrationsverket (Swedish Migration Agency)
Apply online from abroad	Apply while you are outside Sweden. The fee is 2,200 kronor for you, 1,500 kronor per adult family member and 750 kronor per child, and it is not refunded if you are refused. — Where: Migrationsverket
Plan for the wait	75 per cent of complete applications for highly qualified jobs are decided within a month. For other jobs it takes up to four months – and ten if your application is incomplete. — Where: Migrationsverket
Collect your residence permit card	Show your passport and give fingerprints and a photo. Done in Sweden, the card arrives in about two weeks; at an embassy abroad, allow up to four. The card is not an ID or travel document. — Where: Migrationsverket or a Swedish embassy
Register as a resident	Staying a year or more? Report your move to be folkbokförd (registered) and get a personnummer (personal identity number); allow about 4 weeks. Shorter stay: apply for a samordningsnummer (coordination number). — Where: Skatteverket (Swedish Tax Agency)
Plan for a Swedish driving licence	A US licence stops being valid a year after you are registered and cannot be exchanged, so you will need a körkortstillstånd (learner's permit) and a driving test. Exemptions for temporary stays take 8–12 weeks. — Where: Transportstyrelsen (Swedish Transport Agency)
Ship your belongings duty-free	Moving from outside the EU, personal belongings you have owned and used for at least six months can come in duty-free. Late shipments still qualify within a year of your move. — Where: Tullverket (Swedish Customs)

Rules that apply to you
A visa-free stay – US citizens included – is at most 90 days in any 180-day period in Schengen, and you may not work or study during it.
Since 12 October 2025 the Entry/Exit System records your face and fingerprints on short visits. ETIAS had still not started in September 2026.
Extending a permit granted under the old rules between 1 June and 1 December 2026? The old 80 per cent threshold applies: 30,640 kronor a month.
Since 13 July 2026, stricter conduct (vandel) checks apply: unpaid debts, false information to social insurance or links to criminal networks can count against you.
Earning at least 88,801 kronor a month? Expert tax relief can exempt 25 per cent of your income for seven years. Apply within three months of starting work.

Source: Migrationsverket, Polisen, Skatteverket, Transportstyrelsen, Tullverket, Forskarskattenämnden, read 22 September 2026.

Highly qualified – EU Blue Card

The EU Blue Card has become easier to get: since 1 January 2025 the salary threshold is 1.25 times the average gross salary (down from 1.5) and the job only needs to last six months, and since 1 June 2026 a card can be valid for up to four years. From 15 July 2026 the threshold is 53,625 kronor a month.

Step	What to do
Check salary and contract length	You need a job offer of at least six months paying at least 53,625 kronor a month. The June 2026 reform of ordinary work permits did not change this threshold. — Where: Migrationsverket (Swedish Migration Agency)
Apply from outside Sweden	Apply online before you travel. The fee is 2,000 kronor for you, 1,500 kronor per adult family member and 750 kronor per child. — Where: Migrationsverket
Give fingerprints and a photo	Your residence permit card needs them. Done in Sweden, the card arrives in about two weeks; at an embassy or consulate abroad, allow up to four. — Where: Migrationsverket or a Swedish embassy
Register as a resident	Staying at least a year? Report your move to be folkbokförd (registered) and get a personnummer (personal identity number). A case officer takes your case after about four weeks. — Where: Skatteverket (Swedish Tax Agency)
Apply for expert tax relief	Earning at least 88,801 kronor a month in work starting in 2026? 25 per cent of your income can be tax-free for seven years. Apply within three months of starting; decisions take about two months. — Where: Forskarskattenämnden (Researcher Tax Board)
Get a Swedish ID card	With a personnummer, book a visit at an office that issues ID cards and pay 400 kronor in advance. If you lack an approved ID document, your residence permit card can prove who you are. — Where: Skatteverket

Rules that apply to you
Your first Blue Card is always valid for at least nine months. Since 1 June 2026 a card can last up to four years at a time instead of two.
A three-year route to permanent residence for Blue Card holders began 11 June 2026, but from 12 July 2026 permanent permits are as a rule no longer granted – check your case.
Since 13 July 2026, stricter conduct (vandel) checks apply to residence permits – unpaid debts and false information to social insurance can count.
Migrationsverket has announced new rules for workers' family members from 1 October 2026 – check how they apply before your family applies.
Expert tax relief is only for non-Swedish citizens who have not lived in Sweden during the previous five calendar years.

Source: Migrationsverket, Forskarskattenämnden, Skatteverket, read 22 September 2026.

Researcher or PhD student

Two changes from 11 June 2026 matter most: doctoral students with a hosting agreement now apply for the same residence permit for research as other researchers, and the permit to look for work after your research or PhD can now last 12 to 18 months instead of 12. EU/EEA researchers need no permit at all.

Step	What to do
Get a hosting agreement	Your university or research organisation must be approved and sign a mottagningsavtal (hosting agreement) with you. Since 11 June 2026 this route also covers doctoral students. — Where: Your host university
Apply for a residence permit for research	Non-EU researchers apply online, as a rule from outside Sweden. Check the current fee with Migrationsverket (the Swedish Migration Agency) before you pay. EU/EEA citizens skip this step. — Where: Migrationsverket
Give fingerprints and a photo	They are needed for your residence permit card. Done in Sweden, the card arrives in about two weeks; at an embassy or consulate abroad, allow up to four. — Where: Migrationsverket or a Swedish embassy
Register or get a coordination number	Staying at least a year? Register and get a personnummer (personal identity number). For a shorter stay, your university can request a samordningsnummer (coordination number) for you. — Where: Skatteverket (Swedish Tax Agency)
Apply for expert tax relief	Researchers and experts can have 25 per cent of their income exempted from tax for seven years. Apply within three months of starting work; decisions take about two months. — Where: Forskarskattenämnden (Researcher Tax Board)
Get your degree assessed	UHR (the Swedish Council for Higher Education) can assess what your foreign degree corresponds to in Sweden and whether it gives general eligibility for higher education. — Where: UHR
Plan the next step early	When your research or doctoral studies end, you can get a permit to look for work or explore starting a business – now for 12 to 18 months after doctoral level. — Where: Migrationsverket

Rules that apply to you
EU/EEA citizens need no permit: working or studying gives you right of residence, and you never have to contact Migrationsverket.
A three-year route to permanent residence for researchers began on 11 June 2026, but from 12 July 2026 permanent permits are as a rule no longer granted – ask Migrationsverket.
With a permit to look for work or start a business after research, you can in some cases apply as self-employed without leaving Sweden.
Since 13 July 2026, stricter conduct (vandel) checks apply to residence permits, including unpaid debts.
Expert tax relief is only for non-Swedish citizens who have not lived in Sweden during the previous five calendar years.

Source: Migrationsverket, Forskarskattenämnden, Skatteverket, UHR, read 22 September 2026.

Student

New rules from 11 June 2026 changed student life for non-EU students: on new permits you may as a rule work at most 15 hours a week during term, you need 37.5 credits in your first year to extend, and you must report your address to Migrationsverket (the Swedish Migration Agency) within 30 days. EU/EEA students need no permit.

Step	What to do
Get final admission and pay the fee	You need final admission to full-time studies – 30 credits a term at university. Pay any tuition fee before you apply: only then are you finally admitted. Distance studies do not qualify. — Where: Your university
Show you can support yourself	For 2026 applications you need at least 10,656 kronor a month, less with free food or housing from your university. A partner adds 4,440 kronor a month and each child 2,664 kronor. — Where: Migrationsverket
Apply online and pay	The fee is 1,500 kronor for adults and 750 kronor for children under 18, not refunded. Studying less than a year? You also need comprehensive health insurance. Most decisions come within 3 months. — Where: Migrationsverket
Register or get a coordination number	Studying at least a year? Register with Skatteverket (the Swedish Tax Agency) for a personnummer (personal identity number). Shorter stay: your university can request a samordningsnummer (coordination number). — Where: Skatteverket
Report your address within 30 days	Not folkbokförd (registered)? Report your address to Migrationsverket within 30 days of a new permit and of every move in Sweden. Permits from before 11 June 2026: from your next extension. — Where: Migrationsverket
EU/EEA student? No permit needed	You have right of residence if you are enrolled at a recognised institution, declare you can support yourself and your family, and have comprehensive health insurance valid in Sweden. — Where: Migrationsverket
Plan for after your degree	Before your study permit expires, apply for a permit to look for work or start a business: up to a year after bachelor's or master's level. Your whole degree must be completed with a pass. — Where: Migrationsverket

Rules that apply to you
On permits granted from 11 June 2026 you may as a rule work at most 15 hours a week in term; June to August has no limit. Working more can cost you your permit.
To extend your permit you now need 37.5 credits in your first year and 45 credits a year after that when studying full time.
After two completed semesters and a certificate you may work without limits for the rest of your permit, and as a rule switch to a work permit from inside Sweden.
Study permits last one or two years depending on the university – never longer than your studies or passport, plus two weeks to finish.
Student housing in Stockholm went to people who had queued about 4.5 years on average in 2025, so join housing queues early.

Source: Migrationsverket, Skatteverket, Bostadsförmedlingen i Stockholm, read 22 September 2026.

Joining a partner or family

Family immigration gets stricter on 1 October 2026: if your partner in Sweden has a temporary permit, they must normally have lived here for two years before you can join, and the maintenance requirement rises and starts to apply to extensions too. Check the current rules with Migrationsverket (the Swedish Migration Agency) before you pay a fee.

Step	What to do
Check that your partner can sponsor you	They must be a Swedish or Nordic citizen, have permanent residence, right of residence or residence status, or hold certain temporary permits – for example as a refugee. — Where: Migrationsverket
Check age, income and housing	You must normally both be at least 21. Your partner must be able to support you both and have a big enough home – being a lodger or living with parents does not count. — Where: Migrationsverket
Partner a Swedish citizen?	With a well-established relationship they are exempt from the maintenance requirement, but must show they intend to settle here – a home or job in Sweden, or a time-limited stay abroad, helps. — Where: Migrationsverket
Apply from outside Sweden	As a rule, apply while you are outside Sweden. If your partner has a work permit, the fee is 1,500 kronor per adult and 750 kronor per child. — Where: Migrationsverket
EU citizen yourself? Skip the permit	With your own right of residence – as a worker, a student or with enough money – you need not apply to Migrationsverket. Move and register with Skatteverket (the Swedish Tax Agency). — Where: Skatteverket
Register as a resident	Staying at least a year? Report your move online, then prove your identity in person at a service office. You become folkbokförd (registered) and get a personnummer (personal identity number). — Where: Skatteverket
Start Swedish lessons and civic orientation	Sfi (Swedish for immigrants) is free, but since 1 January 2026 your right lasts three years from first admission. Family migrants can also take samhällsorientering (civic orientation), free, at least 100 hours. — Where: Your municipality

Rules that apply to you
From 1 October 2026, a partner with a temporary permit must normally have lived here two years first; refugees whose relationship began before arrival are among the exceptions.
From 1 October 2026 the maintenance requirement also covers extensions, but permits granted before then keep the older amounts if you apply by 1 October 2027.
A sambo (cohabiting partner) you have lived with for at least six months can vouch for your identity when you apply for a Swedish ID card.
Children must attend school from the autumn term of the year they turn six, and do not need a personnummer to get a school place.
Married to or living with a Swedish citizen? Since 6 June 2026, citizenship requires seven years' residence, the last five living together.

Source: Migrationsverket, Skatteverket, Skolverket, read 22 September 2026.

Refugee or protection status

From 12 July 2026, people with protection status can no longer be granted permanent residence: your permit is time-limited – three years as a refugee, 13 months with subsidiary protection – and can be extended. At the same time, a new exception lets some people with temporary permits apply for Swedish citizenship.

Step	What to do
Register as a resident straight away	Get folkbokförd (registered) and a personnummer (personal identity number) as soon as possible. You need it for sfi (Swedish for immigrants) and social insurance, and healthcare costs more without it. — Where: Skatteverket (Swedish Tax Agency)
Keep your residence permit card up to date	The card proves your permit. After an extension you must give new fingerprints and a photo for a new card, even if you had one before. — Where: Migrationsverket (Swedish Migration Agency)
Join the introduction programme	The etableringsprogram (introduction programme) usually means 40 hours a week for 24 months of sfi, civic orientation and work preparation. Sources differ on the age limits: 20 to 67, or 20 to 65. — Where: Arbetsförmedlingen (Public Employment Service)
Apply for introduction benefit	Etableringsersättning (introduction benefit) is 231 kronor a day during the initial mapping period, then 335 kronor a day, for at most 5 days a week. — Where: Försäkringskassan (Swedish Social Insurance Agency)
Add the child supplement	With children under 20 at home: 400 kronor a month per child under 11 and 750 kronor per child aged 11–19, double if you are sole custodian. Applications open on 1 October 2026. — Where: Försäkringskassan
Start sfi – the clock is ticking	Sfi is free. Since 1 January 2026 your right lasts three years from your first admission; extensions of up to six months at a time need special reasons. — Where: Your municipality
Take civic orientation	Your municipality offers samhällsorientering (civic orientation): a free course of at least 100 hours, in your own language or easy Swedish, with a certificate at the end. — Where: Your municipality
Finish upper secondary school if needed	If you lack upper secondary education and Arbetsförmedlingen finds that it stands in the way of a job, you have utbildningsplikt (a duty to study). — Where: Arbetsförmedlingen

Rules that apply to you
With a protection permit you may work in Sweden from the age of 16.
Travelling to your home country as a refugee risks Migrationsverket revoking your refugee status.
The supplements etableringstillägg (introduction supplement) and bostadsersättning (housing allowance) can no longer be applied for; existing decisions run until they end.
From 1 October 2026, family can normally join someone with a temporary permit only after two years here; refugees whose relationship began before arrival are exempt.
Since 6 June 2026, refugees can become citizens after seven years' residence, with knowledge of Swedish and of Swedish society and, as a rule, an income of their own.

Source: Migrationsverket, Arbetsförmedlingen, Försäkringskassan, Skolverket, the county administrative boards, read 22 September 2026.

Returning Swede

The 2026 changes mostly concern a non-EU partner: since 6 June 2026, a Swede's spouse or partner needs seven years' residence for citizenship instead of three, while the two-year waiting rule from 1 October 2026 targets people with temporary permits, not Swedish citizens. You yourself can move back whenever you like, and your personnummer (personal identity number) is still yours.

Step	What to do
Report your move	Staying at least a year? Use the e-service Flytta till Sverige (Moving to Sweden) no earlier than 14 days before you move – one report per person, including each child. — Where: Skatteverket (Swedish Tax Agency)
Prove your identity in person	Swedish citizens too must visit a service office for an identity check, with original ID, to be folkbokförd (registered) again. Expect about 4 weeks before a case officer picks up your case. — Where: Statens servicecenter (Government Service Centres)
Renew your passport if needed	Abroad, apply at the nearest Swedish embassy; while visiting Sweden, at a police station. Book ahead – applications need an appointment, but you can collect the passport without one. — Where: Swedish embassy or Polisen (Swedish Police)
Tell the Social Insurance Agency	Försäkringskassan (the Swedish Social Insurance Agency) decides if you are insured through living here. Use its moving e-service or form 5456; with children under 16, it is needed for barnbidrag (child benefit). — Where: Försäkringskassan
Declare income from abroad	Moving back can make you liable to Swedish tax on income from abroad. If you have such income, contact Skatteverket. — Where: Skatteverket
Pension from another country?	With a pension from another EU/EEA country, Switzerland or the UK and no Swedish pension, send an S1 certificate to Försäkringskassan to pay Swedish patient fees. From a Nordic country, you need none. — Where: Försäkringskassan
Find a school place	Children must attend school from the autumn term of the year they turn six. The municipality where you are registered must offer a place, and no personnummer is needed to get one. — Where: Your municipality
Bringing a non-EU partner	They normally need a residence permit before entry, applied for from outside Sweden. You are exempt from the maintenance requirement if your relationship is well established, but must show you will settle here. — Where: Migrationsverket (Swedish Migration Agency)

Rules that apply to you
As a Swedish citizen you can move back at any time without a permit. Children born abroad to a Swedish parent are Swedish citizens and need no permit either.
Your personnummer never changes – you keep it for life, however long you have lived abroad.
Once registered, you get healthcare on the same terms, and at the same patient fees, as other residents.
For a partner permit you and your partner must normally both be at least 21, unless there are special reasons such as children together.
Recently lived in another EU country with right of residence? A non-EU family member can enter with a visa, without waiting for a decision, and apply for a residence card here.

Source: Skatteverket, Migrationsverket, Försäkringskassan, Polisen, Skolverket, read 22 September 2026.

Starting a business or self-employed

Since 13 July 2026, Migrationsverket (the Swedish Migration Agency) applies stricter conduct (vandel) checks to self-employment permits too. As a non-EU founder you still need to own at least 51 per cent of the company and hold at least 200,000 kronor of your own. EU/EEA citizens can start trading right away, with no permit.

Step	What to do
EU/EEA citizen? Just start	You have right of residence and can start and run a business at once. Staying at least a year? Register with Skatteverket (the Swedish Tax Agency) for a personnummer (personal identity number). — Where: Skatteverket
Non-EU: meet the permit conditions	Own at least 51 per cent and carry decisive responsibility; show experience of the industry and of running a business, relevant Swedish or English, a credible budget and customer contacts. — Where: Migrationsverket
Show the money	At least 200,000 kronor in an account in your name, plus 100,000 kronor for a spouse and 50,000 kronor per child – on top of what the business needs. Loans are normally not accepted. — Where: Migrationsverket
Apply and be patient	The fee is 2,000 kronor (1,500 per adult family member, 750 per child), not refunded. 75 per cent of recent cases were decided within 11 months; permits last up to two years. — Where: Migrationsverket
Choose your company form	An enskild firma (sole trader) usually needs no registered name. An aktiebolag (limited company) needs 25,000 kronor in share capital and registration, which costs about 2,000 kronor. — Where: Bolagsverket (Swedish Companies Registration Office)
Register for business tax	F-skatt (tax approval for business) is free, via form SKV 4620 or the joint business portal, and can take up to six weeks. Here under two years? Show you have no tax debts where you lived. — Where: Skatteverket
Pay your own tax and contributions	With F-skatt you pay preliminary tax and egenavgifter (self-employment contributions) yourself. A limited company pays 20.6 per cent corporate tax. — Where: Skatteverket

Rules that apply to you
Already in Sweden on a study permit (two completed semesters), a post-study permit or a work permit? You may in some cases apply as self-employed from inside Sweden.
Family who apply at the same time and are granted permits may work in Sweden – adults, and children who turn at least 16 that year.
Both employed and running a business? You can get FA-skatt (F-skatt with conditions), and must refer to it in writing on every invoice.
A limited company must always file a tax return, even with no activity, and pays preliminary tax in equal monthly amounts.
Swiss citizens can start a business at once but must apply for a residence permit if they stay longer than three months.

Source: Migrationsverket, Skatteverket, Bolagsverket, read 22 September 2026.

The 15 guides

Move

1. Part 1The first 30 days in Sweden
2. Part 2Right of residence or residence permit
3. Part 3Personnummer and folkbokföring
4. Part 6Working in Sweden
5. Part 7Tax, customs and pets in 2026

Live

1. Part 4BankID, bank account and ID card
2. Part 5Housing in Sweden
3. Part 8Healthcare in Sweden
4. Part 10School and preschool in Sweden
5. Part 11Learning Swedish
6. Part 12Driving licence, car and getting around
7. Part 13Setting up home in Sweden

Settle

1. Part 9Försäkringskassan and your family
2. Part 14Everyday Sweden
3. Part 15Staying for good

Your first steps, in order

Step	What to do
1	Check your right to live here. EU/EEA citizens may stay three months with a valid passport or national ID card, and longer with uppehållsrätt (right of residence) through work, studies, a business or enough money to live on – without contacting Migrationsverket. Nordic citizens need no permit. Everyone else needs a residence or work permit. From 1 June 2026 a work permit requires a salary of at least 90 per cent of the Swedish median wage – at least 34,470 kronor a month in autumn 2026, with a lower threshold for some jobs. — Where: Migrationsverket · Typical time: EU/EEA and Nordic citizens: no application. Work permits: 75 per cent of complete applications are decided within 1 month for highly qualified jobs, within 4 months for other jobs.
2	If you need a permit, get your uppehållstillståndskort (residence permit card): photo and fingerprints. The card is not an ID or travel document. — Where: Statens servicecenter in Sweden, or a Swedish embassy or consulate abroad · Typical time: About 2 weeks by post to your registered address; up to 4 weeks via an embassy.
3	Report your move to Sweden – folkbokföring (population registration) – if you plan to stay at least a year, whatever your citizenship. One application per person, including each child. Give your flat number if you live in a flat. You log in with an e-ID; if you have none, use the Freja app or get help at a service office. — Where: Skatteverket (the Swedish Tax Agency), e-service “Flytta till Sverige” – in Swedish, English, Arabic and Ukrainian · Typical time: Apply no earlier than 14 days before you move. About 4 weeks before an officer takes up your case.
4	Show your identity in person. Book a visit and bring all your identity documents in original, plus your residence permit card if you have one. — Where: A servicekontor (service office) run by Statens servicecenter · Typical time: You can book ahead at about half of the offices; elsewhere it is drop-in, with longer waits.
5	Receive your personnummer. You get it when you are registered for the first time, and you keep it for life. Staying less than a year? You may instead apply for a samordningsnummer (coordination number), which also needs an ID check in person. — Where: Skatteverket · Typical time: Comes with your registration. Coordination number, own application: up to 10 weeks before an officer takes it.
6	Get a Swedish id-kort (ID card). You must be registered and have a personnummer, and pay the 400-kronor fee before your visit. A valid EU passport issued from 1 September 2006 is accepted as ID; without accepted ID, an approved person such as a close relative can vouch for you. — Where: A service office that issues ID cards – book in advance · Typical time: About 2 weeks after approval. Collect it in person within 2 months. Valid for 5 years.
7	Open a bank account. If you live in the EEA you have a legal right to a basic payment account, and lacking a personnummer is not in itself a reason to refuse you. The bank checks your passport and asks what the account is for. — Where: A bank of your choice · Typical time: The bank must decide within 10 banking days of a complete application.
8	Get BankID, the e-ID most services use. You start in your bank’s app or internet bank, so you need the account first. Alternatives: Freja+ in the Freja eID app (EU/EEA citizens with a confirmed coordination number can register with their passport) and the e-ID on Skatteverket’s ID card. Swish, the mobile payment app, needs BankID to send money. — Where: Your bank; Freja eID · Typical time: Varies – ask your bank
9	Contact Försäkringskassan (the Swedish Social Insurance Agency). Give your details in the e-service; the agency decides whether you are insured in Sweden, which decides your right to barnbidrag (child benefit), bostadsbidrag (housing allowance) and more. With children under 16 you must do this to get child benefit. A coordination number is enough. — Where: Försäkringskassan, e-service · Typical time: See the agency's website
10	Choose a vårdcentral (health centre). Once registered, you pay the same patient fees as everyone else who lives here, whatever your citizenship. You choose freely where to list yourself. — Where: 1177.se or the health centre · Typical time: You can switch up to twice a year.
11	Start sfi – svenska för invandrare (Swedish for immigrants). It is free and run by your municipality. You have the right from the second half of the year you turn 16 if you live here, and no personnummer is needed. Since 1 January 2026 the right lasts three years from your first admission. — Where: Your kommun (municipality) · Typical time: Must be possible to start within 3 months, unless there are special reasons.

Why the order matters: Informationsverige.se recommends personnummer first, then the ID card, then a bank account and finally an e-ID. A personnummer can also make banks open your account faster. If you get stuck in that loop, remember your right to a basic bank account and the alternative e-IDs above.

Emergency and health numbers

Number	For what
112	Emergencies: acute danger or a crime in progress. Free. Answered by SOS Alarm in Swedish and English, with an interpreter if needed.
114 14	The police, non-urgent matters – for example reporting a fraud. Open around the clock, not free of charge. From abroad: +46 77 114 14 00.
1177	Health-care advice by phone, around the clock. If it is life-threatening, call 112.
113 13	Official information during serious accidents and crises. Not for emergencies.
010-456 6700	Giftinformationscentralen (poison information): acute poisoning around the clock; general and preventive questions Monday–Friday 9–17. If it is life-threatening, call 112.
010-331 10 10	Block a lost or stolen Skatteverket ID card.

The address book

Grouped by what you need. Numbers are written as each agency publishes them – usually as you dial them in Sweden, with the +46 version for calling from abroad only where the agency itself gives it. Opening hours refer to the phone lines unless stated otherwise.

Residence and identity

Agency	Details
Migrationsverket (Swedish Migration Agency)	What you use it for: Residence and work permits, protection, citizenship. Follow your case and book appointments in the e-service Min sida · Phone: 0771-235 235; from abroad +46 771 235 235. Mon–Fri 09.00–15.00 · Website: migrationsverket.se · Visit / service office: No drop-in offices. For guidance, go to a Statens servicecenter office; Migrationsverket’s own offices see you only by appointment or when called in
Skatteverket (Swedish Tax Agency) – Skatteupplysningen	What you use it for: Folkbokföring, personnummer, coordination numbers, ID cards and tax. Report your move and follow your case in Mina sidor · Phone: Skatteupplysningen: 0771-567 567; from abroad +46 8 564 851 60. Weekdays 8–16. Chat in Mina sidor weekdays 9–15 · Website: skatteverket.se · Visit / service office: Service offices help with moving to Sweden, hindersprövning (the check before marriage) and, at some offices, ID cards
Statens servicecenter (government service offices)	What you use it for: Local help with Arbetsförmedlingen, Försäkringskassan, Migrationsverket, Pensionsmyndigheten and Skatteverket; ID checks and ID-card applications · Phone: 0771-451 000. Weekdays 09.00–16.00 · Website: statenssc.se · Visit / service office: 124 service offices nationwide. Book ahead for ID cards – only some offices issue them. Some offices are closing, so check before you go
Polisen (the police) – passports	What you use it for: Swedish passports and nationellt id-kort (national ID card), for example if you are a Swedish citizen moving back; non-urgent police matters · Phone: 114 14 (around the clock, not free); from abroad +46 77 114 14 00 · Website: polisen.se · Visit / service office: Book an appointment to apply; collecting a finished passport or ID card is drop-in. The digital ID card in the BankID app is not accepted as ID

Money, work and social insurance

Agency	Details
Försäkringskassan (Swedish Social Insurance Agency)	What you use it for: Whether you are insured in Sweden; child benefit, parental benefit, housing allowance, sickness benefit; the European Health Insurance Card · Phone: 0771-524 524; from abroad +46 771-524 524. Mon–Fri 8–16. No separate English line · Website: forsakringskassan.se · Visit / service office: Service offices (Statens servicecenter)
Arbetsförmedlingen (public employment service – it uses its Swedish name in English too)	What you use it for: Registering as a job seeker; Platsbanken, its job listings · Phone: Job seekers: 0771-416 416, Mon–Fri 8–16 (identify with BankID to be connected faster). Switchboard: 0771-60 00 00, Mon–Fri 8–16 · Website: arbetsformedlingen.se · Visit / service office: Service offices: borrow a computer, register and get help with the digital services without an appointment
Pensionsmyndigheten (Swedish Pensions Agency)	What you use it for: Your Swedish public pension and the annual orange kuvert (orange envelope) · Phone: 0771-776 776, Mon–Fri 8–16 (self-service around the clock). Living abroad: +46 498 200 700 · Website: pensionsmyndigheten.se · Visit / service office: Service offices (Statens servicecenter)
CSN (Swedish Board of Student Finance)	What you use it for: Student finance, including whether you as a foreign citizen can get Swedish student finance · Phone: Foreign citizens’ eligibility: +46 771-276 300, Mon–Fri 9.00–12.00. General: +46 771-276 000, Mon–Fri 9.00–13.00 · Website: csn.se · Visit / service office: See the agency's website
Kronofogden (enforcement authority)	What you use it for: Unpaid debts that have gone to enforcement – which Migrationsverket also checks for residence permits and citizenship · Phone: 0771-73 73 00, normally Mon–Fri 09.00–15.00. The call-back service needs a Swedish number · Website: kronofogden.se · Visit / service office: See the agency's website
Bolagsverket (Swedish Companies Registration Office)	What you use it for: Registering a company · Phone: 0771-670 670; from abroad +46 771 670 670 (if that fails, switchboard +46 60 18 40 00) · Website: bolagsverket.se · Visit / service office: See the agency's website
verksamt.se (the agencies’ joint business guide)	What you use it for: Starting and running a business – guidance from Bolagsverket, Skatteverket, Tillväxtverket and others · Phone: No phone line of its own – contact the agency behind your question · Website: verksamt.se · Visit / service office: See the agency's website

Health and safety

Agency	Details
1177 (health-care advice)	What you use it for: Medical advice by phone around the clock; choosing a health centre. The digital service 1177 direkt needs a personnummer and an e-ID · Phone: 1177 (around the clock) · Website: 1177.se · Visit / service office: Your vårdcentral – you choose which one
112 – SOS Alarm (emergency number)	What you use it for: Emergencies: acute danger or a crime in progress · Phone: 112 (free). Answered in Swedish and English; interpreter if needed
113 13 and Krisinformation.se (crisis information)	What you use it for: Official information during serious accidents and crises. Krisinformation.se is run by Myndigheten för civilt försvar and is in Swedish, English and easy-to-read Swedish · Phone: 113 13 · Website: krisinformation.se
Giftinformationscentralen (poison information)	What you use it for: Acute poisoning around the clock; general and preventive questions on weekdays · Phone: 010-456 6700 (acute cases around the clock; general questions Mon–Fri 9–17). Life-threatening: 112 · Website: giftinformation.se
Myndigheten för civilt försvar, MCF (civil defence agency – formerly MSB)	What you use it for: Preparedness advice and warning signals. Renamed from Myndigheten för samhällsskydd och beredskap (MSB) on 1 January 2026 · Phone: See the agency's website · Website: mcf.se (msb.se redirects here) · Visit / service office: See the agency's website

Moving goods, cars and pets

Agency	Details
Tullverket (customs)	What you use it for: Bringing your flyttsaker (household goods): from outside the EU they can be duty-free if you have owned and used them for at least six months, and you have a year from moving to bring them. Declaring a car imported from outside the EU · Phone: See the agency's website · Website: tullverket.se · Visit / service office: See the agency's website
Transportstyrelsen (Swedish Transport Agency)	What you use it for: Driving licences, including swapping a foreign licence, and registering an imported vehicle · Phone: Driving licences: 0771-81 81 81. Vehicles: 0771-14 15 16 (both Mon, Tue and Thu 9–16). Switchboard: 0771-503 503, from abroad +46 771-503 503 (Mon–Thu 9–16, Fri 9–13) · Website: transportstyrelsen.se · Visit / service office: See the agency's website
Jordbruksverket (Swedish Board of Agriculture)	What you use it for: Bringing your dog, cat or ferret to Sweden: microchip, rabies vaccination, pet passport · Phone: 0771-223 223. Mon–Thu 8–16.30, Fri 8–16 · Website: jordbruksverket.se · Visit / service office: See the agency's website

Education and qualifications

Agency	Details
Skolverket (national agency for education)	What you use it for: Rules on preschool, school and sfi – sfi itself is run by your municipality · Phone: 08-527 332 00 (press 9 for the switchboard). Weekdays 8.30–16.30, closed 12.00–13.00 · Website: skolverket.se · Visit / service office: Svetsarvägen 16, 171 41 Solna
Universitets- och högskolerådet, UHR (Swedish Council for Higher Education)	What you use it for: Recognition of foreign education – UHR is Sweden’s ENIC-NARIC office – and where to turn for regulated professions · Phone: 010-470 03 00, option 2 for foreign education. Mon–Fri 9–16 · Website: uhr.se · Visit / service office: See the agency's website
Socialstyrelsen (National Board of Health and Welfare)	What you use it for: Legitimation (licence) to work as, for example, a doctor, nurse, dentist, midwife, psychologist or physiotherapist · Phone: Licence questions: 075-247 30 00, Tue and Thu 9.00–11.00 (not public holidays). Switchboard: same number, weekdays 8–17 · Website: socialstyrelsen.se · Visit / service office: See the agency's website

Your rights

Agency	Details
Konsumentverket / Hallå konsument (consumer agency and its advice service)	What you use it for: Questions and problems as a consumer – both use the same contact route · Phone: 0771-525 525 · Website: konsumentverket.se, hallakonsument.se · Visit / service office: See the agency's website
Diskrimineringsombudsmannen, DO (discrimination ombudsman)	What you use it for: Discrimination · Phone: 08-120 20 700, or free on 020-36 36 66. Mon–Wed and Fri 9–15, Thu 9–12. Text phone 020-600 600 · Website: do.se · Visit / service office: See the agency's website
Integritetsskyddsmyndigheten, IMY (Swedish Authority for Privacy Protection)	What you use it for: Questions about how your personal data is handled · Phone: 08-657 61 00; option 3 for guidance for private individuals, weekdays 09.30–11.30 · Website: imy.se · Visit / service office: See the agency's website

Housing queues

Agency	Details
Bostadsförmedlingen i Stockholm (Stockholm housing agency)	What you use it for: The queue for first-hand rental flats. Open to anyone aged 18 or over with a personnummer or coordination number; 200 kronor a year. Average queue time in 2025: 9.0 years · Phone: 08-785 88 30 · Website: bostad.stockholm.se · Visit / service office: Customer reception: Palmfeltsvägen 5C
Boplats Väst (formerly Boplats Göteborg)	What you use it for: Göteborg’s municipal housing queue, open to both municipal and private landlords · Phone: 031-100 250; from abroad +46 31-100 250. Mon–Thu 9–12 and 13–16, Fri 9–12 and 13–15 · Website: boplats.se · Visit / service office: Rosenlundsplatsen 1, 411 20 Göteborg – Tue and Thu 13–16
Boplats Syd (formerly BoPoolen)	What you use it for: Skåne’s largest housing agency: first-hand flats in Malmö, Lund, Trelleborg and around 20 other municipalities · Phone: 010-20 22 500. Mon, Wed and Fri 9–12; Tue and Thu 9–12 and 13–15 · Website: boplatssyd.se · Visit / service office: Stortorget 8, Lejonetpassagen, 211 34 Malmö

Cities

Agency	Details
Stockholms stad (City of Stockholm) – Kontaktcenter	What you use it for: Questions about the city’s services · Phone: 08-508 00 508 (not 08-508 000 00). Mon–Thu 08.00–16.30, Fri 08.00–16.00 · Website: start.stockholm · Visit / service office: See the agency's website
Göteborgs Stad (City of Gothenburg) – Kontaktcenter	What you use it for: Questions about the city’s services, in several languages · Phone: 031-365 00 00 · Website: goteborg.se · Visit / service office: See the agency's website
Malmö stad (City of Malmö) – Kontaktcenter	What you use it for: The city’s services, including free budget and debt advice, housing advice and consumer advice. Look for “Ny i Sverige” (New in Sweden) on the website · Phone: 040-34 10 00. Weekdays 08.00–17.00 · Website: malmo.se · Visit / service office: See the agency's website
International House Gothenburg (Business Region Göteborg)	What you use it for: Free advice for internationally recruited professionals and their partners and families settling in the Gothenburg region · Phone: 031-367 61 00 or 031-367 61 56 · Website: businessregiongoteborg.se · Visit / service office: Järnvågsgatan 3, 413 27 Göteborg

Information in many languages

Agency	Details
Informationsverige.se (run by the länsstyrelser, county administrative boards)	What you use it for: Information about Swedish society for newcomers, in several languages – including a suggested order for personnummer, ID card, bank account and e-ID · Phone: See the agency's website · Website: informationsverige.se · Visit / service office: See the agency's website

Embassies

Agency	Details
Regeringen and Utrikesdepartementet, UD (the Swedish Government and its foreign ministry)	What you use it for: Official government information. UD legalises Swedish documents for use by foreign authorities: 255 kronor per legalisation, about 1–2 weeks by post · Phone: See the agency's website · Website: regeringen.se; in English government.se · Visit / service office: See the agency's website

We could not find and verify one official, up-to-date list of foreign embassies in Sweden, so we do not point you to one. The safest way to find your own country’s embassy or consulate is your home country’s foreign ministry.

Embassies in Sweden

Your embassy issues passports, registers births and helps in an emergency. These are the embassies most people moving to Sweden need – 42 countries, all in the Stockholm area. Addresses, phone numbers and e-mails were read on each embassy's official website on 23 September 2026 (where a site could not be reached, on the Swedish Government's diplomatic list). Most consular services are by appointment only – book before you go.

Good to know

Book before you go. Migrationsverket has no drop-in offices, Skatteverket’s ID card needs a booked visit at an office that issues cards, and applying for a Swedish passport at the police needs an appointment too. For the ID check when you register, you can book at about half of Statens servicecenter’s offices; the rest are drop-in, where you may wait longer. Some service offices are closing, so check the address before you set off.

Bring originals. Take your passport or national ID card, and any residence permit card, in original to every identity check. Within the EU, certain public documents such as birth and marriage certificates have been exempt from legalisation and apostille since 16 February 2019. In Sweden only a notarius publicus (notary public) can issue an apostille.

Calling from abroad. Most agency numbers start with 0771, and where an agency publishes a foreign number it is usually the same number with +46 in place of the first 0. Some differ, though: Skatteverket, Pensionsmyndigheten and the police have separate numbers for callers abroad, Bolagsverket gives a backup switchboard in case its number does not work from abroad, and Kronofogden’s call-back service works only with a Swedish number.

English is widely available. Migrationsverket, Skatteverket, Försäkringskassan, Pensionsmyndigheten, CSN, Transportstyrelsen, Bolagsverket and UHR all have English pages, and Skatteverket’s e-service for moving to Sweden also comes in Arabic and Ukrainian. The people who answer 112 and 114 14 speak Swedish and English. In health care you have the right to information you can understand, for example through an interpreter.

Names and numbers change. Myndigheten för samhällsskydd och beredskap (MSB) became Myndigheten för civilt försvar (MCF) on 1 January 2026, and msb.se now leads to mcf.se. Göteborg’s housing queue is now Boplats Väst, and Malmö’s Boplats Syd was once BoPoolen. Stockholm’s city contact centre is 08-508 00 508, even if you see another number quoted elsewhere. And the outdoor warning signal, Hesa Fredrik, is tested at 15.00 on the first non-holiday Monday of March, June, September and December – no need to worry when you hear it then.

Relocate in Europe provides general information, not legal or financial advice. Numbers and opening hours were checked on 22 September 2026 – check with the agency before you visit.