Registration in the Swedish Population Register

When you move to Sweden from another country, the regulations about registration vary, depending on whether you are a Nordic citizen, an EU citizen, or citizen of a country outside the EU.

When you arrive in Sweden, you can become officially registered as an inhabitant in the country. Your rights and responsibilities relating to registration in Sweden vary, depending on your citizenship and the country from which you move to Sweden.

If you move between the Nordic countries, including the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland, you come under the terms of the inter-Nordic agreement on population registration. This means that, regardless of your citizenship, you may only be registered in one place in the Nordic region.

If you are in doubt about whether you need to be listed in the Swedish Population Register, it is the regulations of the country to which you move that determine this.

Contact the Swedish Tax Agency for information about registration or if you need to register in Sweden.

When you move to Sweden from another country, you must notify your move to Sweden within the first week by visiting an office of the Swedish Tax Agency in person.

The Swedish Tax Agency decides whether or not you meet the registration requirements for residence. If you meet the requirements for registration as a resident, you are registered from the date you notify as your immigration date to Sweden, on condition that you notify your move to Sweden within a week from the date you state that you moved to Sweden.

If your application for registration as a resident is submitted later than one week after the date you stated you moved to Sweden, registration applies from the date on which the Swedish Tax Agency received your notification of the move to Sweden.

Note that:

• When you move to Sweden you must notify the Swedish Tax Agency of your move.
• Visit the local service office linked to the area you are moving to.
• All members of your household that are moving with you to Sweden must attend the meeting at the service office.
• Your citizenship affects what regulations apply concerning when you must register in Sweden.

Prepare for the meeting:

• Before the meeting at the service office, you are recommended to look at the Swedish Tax Agency website.
• Complete the online service, “Moving to Sweden”, for the best possible service.
• Complete the process individually for each member of the household (including children and/or partner).

Complete the online notification:

• Using the online service, “Moving to Sweden”, complete your notification on the Swedish Tax Office website.
• During the process you will be informed about the documents you must take to the service office.

Meeting at the service office:

• When you have completed all the stages via the website, print out the notification of your move.
• Take the printed notification and the other documents you were instructed to bring to your meeting at the service office.

For further information and guidance, use the link below to visit the Swedish Tax Office website and read more about the process of moving to Sweden.

When you notify your move at the Swedish Tax Agency service office in connection with registration, it is important that you take with you the correct documents.

1. Passport or national ID card: Take your passport or a national ID card.
2. Documentation showing status: Take original documents or verified copies that confirm your civil status, such as your marriage certificate if relevant.
3. Children’s birth certificates: If you have children, take the originals of birth certificates or verified copies.
4. Interpreter service: If you need an interpreter, it is important to notify this in good time before your registration process.

If you have previously been registered in Sweden, and there has been no change in your civil status, and you have not had more children while you were abroad, you do not need to take documentation about civil status or birth certificates for your children.

Children that move to Sweden

If you are under 18 and move to Sweden with your parents, the same regulations on registration apply for both children and adults.

If you are under 18, and are moving to Sweden without your parents, you must visit the Swedish Tax Agency office to register in the Population Register. If you are moving to stay with a person in Sweden, that person must accompany you to the tax service office.

In order to register in the Swedish Population Register, you must intend to live in Sweden for at least one year. It is important that you take a valid passport or a national ID card as original documents. If you are under 16, your parent/guardian must accompany you when you notify immigration to Sweden, otherwise you must bring a personal letter from your parents/guardians. The letter must include their contact information, and they must write that they recognise that you are moving from another Nordic country to Sweden.

If you have more than one parent/guardian, both must sign the letter.

The agency responsible for population registeration in your home country must be informed when you move to Sweden

When you move to Sweden from one of the Nordic countries, there are different procedures for notifying the country from which you are moving. This is what you should know if you are moving from a Nordic country to Sweden:

Denmark:

• You must notify both the population register in your Danish municipality and notify your move to the Swedish Population Register.
• When your notification has been approved and you are registered in Sweden, you will automatically be registered as having left Denmark. This also applies to children.

Finland:

• If you are moving from Finland to Sweden, you must notify both your emigration to the Digital and Population Data Services Agency (Myndigheten för digitalisering och befolkningsdata) in Finland and notify the Swedish Population Register of your move.
• When your notification has been approved and you are registered in Sweden, you will automatically be registered as having left Finland. This also applies to children.

Iceland:

• If you are moving from Iceland to Sweden, you only need to notify your move in Sweden.
• When your notification has been approved and you are registered in Sweden, you will automatically be registered as having left Iceland. This also applies to children.

Norway:

• If you are moving from Norway to Sweden, you only need to notify your move in Sweden.
• When your notification has been approved and you are registered in Sweden, you will automatically be registered as having left Norway. This also applies to children.

It is important to follow the correct procedures to ensure a smooth transition and updating of  registers in both the country you are moving from and Sweden.

Keep your home country updated when you change address in Sweden.

When you move to a new address in Sweden, it is important to notify the country from which you have moved about this change. Although you will be registered at your new Swedish address, you must always ensure that the relevant public agencies in your previous country of residence are informed of your move. This can help to maintain correct and updated information in both countries.

The procedures can vary, depending on which Nordic country you moved from. Some countries require a formal notification that you have left your previous address, even though you are still inside the Nordic region. This ensures they have up-to-date information about your residence status. Make sure you follow the necessary steps and meet the requirements in relation to the regulations in the country from which you moved.

Correct updating of your residence information is not only important for the public agencies; it also enables you to receive important post and information.

Who does the Swedish Population Register share your information with, and why is it important?

The information stored at the Swedish Population Register is shared with other Swedish agencies and community organisations through internal public agency systems and Statens personadressregister, SPAR, (“the Swedish state personal address register”).

This means that relevant agencies such as the Swedish Board of Student Finance (CSN), the Swedish Social Insurance Agency (Försäkringskassan), the Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket), the Swedish Pensions Agency (Pensionsmyndigheten), and the Swedish Transport Agency (Transportstyrelsen) and SPAR customers are automatically informed of your new address or if you have changed your name.

It is important that you give correct information to the Population Register, so that you receive the social benefits you are entitled to, the public agencies can contact you, you can vote in the elections you are entitled to vote in, and so that you can pay the right tax in your municipality.

You must order a Swedish ID card

A Swedish ID card can normally be issued to people with permanent residence in Sweden, regardless of whether they are Swedish citizens or not. The ID card is particularly useful for people who do not have a driving licence or some other card to prove their identity.

How do you get a Swedish ID card?

Swedish ID cards are issued in two places. Swedish citizens must order their Swedish ID cards from the Police. This card confirms your identity, your age, and that you are a Swedish citizen.

Foreign citizens who are listed in the Population Register in Sweden and have a Swedish personal identity number can order an ID card from the Swedish Tax Agency. You must apply for it in person at one of their service offices. This card confirms your identity, your age, and that you are resident in Sweden. The application process typically includes an identity check and documentation showing identity and residence.

Why is it practical to have a Swedish ID card?

There are several reasons for getting a Swedish ID card:

1. Proof of identity: The ID card functions as an official form of identification that can be used in a wide variety of situations, such as when buying alcohol, making bank transactions, and as proof of age and identity in various contexts.
2. Easy access to certain services: Some services and facilities require official proof of identity. A Swedish ID card makes it easier to access these services.
3. Travel: Even though Sweden is part of the Schengen area, and though most internal boundaries are removed, it can still be necessary to prove your identity in travel between the Schengen countries. An ID card can be used as a valid proof of identity when travelling. However, this only applies if it is the ID card issued by the Police.

When you register in the Swedish Population Register, your social insurance in the country from which you move - your home country - generally stops.

Contact the Swedish Social Insurance Agency, Försäkringskassan, when you move to Sweden. They will decide whether you will be covered by social insurance in Sweden. If the decision is that you will be covered by social insurance in Sweden, you may be entitled to benefits from Försäkringskassan, such as child benefit or housing allowance, and you can get an EU card.

If you are listed in the Swedish Population Register, this generally means you are covered by health insurance in Sweden. However, there are exceptions to this, for example if you are studying or were not covered by health insurance in the country from which you moved. If you are uncertain about whether you are covered by health insurance in Sweden, you should contact Försäkringskassan.