The personal identity number (personnummer) and population registration in Sweden
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In Sweden the personal identity number (personnummer) is the key to almost everything in daily life: opening a bank account, registering for health care, getting paid and getting the electronic ID BankID. It is issued after you are entered in the population register (folkbokföring) by the Swedish Tax Agency (Skatteverket).
Who is entered in the population register?
As a general rule, anyone who moves to Sweden and plans to live there for at least a year must register, and must show a right to reside for that whole period. You register with Skatteverket by submitting an application and visiting a service office in person with your passport and residence documents.
The coordination number (samordningsnummer)
If your stay is shorter than a year, or you do not meet the conditions for population registration, you may get a coordination number instead. It is used in dealings with the authorities, but it does not give you everything a personnummer does in daily life.
Why registration matters for citizenship
Your period of residence in Sweden, the most important citizenship requirement, is in practice counted from official records. Being registered with your correct address protects you when the years are counted. Any period living outside Sweden may affect the count, so tell Skatteverket about any move.
The ID card
Once you have a personnummer, you can apply for an identity card from Skatteverket, which many banks require to open an account and issue BankID.
Changing your address
Tell Skatteverket about any change of address within Sweden within the legal time limit; you can do this online. The law also requires you to report it if you leave Sweden to live abroad for a long period.
Advice
Keep your personnummer safe and do not share it without reason, and beware of messages asking you to confirm your BankID details: they are among the most common scams in Sweden.
Health care after registration
Once registered, you are normally entitled to health care on the same terms as residents, for a small visit fee. Register with a primary care centre (vårdcentral) near your home. For non-urgent medical advice call 1177 or visit 1177.se, which offers information in several languages. In an emergency call 112.
This article is general information, not legal or tax advice. Laws change, so check the official sources below or the competent authority for your situation. Found a mistake? Tell us.