Opening a bank account and getting BankID in Sweden (2026)
The order that works, the ID banks ask for, your legal right to a basic account, BankID and Freja+, and what to use while you wait.
Quick answer
Get your personnummer first: BankID requires one, and most banks only open a full account once you have it. Check which ID each bank accepts before you book; a Skatteverket ID card (SEK 400) or, from 1 December 2026, the Police's SverigeID card helps if your passport isn't on the list. EU/EEA residents have a legal right to a basic payment account, but banks still refuse some newcomers, citing money-laundering rules. Use Wise or Revolut in the meantime.
The order that works
| Step | What to do | Typical time |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Personnummer | Notify your move to Skatteverket online, attend the identity check, wait for the decision by post | About 5 weeks before Skatteverket starts on the case (Skatteverket, 2026) |
| 2. ID the bank accepts | Check each bank's ID rules. A Skatteverket ID card (SEK 400) or, from 1 Dec 2026, the Police's SverigeID card helps if your passport isn't accepted | ID card: about 2 weeks, collected in person |
| 3. Bank account | Book a meeting, bring ID, personnummer, employment contract or other proof of income | Varies by bank |
| 4. BankID | Ordered from your bank as an app, card or file once you are a customer | Often within days of opening the account |
Details on step 1 in our personnummer guide, and on step 2 in the ID card guide.
Why you need a Swedish account
- Salary and rent: most employers and landlords in Sweden expect a Swedish account.
- Swish, the mobile payment app almost everyone uses, needs a Swedish bank account and BankID.
- BankID, Sweden's main e-ID, comes from your bank. You use it to log in to Skatteverket, Försäkringskassan, 1177 and most private services.
The ID question
Each bank sets its own identification rules, so ask before you book. Bring your passport, your residence permit card if you are a non-EU citizen, your personnummer decision, and an employment contract or other proof of income.
If a bank wants a Swedish ID document, the options are Skatteverket's ID card (SEK 400, usually ready in about two weeks and collected in person; the government has proposed closing this service from 1 March 2027) or, from 1 December 2026, the Police's SverigeID, which registered residents without Swedish citizenship can get with an ID card. In Gothenburg, SverigeID applications are taken at Polisen Göteborg, Passcentralen; booking by phone on 114 14 opens on 1 November 2026.
Sources: Skatteverket: ID cards · Polisen: SverigeID
Your right to a basic account
Under the Payment Services Act, consumers legally resident in the EU/EEA have a right to a payment account with basic functions, unless money-laundering rules or other specific reasons prevent it. In practice, the Riksbank notes that banks often refuse or close accounts citing know-your-customer rules, and that people without a Swedish ID document are among those affected.
If you are refused: ask for the reason in writing, ask specifically about a basic payment account, use the bank's complaints process, and get free guidance from Konsumenternas Bank- och finansbyrå. Then try another bank.
Source: Riksbank: Payments Report 2025
BankID
BankID is ordered from your bank as a mobile app, on a card or as a file. You need a Swedish personnummer and must be a customer of a bank that issues BankID; each bank sets its own rules, for example on age. Since 1 January 2026, state authorities must offer login with both BankID and Freja+ unless they have special reasons not to.
Freja and Freja+
Freja+ is a state-approved e-ID. It requires a personnummer or a confirmed coordination number, a valid ID document, and no more than three years living abroad. With a confirmed coordination number and Freja+, foreign founders can log in to verksamt.se to register a business.
The basic Freja app, without the "+" level, can be used to log in to Skatteverket's Moving to Sweden e-service if you have no Swedish e-ID, but it is not a replacement for BankID.
While you wait
- Wise or Revolut for card payments, multi-currency balances and transfers.
- FOREX Bank for currency exchange and cards, with a branch at Göteborg Central Station.
- Ask your employer whether a first salary can go to a foreign account while your Swedish account is being set up.
All of these are in our banks directory.
Company accounts
Unlike consumers, companies and associations have no legal right to a payment account, and banks cite money-laundering rules when they refuse. An aktiebolag needs an account for its SEK 25,000 share capital and the bank certificate (bankintyg) that Bolagsverket requires, so talk to banks before you register. See how to start a company in Sweden.
Frequently asked questions
Can I open a bank account in Sweden without a personnummer?
Sometimes, but it is hard. Consumers legally resident in the EU/EEA have a legal right to a payment account with basic functions, but the Riksbank reports that banks often refuse or close accounts citing anti-money-laundering rules, and people without a Swedish ID document are among those affected. Most newcomers open a full account once their personnummer arrives.
Can I get BankID without a personnummer?
No. BankID requires a Swedish personnummer and an account at a bank that issues BankID. The state-approved alternative Freja+ also works with a confirmed coordination number (samordningsnummer).
Which bank is best for expats in Gothenburg?
There is no single answer: Handelsbanken, Nordea, SEB and Swedbank all have Gothenburg branches and English onboarding pages, and each sets its own ID requirements. Ask each bank which ID documents it accepts before you book. Compare them in our banks directory.
What can I use before I have a Swedish account?
An account at Wise or Revolut covers card payments and transfers, and FOREX Bank has branches for currency and cards. Most employers and landlords still expect a Swedish account, and Swish needs one.
The bank refused me. What can I do?
Ask for the reason in writing and whether a basic payment account is possible, since EU/EEA residents have a legal right to one unless money-laundering rules or other specific reasons prevent it. You can complain to the bank's complaints manager and get free guidance from Konsumenternas Bank- och finansbyrå. Then try another bank.
Do I need a bank account to register a company?
Yes for an aktiebolag: the SEK 25,000 share capital is paid into an account and the bank issues a certificate (bankintyg). Companies have no legal right to a payment account, so start early. See our company guide.