Many expats living in Sweden assume their passport and BankID are enough. They're not — there are dozens of situations where a Swedish ID card (officially "Skatteverkets identitetskort") is what gets the job done quickly. Picking up a parcel at the post office, signing a contract in person, age verification at Systembolaget, opening certain bank products, handing over to a removal company — these all work much better with a Swedish ID card than a foreign passport.
Quick facts
- Issued by
- Skatteverket (Swedish Tax Agency)
- Cost
- 400 SEK
- Validity
- 5 years
- Wait time
- 2 – 4 weeks from appointment
- Required
- Personnummer + folkbokföring in Sweden
- Application
- In person at a Skatteverket office
What the Swedish ID card is — and what it isn't
The Skatteverket ID card is a national identity document, the size of a credit card, with your photo, personnummer, name, citizenship, signature, and an embedded chip. It is widely accepted across Sweden as proof of identity and age.
What it is not: it's not a travel document. You can't use it to fly internationally outside the Nordic-EU travel zone, and even within the EU some carriers want a passport. It is also not the same as a Polisen-issued national ID card — that one (Polisen's "nationellt id-kort") is issued only to Swedish citizens and is travel-valid within the EU.
If you're a Swedish citizen, you have two ID card options — the Skatteverket card (for residents in Sweden, cheaper, no travel use) or the Polisen card (issued at police stations alongside passports, valid for travel within the EU). Most non-citizen residents will use the Skatteverket version.
Who can apply
You can apply for a Skatteverket ID card if you:
- Are 13 years old or older (with a parent or guardian for under-18s)
- Have a Swedish personnummer
- Are folkbokförd in Sweden — meaning your population registration is active in Sweden
- Can present a valid ID document for the application (passport, EU national ID, certain other recognised documents)
Children under 13 cannot be issued a Skatteverket ID card. For under-18s, both legal guardians must consent (or one if the other is unreachable, with documentation).
How to apply, step by step
Check you have what you need
You need an active personnummer, you must be registered as living at a Swedish address (folkbokförd), and you need a valid ID document to bring to the appointment — a passport from your country of citizenship is the standard option. If you're an EU citizen you may also use a valid EU national ID card.
Book an appointment online
Go to skatteverket.se/idkort and book a slot at one of the service offices that issue ID cards. In Gothenburg the main central office is at Kungsgatan 20 and there's a second on Hisingen. Stockholm has multiple, Malmö has one in the central kommun. Booking lead times in 2026 are typically 2–4 weeks ahead — book early.
Pay the 400 SEK fee online
The fee is paid online during the booking process, typically with Swish or a card. You'll receive a confirmation email with the appointment time, address, and a receipt for the payment. Bring the receipt or a printout of the confirmation to your appointment.
Visit Skatteverket in person
At the office you'll hand over your ID document, get fingerprinted (digital scan, takes about a minute), have your photo taken on site (no need to bring photos), and provide a signature. The whole appointment takes 15–25 minutes. The clerk will check your folkbokföring status and identity in real time.
Receive your card by post
The card is produced centrally and posted to your folkbokföring address — typically arriving in 2–4 weeks. If you don't receive it within 4 weeks, contact Skatteverket. The card comes in a tamper-evident envelope and works immediately upon receipt.
What you can use the Swedish ID card for
The card is accepted as identification across almost every Swedish setting:
- Age verification — Systembolaget, bars, tobacconists, anywhere requiring proof of age 18 or 20
- Parcel pickup — at PostNord, DHL, Bring, Schenker pickup points
- Bank in-person — opening new products, in-branch transactions, applying for loans
- Signing physical contracts — leases, employment letters, vehicle purchases
- Healthcare in person — checking in at the vårdcentral, hospital admission, dental clinics
- Government offices — Migrationsverket, Försäkringskassan, Arbetsförmedlingen
- Schools and förskola pickup — proving your identity to staff
- Gym signups and memberships
- Domestic travel — accepted on internal flights within Sweden as ID
- Travel in the Nordic Passport Union (Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Iceland) for citizens of these countries; not for non-Nordic citizens — they still need a passport for cross-border travel
How it compares to other ID documents
| Document | Issued by | Cost | Travel-valid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skatteverket ID card | Skatteverket | 400 SEK | No (domestic only) |
| Polisen national ID card | Police (Swedish citizens only) | 400 SEK | Yes, within EU |
| Swedish passport | Police (Swedish citizens only) | 400 SEK | Yes, worldwide |
| Driving licence (körkort) | Transportstyrelsen | ~280 SEK | Partial (some countries) |
| Foreign passport | Your home country | varies | Yes, worldwide |
Renewal, replacement and loss
The card is valid for 5 years. To renew, you book a new appointment with Skatteverket and go through essentially the same process — same fee, same documents. There's no shortcut for renewal even if your details haven't changed.
If your card is lost or stolen, report it to Skatteverket immediately and apply for a replacement. The replacement process is identical to a first application. There is no fast-track replacement, so plan accordingly if you're travelling.
Frequently asked questions
- Can I get a Swedish ID card without a personnummer?
- No. The card requires a personnummer and active folkbokföring. People with a samordningsnummer (coordination number) instead of a personnummer cannot obtain a Skatteverket ID card.
- How long does the Swedish ID card take to arrive?
- 2 to 4 weeks from the appointment, posted to your registered address.
- How much does a Swedish ID card cost?
- 400 SEK in 2026. Paid online when booking the appointment.
- Can I use my Skatteverket ID card to travel within Europe?
- No, not as a travel document. The Polisen-issued national ID card is travel-valid within the EU but is only available to Swedish citizens. For travel, non-citizen residents need their home-country passport.
- Do I need the Swedish ID card if I already have BankID?
- Both serve different purposes. BankID is for digital authentication; the ID card is for physical, in-person verification. In practice you'll need both in your first year.
- Where can I book a Skatteverket ID card appointment in Gothenburg?
- The central office is at Kungsgatan 20. Hisingen also has a Skatteverket office that issues ID cards, often with shorter booking lead times. Book online at skatteverket.se/idkort.
- Can my children get a Swedish ID card?
- Yes, from age 13. Both legal guardians must consent, and they need their own personnummer and active folkbokföring.
See it in sequence with personnummer, BankID, and the rest of your first year.
Open the Move-In Roadmap →
Last verified: 12 May 2026. Official source: skatteverket.se/idkort.