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 an "identitetskort för folkbokförda i Sverige", usually called Skatteverkets id-kort) 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
- Ready in
- About 2 weeks; collect in person within 2 months
- Required
- Personnummer + folkbokföring in Sweden
- Application
- In person at a service centre that issues ID cards
- Is the Skatteverket ID card being discontinued?
- Possibly, but nothing has been decided. In September 2026 the government sent a draft bill (lagrådsremiss, 3 September) to the Council on Legislation proposing to end Skatteverket's ID-card service from 1 March 2027, and the Council raised no objections on 22 September. As of 8 October 2026 no bill has been submitted to the Riksdag. Until a law takes effect you can still apply. Check this page or skatteverket.se for the latest.
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, signature, and an embedded chip that holds an e-ID. 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 for any travel abroad: Skatteverket says it is an approved ID document only inside Sweden, so you need a passport (or, for EU citizens, your home-country ID card) even for trips within the Nordic countries and the EU. 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, Skatteverket recommends the Polisen national ID card instead (400 SEK, issued at police stations alongside passports, valid for travel within the EU and Schengen area). The Skatteverket card exists for residents who are not Swedish citizens; it costs the same 400 SEK and cannot be used for travel. 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 prove your identity: a Swedish document, an EU passport issued from 1 September 2006, an EU national ID card issued from 2 August 2021, or an Icelandic, Liechtenstein, Norwegian or Swiss passport. Other passports are not accepted, so most non-EU citizens use their Swedish residence permit card or bring an approved attestor (such as a spouse, parent, adult child, sibling or a cohabitee of at least six months)
Children under 13 cannot be issued a Skatteverket ID card. For under-18s, both legal guardians must consent in writing (form SKV 1502).
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 an accepted ID document. EU passports issued from 1 September 2006 and EU national ID cards issued from 2 August 2021 work; most other passports don't, so non-EU citizens normally bring their Swedish residence permit card, which is checked against Migrationsverket's records, or an approved attestor.
Pay the 400 SEK fee first
Skatteverket asks you to pay the 400 SEK application fee before you book: you can't pay at the service office. Swish or bank giro both work (put the applicant's personnummer in the message field), and keep the receipt or bank statement to show at your visit. The fee normally isn't refunded if your application is refused (an authority may refund it only for special reasons).
Book an appointment online
Go to skatteverket.se/idkort and book a slot at one of the service offices that issue ID cards (booking is free). Only some service offices issue ID cards, so pick one in the booking tool. Waiting times for a free slot vary by office and season — book early. Only book through skatteverket.se; Skatteverket has warned about companies selling paid "booking services".
Visit a service office in person
At the service centre you show your ID document, have your photo taken on site (no need to bring photos), have your height measured and sign. The clerk checks your identity and population registration on the spot.
Collect your card in person
The card is produced centrally and is usually ready in about two weeks. It is not posted: you must collect it in person within two months.
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
- Not for travel abroad — Skatteverket's ID card is an approved ID document only inside Sweden and cannot replace a passport on trips abroad, including within the Nordic countries
SverigeID: the Police's new e-ID and ID card (from 1 December 2026)
On 1 December 2026 the Police launch SverigeID, a state e-ID at the highest assurance level that will also work in other EU countries. People registered in Sweden without Swedish citizenship can get it linked to an ID card without a travel function; according to the government's proposal, this card will replace Skatteverket's ID card. Appointments can be booked by phone on 114 14 from 1 November 2026, and applications are only taken at selected police stations. In Gothenburg that includes Polisen Göteborg, Passcentralen. It is available from the year you turn nine. Polisen: SverigeID
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 the EU and Schengen |
| Swedish passport | Police (Swedish citizens only) | 500 SEK | Yes, worldwide |
| Driving licence (körkort) | Transportstyrelsen | 375 SEK | No (not a travel document; sometimes accepted as ID within the Nordic 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, block it yourself straight away (Skatteverket explains how on its ID-card page) and report it to the police if it was stolen, then 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?
- Usually ready about two weeks after your visit. You must collect the card in person within two months; it is not sent by post.
- How much does a Swedish ID card cost?
- 400 SEK in 2026. You pay before you book the appointment (for example with Swish or bank giro) and bring proof of payment to the service office.
- 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 many people end up wanting both.
- Where can I book a Skatteverket ID card appointment in Gothenburg?
- Only some Skatteverket service offices issue ID cards. Choose an office and time when you book 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.
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Last verified: 8 October 2026. Official source: skatteverket.se/idkort.