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The Newbie Guide to Sweden

The Newbie Guide to Sweden

We explain Sweden

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    • Get an ID-card
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      • Network coverage in Sweden
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    • Get your bank life started
      • Get a bank account and BankID
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      • What do I do when the landlord refuses to return the deposit?
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      • Abortion
      • Sexually Transmitted Illness – STI
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    • Costs & Fees
      • Patient Fees & High-Cost Protection
      • Health care costs – What applies to you?
      • European Health Insurance Card
    • Funeral arrangements
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    • Which licenses are valid in Sweden?
    • Exchange a driving license from an EU country
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Get a bank account and BankID

Having a Swedish bank account will make your life in Sweden a lot easier. Most things are paid for by credit/debit cards. Newbies often find it surprising and a bit costly – considering the international fees. So, it might be a good idea for you to open a Swedish bank account. It is not really difficult to do but you need to take some previous steps before you do so.

Disclaimer: To keep The Newbie Guide free, we use affiliate links (marked with *) and may get a commission if you click and buy using these links. This does not affect our opinions and our writers always recommend their best for your Swedish experience.

What you need to open a bank account

First you need to have a personal number – personnummer. This is pretty much non-negotiable. Any Swedish bank will ask you for that. Then you will need a Swedish ID-Card. Some banks might settle with a valid passport. Yet this depends on the bank and in some extend on the good will of the bank official.

Important information: Have you been denied a bank account or bank card? If this has happened to you, this is what you do.

Online banks or banks with a physical office

There are many banks in Sweden of course. Some have been around for a very long time and tend to have physical offices in many locations all over Sweden. If you want an actual person to talk to, those could be an option for you. Just do an internet search for the name of your town + for instance – Swedbank, Handelsbanken, Nordea and SEB.

The other options are online banks. They usually offer the same type of services as the physical location banks except that you can only call, chat or email them for support. Some options are:

  • Bank Norwegian* is connected to the airline company Norwegian which means that you can connect your bank card to their travel programs.
  • Marginalen Bank* has the usual in loans, cards and accounts but they also have a credit card where a percentage of what you buy becomes points for which you can buy trips, hotel stays etc.
  • OKQ8* You probably know OKQ8 better as one of the many petrol stations you see around the country. But, OKQ8 also has a bank section with focus on credit cards and loans. The credit cards can be of interest for you who has a car as they usually offer discounts on petrol for their bank customers.

Now if you haven’t paid your bills on time, you may get something called a “betalningsanmärkning” which can make it quite difficult to get loans, buy anything at all on credit or even get a cell phone plan.

Making comparisons

If you are looking to take a loan, make sure to compare the offers on the market before making a decision.

  • Compriser* – allows you to compare private loans and insurances online.

Internet banking

Make sure to get your Internet banking settled when you open your bank account. This will facilitate your life in Sweden even more. The Internet banking will make it possible for you to do all your banking online. You will be able to pay bills, make money transactions and check your account from anywhere anytime.

This service is generally included in the whole bank account “package” however you mostly need to activate it. Your bank official will explain how to do that, but remember ask him or her about it.

Mobile Bank ID

Another service that will facilitate your life in Sweden is a BankID or a Mobile BankID. This service makes it possible for you to sign – transactions, documents, etc. – online. Instead of printing, signing and sending documents with the post, you sign the document online with your BankID.

The BankID generally comes in two versions: a stationary one (that you download on your computer) and a mobile one (that you can use on almost any computer or phone). The first version is free of charge. The second one generally costs around 500 SEK. Your bank will help you acquire a BankID, just ask them about it.

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  • Online courses
  • Just arrived
    ▼
    • 10 things to get you started
    • Visa & Residence permit
      ▼
      • Visa
      • Residence permit
        ▼
        • About residence permits
        • Temporary residence
        • Permanent residence permit
        • Residence based on family ties
        • Residence permit based on employment
        • Work permits for young people
        • Residence permit for students
        • Residence for asylum seeker
        • Residence permits for EU citizens
    • Register for a personal identity number
      ▼
      • About the Swedish Tax Agency
      • Why you need an identity number
      • Register for a identity number
    • Register for welfare
      ▼
      • About the Swedish welfare system
      • Register with the Swedish Social Insurance Agency
      • Housing allowance
      • Parental leave
      • Sickness benefits
    • Get an ID-card
    • Set up phone and broadband
      ▼
      • Network coverage in Sweden
      • Find the right phone plan
      • Broadband plans
    • Get insurance
      ▼
      • Get a Home insurance
      • Usual insurance types
      • Pet insurance
    • Get your bank life started
      ▼
      • Get a bank account and BankID
      • Have you been denied a bank account?
    • Set up an electricity contract in Sweden
    • Medborgarkontor – citizens advice bureau
    • Social orientation for newcomers
    • The Refugee Guide to Sweden
      ▼
      • Apply for asylum in Sweden
      • Swedish for Refugees
      • Housing for asylum-seekers
      • Work, internships & voluntering
      • Make friends & connect with locals
      • Healthcare for asylum seekers
      • The Newbie Guide To the Swedish Authority Jungle 
    • LGBT Rights in Sweden 
  • Swedish
    ▼
    • Where to learn Swedish?
      ▼
      • Self-studies and tools
      • Svenska för invandrare, SFI
      • Svenska som andraspråk, SAS
      • Swedish for professionals and academics
      • Swedish at a Swedish university
      • Private Swedish courses and teachers
        ▼
        • ELANS Swedish education
        • The Swedish Teacher
        • Swedish with Mumm
        • JC Learning
    • Why learn Swedish?
    • How to learn Swedish?
    • Swedish Language Tests
    • Swedish requirements for higher Education
    • Swedish Spelling Software
    • Swedish student aid, CSN
  • Work
    ▼
    • How to find work
      ▼
      • How to start looking for a job
      • The Public Employment Service
        ▼
        • General services
        • Employment help for Newbies
      • For foreign-born graduates & professionals
        ▼
        • What you should know
        • Korta vägen – training program foreign born graduates
        • SIFA & SFX – Swedish for professionals and academics
        • Mitt Livs Chans – Mentoring Program
      • Staffing agencies
      • International recruitment agencies
    • Labour Legislation
      ▼
      • Swedish work law
      • Employment types
      • Checklist for signing a contract
      • Labour Unions
      • Unemployment insurance
      • A-kassa temporary rules
    • Networking & support
      ▼
      • Find a job through networking
      • Jobbsprånget
      • Korta vägen – training program foreign born graduates
      • Mitt Livs Chans – Mentoring Program
      • SWENCL – Sweden’s Engineers Club
      • Volontärbyrån
      • The Job Coach
    • The Swedish labour market
      ▼
      • Professions where workers are needed
      • Regulated professions
    • Fired?
    • Overtime & public holidays
    • The Newbie Work Guides
      ▼
      • Step one: make yourself interesting for employers
      • Step two: Get visible on the work market
      • Step three: Expand your network
    • The Newbie Startup Guide
      ▼
      • Market Validation
      • Register your business
  • Housing
    ▼
    • Accommodation in Sweden
    • Find accommodation in Sweden
    • Emergency rental solutions
    • Temporary housing solutions
    • Write a great rental application
    • How to avoid fraud
    • Legal stuff and housing
      ▼
      • How do I know if a housing contract is legitimate?
      • What can I do if my rent is “way” over the market price?
      • What do I do when the landlord refuses to return the deposit?
  • Health
    ▼
    • The Swedish Health System
      ▼
      • Emergency!
        ▼
        • Emergency? Call 112!
        • Important phone numbers
        • Cardiac arrest
      • Health Centre
      • Specialist Treatment & Referrals
      • Free Choice of Care
      • Health Care Guarantee
      • Medical help online
      • How to buy prescription medicines
    • Sexual and Reproductive Health
      ▼
      • Sexual & Reproductive Care 
      • Contraception
      • Morning-after-pill
      • Abortion
      • Sexually Transmitted Illness – STI
    • Dental Care
    • Costs & Fees
      ▼
      • Patient Fees & High-Cost Protection
      • Health care costs – What applies to you?
      • European Health Insurance Card
    • Funeral arrangements
  • Driving
    ▼
    • Which licenses are valid in Sweden?
    • Exchange a driving license from an EU country
    • Driving license from a non-EU country
    • The Step-By-Step Guide To A Swedish Driving License
  • Services
    ▼
    • Moving to Sweden
    • The Small Newbie Business Directory
      ▼
      • Join our Small Newbie Business Directory
  • Get connected
    ▼
    • The Swedish Red Cross – Röda korset
    • Nya Kompisbyrån
    • Panion
    • Internationella Bekantskaper
    • Kompis Sverige
  • The Refugee Guide to Sweden
    ▼
    • Apply for asylum in Sweden
    • Swedish for Refugees
    • Work, internships & voluntering
    • Housing for asylum-seekers
    • Healthcare for asylum seekers
    • Make friends & connect with locals
  • Blogs
    ▼
    • Blog
    • العربية
    • Recommended blogs and accounts
  • Newbie Stories
  • About
    ▼
    • Who we are
      ▼
      • The short facts
      • The Newbie Team
      • Meet our Newbie Bloggers
    • Advertise with us
    • Newbie partners
    • Media Kit
    • Are you an Oldbie or a Newbie?
    • Volunteer with us
    • Miss something?
    • The legal stuff
    • Contact us
    • Sign up for our newsletter
  • Follow us