How do I find out my Swedish personal number?

Having a Swedish Personal Number – officially known as a personnummer – is necessary if you want to live in Sweden over the long term, and you should plan on getting this if you intend to live in Sweden more than one year. Once you have a personnummer you can do things like:

You can obtain a personnummer by registering with the Swedish Population Register through the government tax agency known as Skatteverket. Registrations cannot be made online. You must register in person at your local Skatteverket – there are over a hundred nationwide. For starters these are some basic items you will need to provide to register when you go to a Skatteverket office:

What is the difference between samordningsnummer and personnummer?

Swedish health care and national health registers are dependent on the presence of a unique identifier. This paper describes the Swedish personal identity number (PIN) and explores ethical issues of its use in medical research. A ten-digit-PIN is maintained by the National Tax Board for all individuals that have resided in Sweden since 1947. Until January 2008, an estimated 75,638 individuals have changed PIN. The most common reasons for change of PIN are incorrect recording of date of birth or sex among immigrants or newborns. Although uncommon, change of sex always leads to change of PIN since the PIN is sex-specific. The most common reasons for re-use of PIN (n = 15,887), is when immigrants are assigned a PIN that has previously been assigned to someone else. This is sometimes necessary since there is a shortage of certain PIN combinations referring to dates of birth in the 1950s and 1960s. Several ethical issues can be raised pro and con the use of PIN in medical research. The Swedish PIN is a useful tool for linkages between medical registers and allows for virtually 100% coverage of the Swedish health care system. We suggest that matching of registers through PIN and matching of national health registers without the explicit approval of the individual patient is to the benefit for both the individual patient and for society.

Keywords: Civil registration number, Identification, Personal identity number, Pin, Population, Review, Sweden

In 1686 the Swedish church started to keep local registers of parish members, and population statistics began in 1749 [1] (Personal communication: Marie Lennersand, 8th Jan, 2009). This enabled the church, and through the church also the Swedish state, to keep a population census and to enrol soldiers for the army.

The personal identity number (PIN) was introduced in 1947 and then consisted of date of birth and a three-digit number. From 1947 and onwards, every individual that has resided in Sweden on a permanent basis (and been recorded in the Total population register, TPR) has been assigned a PIN. In 1967, a check digit was added to the three-digit number. The check digit verifies that data of birth and the three-digit number are correct. In 1991, when the responsibility for the local population registers was moved from the local parishes to the local tax offices, the National Tax Board took over the full responsibility for the Swedish PIN. When the local population registers were computerized in 1967, Statistics Sweden established the TPR.

In 1997, the National Tax Board initiated a new notification system with partially new data. As of today (year 2009), all notifications are delivered from the National Tax Board to other administrations, including Statistics Sweden, on a daily basis. Statistics Sweden stores all notifications with updates in a notification database.

The PIN is the unique identifier in the TPR [1]. The TPR includes data on name, place of residence, sex, age, civil status, place of birth (country, county, parish), citizenship, immigration (date, country, ground for settlement), and relations (married couples, child–parent). Until the year 2000, PINs were sometimes assigned also to individuals who had not entered into the TPR [3], but since that year individuals that do not qualify for a PIN receive a personal coordination number instead (see below). On Dec 31 2007 the total population of Sweden was 9,182,927. The estimated number of PIN’s in Sweden since 1969 is however, larger, and has been estimated to some 13,500,000 until Dec 31 2007 (Statistics Sweden).

How long does a Swedish personal number take?

To ensure that your visit to a Swedish state service centre goes as quickly and smoothly as possible, we recommend using our “Moving to Sweden” e-service beforehand. This applies whether you are moving to Sweden alone or with a partner and/or children. The e-service is a digital notification available in several languages: English, Arabic, Dari, Pashto and Swedish.

During the notification process, the e-service will suggest which documents you should bring with you to a service centre. Please note that the Swedish Tax Agency may request additional information and documents. Once you have completed all the steps in the e-service, please print out your notification and bring it with you to a service centre along with the other required documents. If you have an e-ID from an issuer connected to eIDAS, you can log in to the service. Once you have logged in, you can save a draft of your notification and complete it at a later date.

What to do after getting a personnummer?

For an assignment of 12 months or longer, you (and accompanying family, if any)are required to apply for Swedish personal identity numbers -“personnummer”. This can only be done when you have officially moved to Sweden as you need a valid address in Sweden to apply. Also known as a “civil registration”, you need to inform the Swedish authorities that you are currently residing in Sweden, and it needs to be done within 7 days after arriving in the country.

All countries have some kind of personal id or social security number, the personnumer (also known as personal number) is your identity number in Sweden. You will only be issued one number and you will have the same number for the rest of your life. It is written as the year you were born, your birth month and date, and finishes with 4 random digits at the end (YYYYMMDD-XXXX).

You will need the personal number to do almost everything in Sweden. From paying taxes and receiving a salary, to opening an internet or cell-phone subscription, to getting a gym card at your local gym. You will also need your personal number to access the same healthcare benefits as Swedish citizens. The process to get a personal number can take some time, but it is an integral part of settling into your life in Sweden.

Does Swedish personal number expire?

The national identity card is valid for five years and costs 400 SEK. Applications are filed at police stations which have a passport office.[5]

When applying, a valid Swedish identity document is needed in order to check the identity. If the applicant does not have a valid Swedish identity document, then the applicant must be accompanied in person by another that does have such a document. That person must be a near relative or an employer or municipal official who knows the applicant. There is no age limit to get a card, but people below 18 must be accompanied by their guardian (preferably both) at application. These rules are the same as for a Swedish passport (see that article).

The identity card is plastic and rectangular in shape, about 86 × 54 millimetres in size. On the left-hand side is a gold-plated contact chip, and on the right-hand side is the photograph of the bearer. Along the top of the card, the name Sweden is written in three languages, Swedish, English, and French (SVERIGE SWEDEN SUÈDE), below which the name of the card is available in the same three languages (Nationellt identitetskort/National identity card/Carte nationale d'identité), followed on the right by the biometric passport symbol () and the nationality of the bearer in Swedish and a country code (SVENSK/SWE).

The national identity card is equipped with a contact chip ready to function as an electronic identity card (eID) at a later date, and also a contactless RFID chip at the bottom right of the rear side[6] containing a digital representation of the printed data along with the photograph of the bearer.[7]

Can you work in Sweden without personal number?

If you’ve arrived in Sweden on a visa that doesn’t allow for you to obtain a personal number, all is not lost. It can be a challenge to access certain services, such as banking, the library, and signing up for a gym. With a little effort and the right provider, you can not only survive but thrive in Sweden without a personal number.

A personal number (personnummer in Swedish) is the Swedish national identification number. It is a 10 or 12 digit number used throughout the country to identify individuals. It is obtained when a person is entered in the Swedish population register by the Swedish Tax Agency.

How can I check a personnummer status?

After submitting your application, the processing time for a personnummer can vary between 4 to 18 weeks. It depends on how lucky you are, some people reported that they received it within a week.

In my case, I received mine within a week, while it took my husband 5 months to receive his.

You can call Skatteverket at 0771-567 567 to get a status, but it will not speed up the process. You can ask for your case number so you will have a reference.

How long can I stay in Sweden with a coordination number?

Skatteverket only issues coordination numbers if a government authority requires an ID number for a certain person (who does not have a personal identity number). Common examples include:

When EU citizens are in Sweden seeking employment with the help of the Swedish Public Employment Service (Arbetsförmedlingen)
When you are on a residence permit that is less than a year and you get a permanent / part-time job and will need to pay tax. We all agree that an extra income never hurt, especially if you are a student. There are several options for people seeking part-time employment while in Sweden and you can read about them here.
When you are on a residence permit that is less than a year and you are registering your car with the Swedish Transport Agency

Can I open a bank account in Sweden without personnummer?

Living in another country for an extended period can lead to hidden fees if you are not careful. Depending on where you originate from, one such cost is the transaction fees incurred when using your card from back home. So, as a student studying for at least a year, it would be wise to open a bank account to reduce the fees incurred from your bank. At least, this was my thought process. So, I set out to finding the right bank for me and finding information about the process. Surprisingly, information for students studying for less than 13 months was significantly limited. As far as I could see, the only way to open a bank account was with a personnummer (Swedish personal identity number). However, you can only obtain this identifier if you hold a residence permit for longer than 12 months, so I had a coordination number. Since you are reading this blog, you could infer that I eventually got a job here in Sweden as a Digital Ambassador. This prompted me to renew my hunt for a bank that would take me on as a customer. Finally, I found a solution. Below, I will share my steps to opening my Swedish bank account without a personnummer at Dankse Bank.

How do I reactivate my personal number in Sweden?

International students who have a residence permit for at least 12 months or are admitted to studies for 13 months or more, can apply for a Swedish personal identification number from the Swedish Tax Agency. You cannot apply before you have registered as a student at KTH, since you need to include a registration certificate in your application. Course registration for new students takes place after arriving to KTH.

Students admitted to one or two semesters, for example students who have a residence permit valid for 12 months or less, cannot apply for a personal identity number.

If you are eligible to apply, please visit the Swedish Tax Agency website for more information.

The personal identity number issued by the Tax Agency should not be confused with your interim personal identity number, also known as your T-number. The interim personal identity number is your unique number in the student documentation system and is assigned to you by KTH. It consist of your date of birth, followed by the letter T (in some cases, a different letter than T can occur) and three digits (YYMMDD-TXXX).

Your interim personal identity number is limited to university administrative purposes, and cannot be used in contact with other authorities in Sweden. Upon arrival, after activating your KTH account you can find your interim personal identity number displayed in Ladok, at the bottom of the menu and in your transcripts and certificates.

Can I buy a car in Sweden without personal number?

If you buy a car from a country outside the EU or outside the EU’s fiscal territory, you must always pay customs duty and VAT. On crossing the border, you must give notification of the vehicle to Swedish Customs at the nearest customs clearance office.

The customs duty on motor vehicles varies. On private cars, it is 10%. The VAT is 25%. As a private individual, you pay all the charges to Swedish Customs.

Can I open a bank account in Sweden without Personnummer?

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Hi all, I’m an American/Swedish citizen going to be moving to Sweden soon and I have a personnummer but it’s not yet activated. It will take 15 weeks the woman at Skatteverket said and I need an address before applying. I am currently in Sweden checking things out. I went to a bank today and the woman said I need a personnummer to get an account. But I would think I need a bank account to be able to rent a house but need an address to activate my personnummer. Is this one of those classic never ending circles? Can’t get one without the other and vise versa? Or can I actually get a lot done without a personnummer? For example, leasing or buying a car?

What is proof of residence in Sweden?

If you are a citizen of a country outside the EU/EEA and wish to move to a family member in Sweden who is not a citizen of the EU/EEA either, you need the documents below.

If you apply online, you attach the documents electronically. However, you have to present the originals of the documents when you visit the embassy.

How long can you live in Sweden without being a citizen?

Healthcare in Sweden is topnotch. It's almost free for all. The mother and child's health care is entirely free. In addition, they get free access to facilities equipped with books and toys. They also get a monthly child allowance of $125 deposited to their bank accounts.

How long can I stay in Sweden without a residence permit?

Here you can read about work permits and residence permits in Sweden. You can find out about the regulations that apply if you want to live and work in Sweden as a Nordic citizen, as a citizen of a country in the EU/EEA, or as a citizen of country outside the EU/EEA.

The common Nordic labour market is a cornerstone of the Nordic co-operation. In 1954, the Nordic countries signed an agreement on a common Nordic labour market, which gives Nordic citizens the right to freely take jobs and live in another Nordic country.

How do I get a Swedish personal identity number?

International students who study in Sweden for 12 months or longer must apply for a Swedish personal identity number (“personnummer” in Swedish) at the Swedish Tax Agency (“Skatteverket” in Swedish). The personal identity number is a 4-digit number following your date of birth in the format: YYMMDD-XXXX.

How do I get a T-number in Sweden?

Exchange students get a T-number from their host department and international students can see their T-number at www.universityadmissions.se on their notification of selection results. The T-number can only be used at Stockholm University. If you are studying in Sweden for longer than one year, apply for a Swedish personal identity number.

Why does Sweden have a person number system?

Since many Swedes have identical names, they can easily get confused with each other. This is why Sweden introduced the personnummer -system. Every Swede gets a personal identity number. Those numbers are issued by Skatteverket, the Swedish Tax Agency, as part of the population register.

Do students need a Swedish ID number?

Students who are staying in Sweden for more than a year must apply for an official Swedish personal identity number. All students who don’t already have a Swedish ID number are assigned a temporary number by the university.

How do I get a Swedish personal identity number?

International students who study in Sweden for 12 months or longer must apply for a Swedish personal identity number (“personnummer” in Swedish) at the Swedish Tax Agency (“Skatteverket” in Swedish). The personal identity number is a 4-digit number following your date of birth in the format: YYMMDD-XXXX.

Why does Sweden have a person number system?

Since many Swedes have identical names, they can easily get confused with each other. This is why Sweden introduced the personnummer -system. Every Swede gets a personal identity number. Those numbers are issued by Skatteverket, the Swedish Tax Agency, as part of the population register.

How do I get a T-number in Sweden?

Exchange students get a T-number from their host department and international students can see their T-number at www.universityadmissions.se on their notification of selection results. The T-number can only be used at Stockholm University. If you are studying in Sweden for longer than one year, apply for a Swedish personal identity number.

Do students need a Swedish ID number?

Students who are staying in Sweden for more than a year must apply for an official Swedish personal identity number. All students who don’t already have a Swedish ID number are assigned a temporary number by the university.