Swedish Personal identity number – the core of the Swedish system
You may already have noticed how important the personal identity number is in Sweden. You virtually need it for everything ranging from getting an apartment to buying insurance. Your legal existence and welfare state inclusion rest on this identification number.
If you have relocated to Sweden from abroad and are planning to live in Sweden for at least one year or more, you are required to register in the Swedish Population Register, which you do at the Swedish Tax Agency or by visiting a local Tax Office, there is one in Karlstad. Registration is an essential step in gaining access to many public services and ensuring that your information is correctly recorded within the national system.
At the Karlstad Service Centre, they co-operate with The Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket), The Swedish Pensions Agency (Pensionsmyndigheten), The Swedish Public Employment Service (Arbetsförmedlingen), The Swedish Social Insurance Agency (Försäkringskassan) and The Swedish Tax Agency (Skatteverket) so that you can get help with matters you have with these agencies. This means you can receive assistance with several official processes in one place, which is particularly helpful when settling in as a newcomer.
When you are registered, you will be given a Swedish personal identity number. Your civil status and any relationship to your spouse, children and/or parents will also be registered. Note that you can only apply for the personal ID number once you have actually arrived in Sweden and have an address. You also need to have received the residence permit card. Processing times may vary, so it is a good idea to visit the service office as soon as possible after your arrival.
In Sweden for less than a year?
If you plan to work in Sweden for less than one year, you should instead apply for a Coordination Number (samordningsnummer), similar to the identity number. It is not a full-scale registration in the Swedish Population Register and therefore does not provide full access to the same range of rights and public services. It does, however, enable you to function in many administrative systems and is necessary to have in contacts with authorities.