Work, study or live in Sweden for EU/EEA citi­zens

As an EU/EEA citizen you have the right to work, study or live in Sweden without a residence permit. You also have the right to start and operate a private business. The right of EU/EEA citizens to stay in Sweden without a residence permit is called right of residence. You have right of residence if you are employed, self-employed, a student or have sufficient means to support yourself. If you have right of residence in Sweden you do not need to contact the Swedish Migration Agency.

When entering Sweden, you need a valid passport or ID card showing your citizenship.

You can move to Sweden without applying for any permit, but if you have family who are citizens of a country outside of the EU/EEA, they need to apply for a residence card. In order for your family to be granted residence cards you must be able to demonstrate that you meet the requirements for right of residence in Sweden through work, studies or with sufficient means.

As an EU/EEA citizen you have the right to start working or studying directly after arriving in Sweden.

To register yourself in the Swedish population register and obtain a Swedish personal identity number, you need to contact the Swedish Tax Agency.

Information about how to register at the Swedish Tax Agency External link, opens in new window.

If you are going to start a private business, you have to submit a tax and fee registration to the Swedish Tax Agency and you may need to register your company with the Swedish Companies Registration Office before beginning your company operations. You can learn more at Verksamt.se.

The Swedish Companies Registration Office External link, opens in new window.

Verksamt.se External link, opens in new window.

Citizens of Denmark, Finland, Norway and Iceland may live in Sweden without obtaining a residence permit. You only have to register with the Swedish Tax Agency.

You can apply for a residence card instead of a residence permit if you meet these three requirements:

  • You are a family member of a Swedish citizen.
  • The Swedish citizen has been residing in another EU/EEA country with a right of residence for at least three months.
  • You have lived together in the other EU/EEA country immediately before you move to Sweden.

In cases were a Swedish citizen has used their free movement in the United Kingdom before 31 December 2020 and returned to Sweden, the Swedish citizen can be counted as an EU/EEA citizen, desprite the fact that the United Kingdom no longer is in the EU.

You can apply for a residence permit if you are a citizen of Switzerland.

Residence permits for Swiss citizens

If you have lived in an EU country but are not an EU citizen you may under some circumstances be granted status as a long-term resident of that country. You will then have rights similar to those of EU citizens.

Residence permits for long-term residents of another EU country

Countries covered by the free movement within Europe

Information for persons arriving in Sweden with a residence permit

Do not forget to save your residence permit decision. It will be useful when contacting various national authorities and organisations.

To register as living in Sweden and obtain a Swedish personal identity number, contact the Swedish Tax Agency, Skatteverket. External link, opens in new window.

To be registered in the social insurance system, contact the Swedish Social Insurance Agency, Försäkringskassan. External link, opens in new window.

Some municipalities have municipal housing agencies where you can look for accommodation. The municipality can also give you advice on private landlords.

The municipality in which you live will offer child care and schooling for children.

For questions about health care, contact the region where you live. Find healthcare in the whole of the country on 1177 Healthcare Service Guide. External link, opens in new window.

For questions about learning Swedish for Immigrants (SFI), contact the municipality you live in. See also the website of the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions. External link, opens in new window.

If you are looking for a job you can register with the Swedish Public Employment Service, Arbetsförmedlingen. External link, opens in new window.

The Swedish Pensions Agency External link, opens in new window. has information in Swedish about income support for the elderly for those who come to Sweden late in life and have a low or no pension.

For information about studying at colleges or universities, see Universityadmissions.se External link, opens in new window. or studera.nu. External link, opens in new window.

For questions about student loans and grants, contact CSN. External link, opens in new window.

For questions concerning driving licenses, visit the Swedish Transport Agency. External link, opens in new window.

For questions about the right to vote, contact the Election Authority, Valmyndigheten. External link, opens in new window.

Information from the Swedish National Agency for Education about the Swedish education system can be found at Skolverket. External link, opens in new window.

Information about society in Sweden can be found in a number of languages at informationsverige.se. External link, opens in new window.

For more information on society in Sweden visit the website of the Swedish Institute. External link, opens in new window.

Hej hej Sverige! External link, opens in new window. has simple and inspiring films about how Sweden works.

On the page Learn Swedish on www.informationsverige.se, External link, opens in new window. you will find links to several programmes for learning Swedish on your own.

The information service at the Swedish Consumer Agency External link, opens in new window. can answer your questions about buying goods and services and about contract terms and conditions.

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