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Sweden Expat Survival Guide

Your complete first 30 days checklist — personnummer, BankID, housing queue, healthcare and everything else nobody told you about before you moved.

By LAMW  ·  Expat in Sweden  ·  Updated 2026
👋 Who this is for: You have just moved to Sweden — or you are about to. You have a job or a plan, but you are not entirely sure what to do first, second, or third. This guide is the list I wish someone had handed me when I landed. Work through it in order and you will have the foundations of your Swedish life in place within 30 days.

Your 30-Day Checklist

Tap any item to mark it done. Your progress is saved in this session.

🚀 Week 1 — The Essentials
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Register at Skatteverket Urgent
Apply for your personnummer — Sweden's personal identity number. You need this for everything. Bring your passport, job contract or proof you will stay more than 12 months.
→ skatteverket.se/folkbokforing
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Open a Swedish bank account Urgent
Most banks require a personnummer but Swedbank and Handelsbanken sometimes open accounts before you have one. Alternatively use Wise or Revolut as a bridge.
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Register your address Urgent
Tell Skatteverket where you live — called folkbokföring. Official letters go to this address. Update it every time you move.
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Get a Swedish SIM card
Telia, Tele2, Comviq, and Halebop all work well. Comviq is cheapest for prepaid. You will need a Swedish number for many registrations.
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Find your nearest vårdcentral
Register at your local health centre. You can choose any vårdcentral — pick one near home or work. You do not need a personnummer to register but it helps.
→ Search "vårdcentral" + your area on 1177.se
📱 Week 2 — Digital Sweden
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Get BankID Urgent
BankID is your digital identity in Sweden. You need it to log into every government service, sign documents, access Swish, and verify yourself online. Get it through your bank's app once your account is open.
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Set up Swish
Sweden's mobile payment app — used by almost everyone for splitting bills, paying at markets, and transferring money. Requires BankID and a Swedish bank account.
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Register for Mina Meddelanden
Digital mailbox for all official Swedish letters. Once registered, Skatteverket, Försäkringskassan, and other authorities send letters digitally. Never miss a deadline again.
→ minmeddelanden.se
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Download the 1177 app
Sweden's healthcare app — book appointments, contact your vårdcentral, get medical advice. Available in English. Requires BankID to log in.
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Get the SL app (if in Stockholm)
Stockholm's public transport app — buy tickets, plan journeys, see live departures. Equivalent apps: Västtrafik (Gothenburg), Skånetrafiken (Malmö).
🏠 Week 3 — Building Your Life
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Join the housing queue Important
Sweden's rental housing system has long queues — Stockholm's queue averages 10+ years. Register now even if you have somewhere to live. The clock starts when you register, not when you need it.
→ bostad.stockholm.se (Stockholm) or your city's equivalent
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Register for SFI Important
Svenska för invandrare — free Swedish language classes for immigrants, run by your municipality. Available at multiple levels. Register through your kommun's website.
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Understand your tax situation
Sweden deducts tax automatically from your salary (PAYE). Your employer handles it. In spring you receive an inkomstdeklaration (tax return) — most people just approve it in the Skatteverket app.
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Set up home insurance — Hemförsäkring
Essential and affordable — covers your belongings, liability, and legal help. Folksam, Länsförsäkringar, and If are popular. Many landlords require it.
🌱 Week 4 — Integration
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Find your local library — Bibliotek
Swedish public libraries are free, excellent, and completely underused by expats. Free internet, Swedish newspapers, language learning resources, and a quiet place to study. Get a library card with your personnummer.
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Join an expat or international group
Internations, Meetup groups, Facebook expat groups for your city. Making connections in the first month prevents the isolation that hits many expats in month 2 or 3.
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Learn 10 Swedish words this week
Start our free Swedish for Expats course. Lesson 1 takes 10 minutes and covers the words you will use every single day. Small effort, big difference to how you feel here.
→ Start at lesson-1-greetings.html
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Explore your neighbourhood on foot
Find your nearest ICA or Coop, your nearest café, park, and pharmacy. Sweden is extremely walkable and the best way to feel at home somewhere is to know it by foot.

Essential Apps for Expats in Sweden

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Banking

BankID

Your digital identity for everything in Sweden. Get it first.

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Payments

Swish

Mobile payments — used by almost every Swede daily.

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Healthcare

1177

Book appointments, get medical advice, manage healthcare.

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Transport

SL / Västtrafik

Public transport tickets and journey planning.

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Official Mail

Kivra

Receive all official Swedish letters digitally.

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Tax

Skatteverket

Approve your tax return, check your tax account.

💱
Money Transfer

Wise

Send money home at real exchange rates. Essential for expats.

🛒
Shopping

ICA / Coop

Supermarket apps with weekly offers and loyalty points.

Important Numbers to Save

NumberWhoWhen to call
112Emergency servicesPolice, fire, ambulance — emergencies only
1177Healthcare adviceMedical questions, booking, 24/7
114 14Police non-emergencyReport crimes, lost documents
0771-567 567SkatteverketTax and personnummer questions
0771-524 524FörsäkringskassanBenefits and social insurance
0771-235 235MigrationsverketPermits and visa questions

10 Swedish Culture Things Nobody Tells You

1.  Queuing is sacred. Never jump a queue — ever.
2.  Take a number ticket (nummerlapp) at government offices, pharmacies and delis. Even if the room looks empty.
3.  Fika is not optional at work. Skipping it repeatedly is considered antisocial.
4.  Shoes off indoors — always remove your shoes when entering a Swedish home.
5.  Swedish silence is not rude. On public transport, silence is the norm. Don't be alarmed.
6.  Punctuality is non-negotiable. Arriving 5 minutes late to a meeting is genuinely considered rude.
7.  Allemansrätten — you have the right to walk anywhere in nature, even private land. Camp for one night, pick berries, swim anywhere. Treasure this.
8.  Sweden is almost entirely cashless. Bring a card everywhere. Many places refuse cash entirely.
9.  Summer Fridays — many Swedish offices close early on Fridays in summer. Nobody will tell you this. Just follow what your colleagues do.
10.  VAB — vård av barn — taking a day off to care for a sick child. It is a normal, respected, government-supported reason to miss work. Swedes take it seriously.
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📚 Recommended — Learn Swedish Alongside This Guide
From English to Swedish 1 — A Basic Swedish Textbook
Getting settled in Sweden is much easier when you speak even a little Swedish. This textbook is written specifically for English speakers and pairs perfectly with our free 10-lesson course. Start both at the same time and you will feel the difference within your first two weeks.
View on Amazon →
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