Andrei Neculau

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Cards

You will need a couple of cards to get by, after you get your Residence Permit and personnumber.

The ID card

• Fee: cca. 250 SEK (cca. 26€)
• A passport-size photo
• Papers from Skaterrverket for requesting an ID card (swe. personbevis för ID kort)¹
• A Swedish citizen who can identify you, vouch for you and with a good bank history

The identification card is issued in Sweden only by banks nowadays. It is not compulsory, but without it you wouldn’t be able to pick something up from the post office, or you wouldn’t be able to buy alcoholic beverages, or you wouldn’t be able to open a bank account. The passport can work out ok, but not as a general rule.

Do not mistaken an ID card with the National Identity Card. That can only be issued for Swedish citizens.

People who don’t have Swedish citizenship, but are Swedish residents, can get a SIS-certified identification card. You need to have a personnummer allocated beforehand. But be aware that usually the ID card is given 6 months after you open a bank account, or earlier if the person who vouches for you has a good history with the bank.

You should also check with your university, if it has a special agreement with one of the Swedish banks. This can ease up the process.

Although it sounds straight-forward and something that is bound to happen in a regular and worry-free manner, getting an ID card can be very troublesome. You can read a situation of a Belorussian student at KTH in The Local.

From January 2009, it might be possible that the Swedish Police offices will issue ID cards to non-Swedish citizens, and since they have a higher authority of checking identities, the process might be more transparent and easier to go through. Read the article in The Local.

For EU citizens, their Passport or Driving License should act as a valid ID card.

Bank account/card

• Valid Passport
• Papers from Skaterrverket for banking (swe. personbevis för bankarenden)
• Letter of Admission, although this is not needed, but you may be asked to show it

You should be able to open a bank account with no problem soon after your arrival to Sweden.

After you open the bank account, ask how much time will it have to pass in order before you will be granted an ID card as well.

It’s a good idea to check whether your bank at home has a Swedish banking partner. Some banks may be willing to let you open an account even if you don’t have a personnummer, like Nordea and Föreningssparbanken, but it is not 100% sure. If it’s possible, then you will only need to show a valid passport, a receipt for your Student Union membership and a letter stating that you are an international student.

You should also check with your university, if it has a special agreement with one of the Swedish banks. This can ease up the process.

Student card

This card will allow you to get special student rates. You will need to register at one of the Student Unions and you will get one. By the way, if you are in Lund or Uppsala, you will encounter the Student Nation system, and you must register with one nation.

You can also get an international student card, which will give you even more opportunities for discounts, though not so many.

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