Lukas: How to get a Swedish personal number and BankID

Step 1. Getting a personal number

The personal number is given by Skatteverket (the tax office). You must make an appointment with them to request a personal number. During this appointment, you will need to provide documents about your identity and your business in Sweden (for example proof that you are studying here). The exact details about what you must do depend on where you’re coming from. You can find more information and make the appointment via the Skatteverket website.

If you’re staying for less than a year, you can unfortunately not receive a personal number, but you can apply for a coordination number instead via the same website. With a coordination you’re not eligible for the next steps, but having one does give you a little more freedom, so I’d still recommend going for it.

Step 2. Get a Skatteverket identity card

The ID card is not the same as BankID. It’s rather a physical card with which you can identify yourself (within Sweden!), similar to a passport. This can be useful for identifying yourself when picking up a package, or for age verification when buying alcohol. But most importantly, you need the ID for step 3. To get an ID card you must make another appointment at Skatteverket. Note that you must pay an application fee for this step (currently set at 400 SEK).

Step 3. Opening a bank account

Whether you’re planning on working here or not, opening a bank account can be a smart move as it is the only way to get BankID. Some banks allow you to open an account without having an identity card, but it will take several months in this way, which is why it’s recommended to complete step 2 first. There are several banks to choose in Örebro, but it’s best to choose one with a physical office. Some examples are Handelsbanken, Swedbank, and Nordea. You can often just walk in during opening hours and request to open a bank account. They will likely give you a bunch of documents to fill in about how much money you expect to spend and receive etc. This can be a bit of a hassle, but you’ll just have to go through with it. If everything is in order, they will start the process of opening your account, which is likely to take a few weeks.

Step 4. Getting BankID

Step 4 is a simple one. Once you have finally opened your bank account, you can go to your bank and help them set it up for you. Bring your phone, your new bank card, and your Swedish ID card, and that’s it! If you’re quick with it, the entire process will likely take you a little over two months to complete.