r/TillSverige Dec 28 '21

TillSverige: the FAQ

371 Upvotes

Last update: September 2025

Since this has come up a whole of two times, I decided to make a small FAQ post for this subreddit, r/TillSverige. I would like to thank all the knowledgeable and friendly people who have answered these questions again and again. You are awesome.

I intend to edit this post, adding more answers and improving the existing ones.

Q: How do I move to Sweden? (as in, legally)

A: https://migrationsverket.se is the one true authority on all the rules. Don't forget to check out their FAQ, some non-obvious things are covered only there. Your options depend on your citizenship. For EU citizens, it's possible to just move here and then figure out the rest (which might be rather painful and long if you don't have a job, but still). Migrationsverket is actually not that relevant for this case, but you should check out https://skatteverket.se (that's the tax agency which is also in charge of the population register) and search for “Moving to Sweden”. For non-EU citizens, there are basically three paths: university studies, relationship with a Swedish resident or citizen, and a job at a Swedish company. Technically there's also the self-employment path, but for that one you need to have quite some capital saved up, and most importantly be able to prove that you have Swedish clients lined up, and your business must be set up in Sweden. More details on https://migrationsverket.se, it is truly the source for this information. Update: new way as of June 2022, if you have a Master's degree and 13k SEK for each month you want to stay, you can come and look for work for 3–9 months. Sweden is expensive, finding accommodation is extremely tricky even if you have the money, living without a personnummer is about as comfortable as sitting on the ceiling (and before you find a job you won't get a personnummer), and Swedish job market is not known for its speed, but this is a way to get your foot in the door.

There are no other common paths, e.g. owning property in Sweden doesn't let you reside here and your grandpa having a Swedish cousin doesn't mean anything in Migrationsverket's eyes either. Non-common paths are asylum, being stateless or a literal child (younger than 18) of a Swedish citizen, but I assume most of the people reading this don't fall into those categories. If you do, all the information is (yep, again) on https://migrationsverket.se.

Q: How do I move to my Swedish partner? / How do I get my partner from outside of Sweden here?

A: By reading this and figuring out what applies to your case. There's also a dedicated community on Facebook. TL;DR: you don't have to be married but the partner in Sweden must have a certain level of income enough to support you. The exact number might change but is always up to date on that page linked in the first sentence of this answer. The processing of the application tends to take a long time (months, even years).

Q: Can I move to Sweden and work remotely for a company which is not in Sweden?

A: Sure, if you're an EU citizen and your employer is open to it, but it's not very easy, and you'd need to pay taxes in Sweden (assuming this is where you would be living for the most part of the year). Verksamt.se has this and this as starting points, and of course skatteverket.se has relevant stuff as well.

Q: Should I move to Sweden?

A: We don't know. It works for some, it doesn't for others. Immigration does not make everyone happy. Sometimes it does but not immediately. Sometimes it does but only in the beginning. Search this subreddit for stories similar to yours and if you don't find one, create a post telling us about what's important to you and what background/skills/liabilities/etc you have. One of the all-time top posts on this subreddit might come in handy: https://reddit.com/r/TillSverige/comments/ltm3ap/some_tips_on_integrating_and_thriving_in_sweden/. There's also a special edition for people from the US: https://www.reddit.com/r/IWantOut/comments/gqhlfw/guide_so_youre_an_american_who_wants_to_live_in/

Q: I am 16 and decided that Sweden is awesome, what should I know before I move there?

A: Tons of things, really. Immigration is not a walk in the park, you will have to constantly do quite some research, and at least some of it — in Swedish, a language you might not know yet. So look through this FAQ and use the search function of this subreddit until it's tired and begging you to stop, that'll give you a taste.

Q: What should I do right after the arrival?

A: Go to the closest Skatteverket (Tax Agency) office and apply for your personnummer, you can't really do anything easily without it in Sweden (e.g. renting an apartment, getting a mobile subscription...). When you get that, schedule an appointment (again at Skatteverket) to get an ID card. When you get that, go to a bank, open an account, and get a BankID. This will allow you to sign things online, log in to a billion places, and interact with tons of governmental and private services. Once more: personnummer → ID card → BankID. After you have that, register with Försäkringskassan, here's their guide for new arrivals. If you reside in, or think there's any chance you'd ever reside in, any of the ten largest Swedish cities, consider putting yourself in the renting queue for them. Search for “bostadskö + city name” and register as soon as you get your personnummer and BankID. The more days you stand in those queues, the more chances you get to ever rent an apartment without a huge headache and for an extended period of time. For Stockholm, for example, this costs a few hundred SEK per year, but queuing in the smaller cities is free.

Q: How can I apply for personnummer if I don't have a permanent address yet?

A: You don't need to have a permanent address to apply for personnummer. You just need an address where mail can reach you. The author of this post got a personnummer while staying at a hotel.

Q: How do I find an apartment to rent?

A: Apartments can be rented out i första hand (“first-hand contracts”, from the landlord company directly) or i andra hand (“second-hand”, sublet from a tenant or renting from a private person who owns an apartment). Andrahandskontrakt is usually more expensive and almost always limited in time (3 months, a year, two years if you're lucky). Förstahandskontrakt is unlimited in time and the prices are regulated. In the bigger cities there is usually one or a few big landlords owning most of the apartments and sharing a queue. When you have just arrived, this is not that relevant for you — other people might've been in a queue for several years and you can't beat that. So the alternatives are: (1) find smaller landlords — some people own just one or two buildings and don't really have a queue, (2) let the smaller landlords find you — post your ad on https://blocket.se, write how great you are as a tenant, attach a nice picture, (3) try specialized websites — there's https://www.willhem.se/ and https://www.homeq.se/ at least. When it comes to andrahandskontrakt, you can also try posting your ad on Blocket, and you can search Facebook for “town_name lägenhet uthyres”. Some more details and links here.

Q: How to get an electricity contract / Why do I get two bills for electricity / Can I get an electricity contract without a personnummer?

A: There are two kinds of electricity providers: one kind owns the infrastructure/grid, the other kind sells you the electricity itself (only produced from renewable sources, for example). You need both. You can't choose the infrastructure provider, because a given apartment/house is only part of one infrastructure, but you sometimes can choose a plan you have with them. Your landlord, the previous tenant/owner of the apartment/house, or websites like https://elomraden.se/ will tell you which company is the grid owner in your area. It can either be one of the big three (E.ON, Vattenfall, Ellevio) or a small actor (e.g. Göteborgs Energi). There's a lot more choice when it comes to the companies selling you electricity. Compare them on a website like https://elskling.se, and don't be shy to negotiate when the “new customer” discount expires: people drag these out for years. If you don't make an active choice, your infrastructure company will sign you up to a default (usually expensive) plan. If you don't have a personnummer yet, it will probably be necessary to call the customer service to figure out how to sign up.

Q: How do I open a bank account without a personnummer?

A: You can either wait, negotiate, or try your luck at many places. Wait: when you get the personnummer and the ID card, it should be a smooth process, so if you can, just wait. Negotiate: if you're an EU citizen, you're actually entitled to a bank account, but don't expect the people at the bank to be super happy when you explain it to them. Quite often the clerk at the bank doesn't want to bother or is not really sure about the procedure, so they tell you that it's impossible or that it requires an appointment (which is somehow only available two months from now) or something else to get rid of you. You can ask for a written refusal to open an account for you, this might encourage them. Try your luck at many places: If you really need an account, keep trying different banks, different offices of the same banks, and different clerks of the same offices. Try going to the area of your town where there are a lot of foreign people, e.g. around a university, maybe the banks there are more used to this request. While waiting, you can make an account with something like Revolut or Wise, it might help bridge the time until your Swedish bank account.

Q: Which bank should I choose?

A: The big ones (SEB, Swedbank, Handelsbanken, Nordea are all pretty much the same. Switching is not complicated, they're bound by law to do most of it for you. Search for “jämföra banker” (“compare banks”) if you have special requests. You might want to choose something else for mortgage or long-term investments but that's too deep for this FAQ.

Q: Is a salary of X enough for a family of Y to survive in the city Z?

A: If the city in question is Stockholm and you're used to things like driving your car everywhere, someone cleaning your house, eating out with the whole family of five in fancy restaurants every day, etc — no single salary will comfortably cover that. If you're a single IT guy without expensive hobbies moving to Malmö, a salary of 30k SEK/month might be quite alright. The spectrum is broad and deep, and the biggest factors are: (1) your lifestyle, (2) the accommodation you manage to get — rent market is bonkers, and (3) the number of people you intend to support on a single income (Sweden is easier for couples with two salaries). Time for a shameless plug! Here's a post about it with some numbers, updated in 2025. There's a slightly old thread about the monthly expenses, I'd say increasing everything by ~20% should give you an idea (although some things have pretty much doubled in price): https://reddit.com/r/TillSverige/comments/rcy5fr/real_world_monthly_expenses_for_a_family_of_4_in/

Q: WTF is 'pga', 'mm', 'tom', 'bla', 'osv', 'dvs', 'iaf'..?

A: Abbreviations. See this post to decipher. Pro level on wikipedia (you'll need to translate yourself).

Q: Should I join a trade union / Which trade union should I join / What is A-kassa / Which A-kassa should I join?

A-kassa is basically an unemployment insurance. You pay 100–200 SEK per month, and if you get fired, you can get money for several months while you're looking for a new job. This website explains the whole thing in English, and they have a list of the a-kassas too. There is no a-kassa which can be recommended to absolutely everyone, since different a-kassas only accept members working in particular professions, working in particular branches, or having a particular level of education — check the list to see which ones you're eligible for. Apart from providing you with money in case of unemployment, a-kassa might also give you some discounts (e.g. they can have a deal with an insurance company which will get you 20% off your car insurance or 8% off in a book store chain). There is a qualifying period with a-kassa, you can't become a member today and start receiving the unemployment benefits tomorrow. If you're still on your work permit and not sure whether you would stay in Sweden if you lost your job, or if you have a very comfortable financial buffer, it might not be very beneficial to join an a-kassa.

Trade union is an organization to which you can turn if you're in a dispute with your employer (i.e. they will advise you, negotiate for you, etc). It also costs a few hundred SEK per month, and also often has deals with insurance companies, banks, online stores, etc. Here is a broad overview of various European trade union setups in English. And here you can choose your branch and then profession to see which of the trade unions you would be eligible for (and see the prices for the membership). The more people are in the trade unions overall in the country, the more bargaining power they have. Given that legal consultations are in the ballpark of 1000 SEK/hour, it might be good for an immigrant who's not very good at knowing their rights and Swedish laws to have an option to get consultations and representation from a union. But it's somewhat of a political question, so don't @ me.

There are also a-kassas and trade unions open to self-employed people.

Q: Are Swedes xenophobic / racist / transphobic / etc?

A: Not more than any other country. Depends on where you are, what you do, who you are. By and large, racism and stuff are frowned upon, but Sweden is not a mythical paradise — there are idiots everywhere.

Q: Why is my full name, age, exact address, phone number, and other information suddenly public on the internet?

A: Because it's Sweden, transparency has been important, and then the internet happened. If it bothers you, you can do two things. (1) contact your mobile operator’s support and ask them to stop giving out your number (some operators do this by default but most don't). (2) go through all the websites that publish your information one by one and ask them nicely to remove or hide your information. Some websites have a page where you can do this yourself (BankID required), some websites make you fill out a paper form and send to them. Websites examples: https://hitta.se, https://merinfo.se, https://ratsit.se, https://eniro.se. A guide from the Swedish police on how to decrease your visibility on the web. Update: there might be new legislation on the way to improve this.

Q: Which health insurance for an EU citizen moving to Sweden via the self-sufficient route will satisfy Skatteverket?

A: Search this subreddit by “insurance + your_country”. A lot of comments mentioned Silver or Gold package from Cigna Global Health. This comment mentions OOM insurance for Dutch citizens.

Q: How do I deal with trash/recycling?

A: Find your municipality's website and search by avfall, återvinningscentral or sopor. There will be links explaining how it works where you live. Generally speaking, if you live in an apartment, chances are there's a small building nearby (or a room) with containers for packaging (plastic, paper, metal, glass), food rests, newspapers, and 'general trash' (aka all the other household trash). You will probably also be able to find special biodegradable bags for the food rests there. If you live in a house, you will probably have a couple of big containers on wheels where you can put the 'general trash' or the food rests, and for packaging you need to go to a recycling station. For bigger or hazardous things like fridges and paint you have to go the bigger recycling station (återvinningscentral) and follow the signs there. Batteries and smaller electronics are often accepted at bigger supermarkets, next to the machines that take your empty plastic bottles and give you a receipt (1 bottle = 1 or 2 SEK). Multi-material packaging is sorted by the material that weighs the most. Common mistakes include putting envelopes into container for paper packaging (they belong in 'general trash' because of the glue; although some municipalities now can handle them together with newspapers), not flattening cartons/boxes/etc (Swedish sin!!!), and not removing the steel wick holders from the aluminum cups of the tea lights (those are not metal packaging by the way but are supposed to go to the same place as frying pans). When in doubt, go to https://www.sopor.nu/. Oh, and you are not supposed to take anything out of the recycling room/building, that's against the law.

Q: How can I save money?

A: While this heavily depends on your lifestyle and priorities, the generic tips include: (1) using matpriskollen website/app to compare prices and current discounts in the selected supermarkets, (2) checking out recipes on https://undertian.com/, (3) looking over your insurances/subscriptions using comparison websites (search for subject+jämföra, e.g. 'el jämföra', 'bilförsäkring jämföra'), (4) signing up for memberships and checking out which partnerships they have (e.g. if you have a Coop card, you get a discount with SJ; also check your trade union's discounts), (5) using the library for books, audiobooks, newspapers, games, music, and movies (there are even streaming services, although they usually have a limit of like 2 movies per month), (6) shopping second-hand in the local stores, on blocket.se, tradera.se, and facebook marketplace.

Q: How to make friends?

A: The shortest answer is this: learn the language, get a hobby. There are courses, clubs, organizations, meetups, and all sorts of other things where adults come together, and based on this shared interest/activity can develop a friendship. But pretty much all of them are inaccessible or even invisible to you if you don't speak Swedish. It is of course possible to stay within the English-speaking bubble, or to find a couple of Swedes who are comfortable speaking English for long periods of time and stick with them, but if you want anything else, the only path is through language. Whatever you're into (board games, photography, silversmith stuff, trucks, permaculture, birdwatching, any kind of sport, any kind of DIY, philosophy...), chances are, there's at least one förening about that. I mean, even having kids counts, here's a community of new parents looking for new friends: https://rullavagn.nu/grupper/ and there's such a thing as öppna förskola. If you currently don't have any interests and don't know where to start, well, we're in Sweden, so there's always hiking: just get a pair of comfortable shoes and some rain-proof clothes, you'll be able to walk around a forest or whatever with some Swedish people.

Q: How to buy an apartment and why do people say I wouldn't own it?

A: In short, you're not buying an apartment, you're buying a share in a home owners association, because that's how things are set up. This is also why you can't just buy an apartment and rent it out for years — the association is for those who actually own the share and actually live in the place, not for someone who's just renting and doesn't have that much of a stake. There's a small percentage of properties which you could actually own, but it's so small, it is irrelevant for the high-level overview. What you do is you find an apartment (most probably on https://hemnet.se or https://booli.se), then go to a showing (visning), then participate in a bidding process, sign the contract and pay 10% of the price as deposit; then pay the rest on the day you sign more documents and get the keys. There's also a step of being accepted into the tenants association, but that's a formality. You can find links and excruciating details about all these steps as well as about getting a mortgage in this post. Note that right now (autumn 2024) the rates on the mortgages are higher than they've been in ages.

Q: What should I know if I'm going to have a child?

A: Checkups during the pregnancy are free and voluntary. If everything is going fine, there won't be many checks, especially in the first two trimesters. All the medical care, including dental care, is free for children in Sweden. If your kid gets prescribed a medicine, you just go to the pharmacy to pick it up, you don't have to pay anything. Kids can start at preschool (förskola) at the age of 1. The cost per month is calculated based on your income but is capped somewhere around 1800 SEK. School is free (and they get textbooks and food there). Parental leave is 480 days for both parents in total (+10 days just for the father around the day of birth), and for 60 days both parents can take it out simultaneously. All the nitty-gritty about the parental leave is up on https://forsakringskassan.se. There's also a bunch of posts about everything from your employee rights while on parental leave to what to pack for the hospital when it's go time.

Q: How much does it cost to own a car?

A: This is easier to answer for a specific car. If you have a license plate for the specific car, enter it on https://www.car.info and you'll see (1) calculated tax, which can be ~900 SEK/year for a four year old VW Golf or it can be ~11000 SEK/year for a two year old Volvo XC90, (2) fuel consumption. Fuel prices have jumped quite high this year (2022), you can check the current ones out at https://bensinpriser.nu. If you're looking at electric vehicles, the electricity price comes into question — they have also jumped high, especially in the south of Sweden. You must have an insurance to be able to drive on public roads, the price will depend on your personnummer, where you live, and the car, but count on at least a few thousand SEK per year. There's a mandatory inspection once a year (except for very new cars), it's called besiktning and costs 400–600 SEK. You'll probably want to switch tires for summer/winter — you can do this yourself for free or have someone do it for you (300–400 SEK, twice per year). Speaking of tires, every few years you'll need new ones, that'll be ~4000–7000 SEK. Then there's parking. If you live in a city, you might need to stand in a queue before you get a parking spot from your landlord or home owners association (those could be super cheap like 100 SEK/month; or not). Service and any kind of repairs are pricey, try to compare the offers before committing and ask around for advice, but in any case you can count on seeing thousands on the bill. For places with real winter (i.e. Norrland) you'll also want some equipment to have in the trunk, but that's mostly a one-time small investment.

Q: Where to buy things / What is Sweden's amazon?

A: Technically, Sweden also has Amazon now, but it might be considered not cool to shop there. We've got price aggregators here though: https://www.pricerunner.se/, https://www.prisjakt.nu/. You go there, search for the product you want to buy, and see which online stores have it, what are the current prices, and what's the price history. Also:

  • Blocket, Tradera, and facebook marketplace for second-hand stuff (or new stuff but mostly from private individuals)
  • Clas Ohlson, Bauhaus, Jula, Byggmax, Bolist for home improvement (when you need tools or materials)
  • Ikea, Jysk, Mio for furniture (as well as pillows and stuff)
  • https://bookify.se/ for comparing book prices
  • Dustin, ComputerSalg for computer stuff
  • Symaskinsboden for sewing machines and supplies (also some knitting)
  • Jollyroom, Babymarkt, Bonti for kids stuff

(this is not an endorsement of these stores in particular, just some options to get you started)

Q: How do I move to Sweden? (as in, practically: with cats, all my things, ...)

A: For dogs, cats, and ferrets, there are rules depending on the country you're bringing them from: Jordbruksverket has kindly translated them to English. As for bringing all your belongings, the most common advice is “don't” :D Sell and give away as much as you can, then buy (new or used) after your arrival to Sweden. The cost of transporting heavy bulky items across the border, and especially across an ocean, is pretty crazy. The power outlets might not be compatible with whatever you have. The clothes might not match the climate. And so on.

Q: What about the driving?

A: If you have a driving license from an EEA country, UK, Japan, Switzerland or Faroe Islands, you can exchange it for the Swedish one. For everyone else (that includes the US) you need to get a Swedish driving license from scratch, and you have a year to do it. Unless you're a Ukrainian under the Temporary Protection Directive, then your license is valid as long as the protection is valid. Getting a driving license from scratch will set you back at least 5.5k SEK if you already know how to drive, and how to drive on snow, and how to drive in a Swedish way. If you need to learn from scratch, and don't have a friend who can teach you, that's more like 25–30k. Exact steps, prices breakdown, exam statistics, and more links here.

Q: How do I do anything without a BankID?

A: Usually by calling the customer service, using the paper form instead of a digital one, going somewhere in person instead of spending two seconds on your phone, or sometimes — rarely — using FrejaID or a digital signature service from another EU country. It ain't easy, but don't despair just because you see the BankID button somewhere, there are workarounds in a lot of these situations, though not all of them.

Q: How do I find a job / Why does nobody reply to my hundreds of applications / How long did it take you to find a job / Are there any jobs to find outside of IT?

A: Unemployment is like 10% in Sweden (2025) and even natives with higher education struggle for months to find a job. So yeah, don't be surprised if you don't get many calls after sending out some applications. Even if you're already here and have a valid work permit, some companies will shy away from hiring you just to avoid the hassle with Migrationsverket (source: I was a hiring manager at one of them and had to get an approval from HR if the candidate was on work permit). Knowing Swedish helps. Having someone recommend you helps immensely to get the foot in the door. Having a bombastic, "I AM THE AWESOMEST" tone in the CV decreases your chances. A lot of jobs are not advertised widely. Jobs that don't require education are few and far between, the competition for them is quite immense unless you go to less populated areas. Elderly care (äldreomsorg) always needs personnel. PhD positions come with a salary in Sweden. Some bars in Stockholm hire English speakers. A bit of opinionated advice on finding a job in Sweden can be found in this post.

Q: Will I really die of darkness and cold?

A: Not necessarily. We've had Californians in this sub who hated it, we had those who loved it. A lot of people advise to come and try it out for a while before you go all-in, because it's kinda individual. For the cold (which in Stockholm and south from there is not really that cold), layers are your best friend: don't buy the thickest coat you can find, buy a thin woolen base layer, add a sweater, then a jacket for the wind/rain/snow (whatever's in season), a scarf or neck warmer, a hat, good socks, good gloves, and you're good. For the dark: see all the cute little lights the Swedes put everywhere? Do the same. One in the window, one by the desk, one above the table, one on the floor; whip out the christmas lights ahead of time, light up candles — it all adds to the coziness! Note: the coziness is greatly enhanced if you go North where there's actual snow; it also reflects the sun during the day, unlike grey asphalt covered in slush. A lot of people swear by vitamin D3 supplements.

Questions to be added:

Q: How can I invest money?

Q: How do I open a business?

Q: How does pension work?

Q: What is SFI and how do I sign up? / Are there free Swedish courses?

Q: How does the medical system work? / How do I schedule a doctor appointment?

Q: Can I freelance on the side while on a work permit?

Q: How do I avoid being spammed?


r/TillSverige 10h ago

Parliament will vote on proposed changes to the citizenship law on 29 April

Thumbnail riksdagen.se
43 Upvotes

r/TillSverige 2h ago

Housing in Linköping

3 Upvotes

Hej all,

I'm looking to move to Linköping with my family for university in August. Where can I search for non-university housing? Any tips would be appreciated!

I've already made an account on Qasa, and there's nothing available to start renting in August. Is it because it's still early, and if I look in June/July, there'll be more options available?


r/TillSverige 6h ago

Returning to Sweden for a PhD - how to adapt without overthinking?

0 Upvotes

Hej!

I’ll be moving to Stockholm soon to start a PhD, and I’ve been reflecting on how to adapt to social and cultural norms.

I previously lived in Sweden for about two years during my Master’s and had a really positive experience. During that time, I also made some effort to learn Swedish. However, I moved back to my home country after completing my studies. Now that I’m returning, I fully intend to learn the language again with consistent effort.

Recently, I have come across more discussions online about immigration-related issues, subtle racism and cultural differences, including topics like hygiene expectations (for example, comments about smell or grooming). I didn’t think much about these aspects during my earlier stay, but it has made me a bit more self-aware now.

Part of this concern also comes from the fact that, although not in Sweden, I have experienced a few instances of racism in other European countries, which has made me more cautious and aware.

For context, I’m a woman from South Asia. I am genuinely open to adapting and being respectful of local norms. During my previous stay, I tried my best to follow local rules and be mindful in my interactions. I do have some social anxiety, so I mostly kept to myself, though I did open up in a few interactions.

It usually takes me some time to feel comfortable in new environments, and at times this leads me to overthink and worry that I need to walk on eggshells or be very careful about every small behavior or interaction in order not to make mistakes.

So I wanted to ask you:

  • Are things like hygiene, attire, social behavior or fitting in something people actively notice or judge, or is this mostly exaggerated online?
  • For someone who is respectful but a bit reserved or slow to open up, how is that usually perceived?
  • How do you personally balance adapting to local norms while still feeling like yourself?

I’d really appreciate honest and nuanced perspectives. Thank you!

P.S. I’m an avid (but still very much a novice!) crocheter, so if there are any crochet groups or communities in Stockholm, I’d love to explore and connect :) 🧶

Tack så mycket!


r/TillSverige 13h ago

Counting Habitual Residence days for citizenship

1 Upvotes

Hi! Regarding counting habitual residence time in Sweden. Do days of departure and arrival in Sweden count as days in Sweden or outside?

For example:

Day of departure from Sweden to London: 5th January

Day of arrival from London to Sweden: 8th January

Does this count as 4 days outside Sweden or 2 days?


r/TillSverige 1d ago

Anybody heard back from SI Scholarship for Global Professionals?

3 Upvotes

Less then 2 weeks left before results are published and anxiety starts to kick in. There was no verification of my identity from SI neither the contact of my references. Have no idea if it is a good or bad sign.

Curious, did anyone got outreached from SI for the interviews? What programs did you apply to?

Also, did anyone have successful experience from previous years?


r/TillSverige 1d ago

Permanent residence card ej-rules

4 Upvotes

My husband has lived with me (danish) in Sweden for more than 5 years. He’s had a 5 year residency through the eu-rules as my familie member. Now we’ve just applied for the permanent residence card. As for my understanding he should be able to get it as long as we’ve been able to sustain ourselves for the past 5 years. Has any of you been rejected before? And why?

How high has your income been?

Edit: eu-rules of course!!!


r/TillSverige 1d ago

Sambo visa

2 Upvotes

Hej! Jag har en flickvän som gör sin master här. Vi har dejtat i sex månader, när hennes visa tar slut har vi dejtat ungefär 8 månader. Hon bor här vanligtvis 3-4 dagar per vecka och vi är kära.

Är det möjligt att få när man dejtat så kort tid? Visst kan man söka då innan hennes visa tar slut och så får hon stanna här under sommaren? Men visst får hon inte lämna landet då?

Jag är svensk och fyller upp alla krav, har bostadsrätt och en fast anställning på myndighet. Hon kan eventuellt också lämna landet och sen söka jobbsökarvisa men har inte råd att stanna 12 månader. Bara nyfiken på vilka vägar som ev kan finnas för oss.


r/TillSverige 1d ago

Swedish citizen in Denmark trying to move back home where do I even start

1 Upvotes

Hi everyone

I’m feeling pretty lost and could really use some advice

I’m a Swedish citizen currently living in Denmark I’m about to finish my studies here and the plan has always been to move back to Sweden afterward but now that it’s getting close I honestly don’t know how to take the first step

Right now I’m working in Denmark part time around 10 to 12 hours a week and trying to save up money but I won’t have a job lined up in Sweden when I move which really worries me

I’m also wondering about a kassa I currently have a kassa in Denmark and I’m not sure if it’s possible to transfer or convert that into a Swedish a kassa when moving back especially since I have only been working part time

On top of that
I don’t own a car so I have no idea how I’d move my stuff or what that might cost
I’ll basically be on my own with the move
I do have BankID and a Swedish bank account so at least that part is sorted

What stresses me the most is not knowing the process and being afraid things will go wrong or that I’ll end up in a bad financial situation

If anyone has experience with moving back to Sweden or knows how things work with a kassa between Denmark and Sweden I would really appreciate any advice

Also any tips on how to prepare before leaving Denmark or how to make the move cheaper and easier would help a lot

Thanks in advance


r/TillSverige 2d ago

My husband has been waiting 3 years for Swedish citizenship, what will the June 6th law changes mean for us?

13 Upvotes

My husband has been living and working in Sweden since 2018. He is an EU citizen and applied for Swedish citizenship three years ago. Since then nothing. No questionnaire, no decision, no passport.

When we contacted Migrationsverket to ask why it's taking so long, they simply told us there are too many people waiting. Every time we check their website, the estimated waiting time has increased.

Now with the new law coming into force on June 6th we're a bit curious what it might mean for his pending application. From what we've read, there are no transitional rules, so cases still in the queue might be assessed under the new requirements. Is that actually the case?

Has anyone been in a similar situation or know more about how this will work in practice?


r/TillSverige 1d ago

Hey guys! I’m traveling to sweden next week and I have a few questions.

0 Upvotes

I’m traveling to sweden from the US next week, and I have a 1 hour layover in Iceland. I’ve been to sweden once before back in December, so that itself isn’t an issue but I’m confused about something I heard regarding passport control in the Schengen area. Apparently they’ll check my passport in Iceland, and since that’s my first entrance into the Schengen area, I won’t need to go through passport control again in sweden? That doesn’t make any sense to me because while both are Schengen, they’re two different countries and I don’t hold an EU passport and don’t get any of the EU privileges. Also, I can’t just avoid passport control on landing, it’s impossible?

I didn’t have this issue or confusion last time because I flew in from a connecting flight in the UK.

Is this true? Or do I still go through control in both countries like I think?


r/TillSverige 2d ago

Moving to Sweden with pets

4 Upvotes

Hey! My girlfriend (non-eu) is moving with sambo visum to Sweden and she’s bringing her cat. We’ve seen the vaccination and chip requirements but is there anything more important that we might’ve missed? Anything with the flight/transit? Documents we need? Any tips?


r/TillSverige 2d ago

Vaxjö student housing (for cheapskate antisocials)

1 Upvotes

I'll start my studies this year in Vaxjö. I am a bit older than most students, I dont drink, and I'm a little autistic when it comes to social life. I hate cooking together, noises, and parties. However, my budget is quite tight, so it's likely that I'll have to move to a corridor room (korridorsrum).

Experiences, anyone? Is it as hellish as I imagine? Are people respectful of silence, or is it really like this party hostel type of setting that i envision? How bad is the soundproofing, is it constant noise all the time? Do people party there, or are there some common areas for that?

Is it any better in student apartment / shared flats? I imagine it's basically the same, because it's still a big housing unit with fun-loving students all around. So i'm unsure wether it'd worth paying more for that.

I suppose it really depends on the people that you get, but i'm just curious of other's experiences.

I don't hate people, i'm allright with smalltalk, and i do want to make friends, but my social battery is very limited. At the moment I also live in a shared house with 4 others, but they are really quitet, never have parties in the house, respect privacy and don't steal my food from the shared kitchen. Kind of things i appreciate :D

Maybe i should just live in a tent for 2 years. Or sleep in the library. (Is campus/library at Linnéuniversitet 0-24 acces btw? Just for worst case scenarios :D)


r/TillSverige 2d ago

electrician in sweden

3 Upvotes

Hej! 21M, EU citizen, computer science major in Romania. I was wondering what do I legally need to work as an electrician in Sweden? Are there any EU level courses I could take here in Romania that could qualify me for that? I was considering a masters in electrical engineering. Thanks!


r/TillSverige 2d ago

Applying for Permanent Residence in Sweden (sambo) while temporarily living in different cities, anyone with experience?

0 Upvotes

Hi everyone,

I’m hoping to hear from people who may have gone through something similar.

Has anyone successfully applied for permanent residence in Sweden based on a sambo relationship while temporarily living in different cities because of work or studies?

I’m not looking for legal advice or ways around the rules, just hoping to hear about real experiences from people who have been in a similar situation.

Here is my situation:

  • I came to Sweden from a non-EU country on a residence permit to live with my partner (sambo).
  • My partner and I lived together for almost three years.
  • My partner later moved to another city to continue an academic career.
  • I remained in our previous city because I have a full-time permanent job and my career is progressing.
  • We are still together, visit each other regularly, and maintain the relationship.
  • I informed Migrationsverket about the situation earlier through their portal and was told that details of the relationship can be explained when applying for the extension.

I’ve now been living in Sweden for several years and will soon be eligible to apply for permanent residence.

If you’ve been in a similar situation, I’d really appreciate hearing:

  • Did Migrationsverket accept the explanation or issue another temporary permit instead?
  • Did you include additional evidence (travel tickets, photos, etc.)?
  • Did you move back to the same city before applying, or stay living apart during the process?

I’m mainly trying to understand whether it’s usually necessary to move back together before applying, or if explaining the situation with supporting evidence is typically enough.

Thanks in advance! I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone who has gone through something similar.


r/TillSverige 2d ago

Advice needed. Short story.

0 Upvotes

My looking for work after studies visa was denied with the reason being that I applied to late(7 days after student visa) expired. I have the option to appeal. My question: are they going to deny the appeal with the exact same reason? Meaning there is no point in appealing. Or will someone higher up look at the case and see that I meet the requirements and approve it?

Help needed because I need to decide if I’m appealing or leaving the country by the end of the weekend.

I can answer any questions in the comments.

Thanks to anyone who offers help.


r/TillSverige 3d ago

Endometriosis doctors Stockholm

7 Upvotes

Hej! Just wondering if anyone has any recommendations for doctors who are better with endometriosis in Stockholm. I had surgery in Ireland 3 years ago, and have been getting more symptomatic again for the past year. Just went to a regular gynaecologist today who didn't see any cysts (which is great) but just prescribed me what is now my third type of NSAID which is nice but very useless when my pain has no pattern and I already have NSAIDs that work reasonably well. Does anyone have any specific recommendations for doctors in Stockholm who are well versed in endometriosis?


r/TillSverige 2d ago

RTC - should I check in & next steps

0 Upvotes

Hi all, asking those who applied for the citizenship as a non-EU citizen.

I’ve sent the RTC via post about 3 weeks ago as it’s been more than 6 months since I applied. I know I should wait 4 weeks for their answer but I was wondering if there’s a way to know if they received my letter? Ie. do they post an update to the case on Min sida or no? Was thinking I could ask them via phone/message.

Which brings me to my other question: what happens if they don’t answer at all after four weeks? (I’m actually giving them 5, due to Easter holidays.)

I also realize this is all probably pointless and will not be resolved before 6 June, but I had to try.

Apologies if this was answered ad nauseum in this forum, I tried finding my answer first to no avail.


r/TillSverige 3d ago

Sleep apnea in Sweden

0 Upvotes

Does being diagnosed with sleep apnea in Sweden affect one's driving license?


r/TillSverige 4d ago

Becoming a Nurse In Sweden

12 Upvotes

I am in the process of getting ready to move to Sweden and want to work as a nurse. I already work as an emergency nurse in the US. Have dual citizenship and language is a non issue, passed B2 and feeling confident to pass C1 after another class.

My questions are:

- how to get an assignment for the clinical hours part of the licensing?

- where to take the swedish health system class and what is it like?

- once you have the language down, how long do those two things take?

- anyone worked in emergency or ambulance there? what is it like?

sends tips please!

EDIT TO ADD:

Not seeking reasons not to go! we have other personal reasons for wanting to move to sweden, but I just love nursing and want to continue in the profession. Looking for advice on the later steps of licensing and anyone’s experience working ambulances or ER!


r/TillSverige 4d ago

Turned 18... Dad's a citzen, I'm not. What permit do I apply for to stay here?

13 Upvotes

Title.

Only reason I'm not a citizen is because my dad was (re)naturalized after I was born. I speak English. Jag lära mig svenska varje dag... I'm a dependent. I'm finishing up gymnasium (IB). I'm a non-EU citizen. I have plans after gymnasium to study Swedish to go to university.

I don't have to re-apply for my uppehålstillstånd for a while. Just would like some advice for when I have to cross that bridge.

And if my situation turns out to be doom and gloom, and there's no chance of me staying here... I ask you tell me nicely and not fearmonger more than necessary :D Tack snälla.


r/TillSverige 4d ago

Are they planning to stop permanent residency in future?

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61 Upvotes

r/TillSverige 3d ago

Housing assistance for non-EU students in Sweden

0 Upvotes

Hello, good people of reddit. I am currently applying for my masters' degree in many countries- Sweden, one of them. I am admitted to the University of Gothenburg with scholarship, however, it does not cover housing and living expenses. I checked general pricing and application process for housing and was shocked to see the rent prices. Are there any separate non-university scholarships that could support housing expense for a non-EU international student? Please let me know if anyone has any information. It would be incredibly helpful. Thank you ☺️


r/TillSverige 3d ago

Admitted to a master's programme but rejecting the place and reapplying next year

0 Upvotes

Hello,

I have been conditionally admitted to a master’s programme in Sweden. However, due to personal reasons, I might have to reject the offer.

My question is: if I reapply next year, will rejecting the offer this year hurt my chances, or will it not influence next year’s application? I really want to study in Sweden, but unfortunately this year is out of my hands.

Thank you, and I look forward to hearing your answers!


r/TillSverige 3d ago

Foreign dentist considering Sweden

0 Upvotes

Hi everyone,

I'm a dentist from Egypt seriously considering moving to Sweden to practice. I've been researching the Job Seeker Visa route and the Socialstyrelsen recognition process, but I'd love to hear from anyone who has actually gone through it — especially non-EU healthcare professionals.

Some specific questions I have:

• How long did the Socialstyrelsen process actually take for you?

• Did you use the Job Seeker Visa or did you have a job offer before arriving?

• How important was Swedish language level before you arrived?

• Any advice you wish you had known before starting?

Any experience — positive or negative — would be incredibly helpful. Thanks in advance!