Administration and legal

Swedish bureaucracy can feel overwhelming at first, but it doesn’t have to be. We walk you through residence permits, visas, official documents, and the role of government agencies, so you can understand your rights and take each step with confidence from arrival to citizenship.

Guide to the Swedish authority jungle

Sweden’s public system can feel complex at first, but once you understand how it’s organised, it becomes much easier to navigate. This guide introduces the key authorities you’ll interact with as a newcomer, and what each of them is responsible for.

SWEDISH GOVERNMENT AUTHORITIES
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Responsible for national tax collection and administering the population registration.
Evaluates and decides on applications for temporary residence permits, permanent residence, or citizenship.
Responsible for the public employment service and the implementation of labour market policies.
Administers social insurance, such as parental benefits, housing allowance, parental leave, and more.
Handles the registration of new companies and registry changes for existing businesses.
Administers and pays out the public pension, and provides both general and individual information about the pension.
Regional agencies whose goal is a clean living environment, a stable labour market and a good life for the residents.

MEDBORGARKONTOR

Co-locating service where citizens can turn to with questions concerning life in the municipality.

Insurello

Insurello helps you get the right compensation when you’ve been injured. Through smart technology and experienced employees, Insurello can find the insurance policies you’re covered by and make sure you get the compensation you’re entitled to after an accident. 

VISA

About Swedish VISA

What are the requirements for a Swedish visa? Want to visit family and friends in Sweden? Or are you curious about Sweden and want to have a look? Well, then you need a visa which is – simply put – a permission to spend a limited time in Sweden. You get this permission from the Swedish Migration Board – Migrationsverket.

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Work permits: all you need to know

Are you considering working in Sweden? Whether you’re a highly skilled professional or looking to transfer within your company, understanding the work permit process is essential. Learn how to navigate the application process, the timeline for approvals, and how your family can join you.

Residence permit

About Swedish residence permits

You should apply for a Swedish residence permit if you want to work, study or stay in Sweden for more than three months. There are different types of residence permits (temporary as well as permanent) and they are granted on various grounds – such as work, family or studies in Sweden.

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For EU citizens

One of the great things with the European Union is the right of free movement. As a EU citizen, you can live, study and work in any country within the European Union. This right does also include your close relatives – spouse & children – even if they are non-EU citizens.

Work permit for young people

Some countries such as Australia, Canada, New Zealand and South Korea has signed a work agreement with Sweden, which makes it possible for citizens from these countries to come to Sweden to work.

Documents

Citizenship

Bureaucracy and laws

Changing your legal name in Sweden

For most people, a name is more than just a word. A name represents not only an existence but an identity. Knowing that, it is easy to understand why a person would want to change their legal name to something that represents them better. What we need to understand now, is how to do so.