How do I a plan a funeral in Sweden?

How do I a plan a funeral in Sweden? Death is an unavoidable aspect of life. Yet loosing a loved one is rarely something we are prepared for. It is often confusing and at times tricky to know what to do – especially when the deceased person was a newbie. This guide gives you a brief overview of regulations and where to turn with your questions.

What to do first

1. Contact friends and family in Sweden and abroad.
2. Find out if the deceased had any wishes concerning the ceremony and the burial (religion, cremation etc.).
3. Find out if the deceased shall be buried in Sweden or in another country.
4. Find out if the person was registered – folkbokförd in Sweden. This makes an important difference when it comes to the legal and financial aspects of the whole procedure.
5. Contact a Funeral Agency – Swedish Begravningsbyrå. Swedish Funeral Agencies take care of the legal and practical matters and will help in contacting funeral agencies abroad and arrange transportation of the deceased.

Note: Swedish funeral agencies charge for their services and the costs vary between agencies. So, make sure to get an estimate before you take on their services.

Important to know

• Newbies who are registered ‚Äì folkbokf√∂rd in Sweden, have the same rights as Swedes to be buried in Sweden. This means that costs for funeral services (cremation, burial etc.) will be the same for Swedes as for registered Newbies.
• Newbies who are not registered ‚Äì folkbokf√∂rd in Sweden when they die, do not have the same rights as Swedes to be buried in Sweden. It is, however, in no sense impossible to burry a non-registered person in Sweden. It is rather a matter of money. If the burial expenses can be paid, the deceased can be buried in Sweden.
• The time from the death to burial is long in Sweden. In fact it is the longest one in Europe. In 2012 it was normal that it would take up to 2 months from death to burial. In order to stop this trend a new regulation was put in place in 2012 which states that the deceased person should be buried or cremated within four weeks. But why does it take so long time in Sweden? Well, there are a number of reasons:
  • There is a strong tradition to only have funerals on Fridays which naturally means a longer waiting time.
  • People tend to take a long time to contact the funeral homes.
  • Many people are not aware of the 30 day regulation.
  • People live all over and it can take time to get family and friends in place for a quick funeral.

• The Swedish Tax Agency ‚Äì Skatteverket is the authority that issues death certificates. You will need one in order to clear all matters concerning bank accounts, rent, bills, post etc.

The Swedish Funeral Federation – Sveriges Begravningsbyråers Förbund – has a service where you can locate your closets funeral agency.

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