ID card, bank account, phone number

Id card

After you receive your personal number, you can apply for an ID card (ID-kort) from the Swedish Tax Office. The ID card is an approved form of identification in Sweden, and you can use it as proof of your age and identity at places such as pharmacies, hospitals, banks or in shops. It is also often needed for opening a bank account – without an ID card you may not be able to open an account at all, or you may be able to only open an account with limited functionality. However, you cannot use it as identification when travelling outside of Sweden.

On the website of the Tax Agency you can find information about applying for an ID card, here. There is a fee for the application, which you would need to pay before submitting your application. 

Bank account

It is very common in Sweden that your salary or scholarship is paid directly to your bank account. You should therefore look into opening one as soon as possible. You should talk to your employer about how payments will be handled before you have opened a bank account. 

When you open a bank account, you have the option to ask for a card connected to the account, as well as a home-banking, or internet-banking, option, sometimes in exchange for a fee. 

Electronic ID

Many organizations and businesses in Sweden also accept electronic ID, or electronic signature, which allows you to identify yourself over the internet. You should ask your bank about such an e-ID. 

Phone number 

You do not need a personal number to get a Swedish phone number, as a general rule. Providers may have different rules about identification, especially if you are signing a contract for a monthly plan, but there should exist options for getting a phone number and a pay-as-you-go card without a personal number or a Swedish ID.