Living in Sweden

Brexit updates

To keep up to date with information on Brexit, you should:

• read UK nationals in the EU: essential information
• follow the British Embassy in Sweden on Facebook
• read how the Swedish government will address UK citizens’ rights if the UK leaves without a deal

The British Embassy holds regular events to inform you about Brexit.

The next event will be a town hall meeting in Luleå 21 May 2019. You will find more information on timing and how to attend on this page and the British Embassy Facebook page.

Visas and residency

You may want to check the entry requirements for Sweden.

If you plan to live in Sweden for more than 1 year, you can register with the Swedish Population Register. The Swedish authorities will issue you an ID number (personnummer).

You can only register if you have a right of residence (uppehållsrätt) for a year or more and comprehensive travel insurance. As an EU citizen, you will automatically have this right if you can support yourself, either by work or by other independent means, or you are studying.

You will not be able to register if you are still looking for a job when you come to Sweden and or do not meet other requirements for residency.

If you’re planning to move as a dependent to a family member who lives in Sweden you must apply for a residence permit.

The UK and EU have agreed the full legal text of the draft Withdrawal Agreement in principle. The agreement on citizens’ rights will allow UK nationals to stay in their Member State of residence after the UK leaves the EU.

Visas and residency after the UK leaves the EU

If the UK leaves the EU with a deal

If the UK leaves the EU with a deal you can live, work and travel in Sweden mostly as before until the end of the implementation period on 31 December 2020. The UK and Sweden are negotiating new rules for residency which will apply from 1 January 2021.

You can check this guide and the Migration Agency website (Migrationsverket) for updates on when and how you can apply for permanent residence or citizenship under the rules of the Withdrawal Agreement.

If the UK leaves the EU without a deal

If the UK leaves the EU without a deal your residence permit will become invalid if it was acquired based on EU citizenship as opposed to Swedish national laws.

The Swedish government has put in place rules to give you time to legalise your stay. UK nationals and their families, even from outside the EU, will be exempt from the requirements on residence for one year from the day the UK leaves the EU.

Children under 18 who live outside Sweden will be included in the exemption if they join you during the grace period. Children born after the UK leaves the EU will have the same rights as their parents.

You do not have to do anything to be included in the exemption. Your rights to live, work, study, receive healthcare and social benefits will not be affected during this time.

Once you have applied, your stay is legal. You can continue to receive social benefits until a decision is made.

If you have applied for citizenship and this has not been approved toward the end of the one-year exemption, you should apply for a residence permit. This will not affect your citizenship application.

You can check updates to this guide and the Migration Agency website on when and how to apply for a residence permit or citizenship during the one-year grace period.

This guide will be updated as the Swedish government decides what will happen when the one-year grace period ends.

Passports

You can apply for or renew your British passport from Sweden.

You can check our travel advice for Sweden.

Passports and travel after Brexit

You should check your passport is valid for travel before you book your trip.

If the UK leaves the EU with a deal, nothing will change until the end of 2020. In this time you can continue to travel freely in the Schengen area with your UK passport. What happens after 2020 will form the next part of negotiations.

If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, there will be new travel rules.

If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, the European Commission has said you may not need visas for short stays elsewhere in the Schengen area or the EU, the EEA or an EFTA country. You may be able to stay up to 90 days in any EU country, within a 180 day period.

You should retain evidence of travel, like train and plane tickets, in case these are requested by national authorities. If you hold a residence permit from an EU, EEA or EFTA country, you will be able to transit through other EU, EEA or EFTA countries to reach your country of residence.

If you want to travel outside of the country on a UK passport you will need to have it stamped by the Swedish Migration Agency:

• this will indicate your status and allow you to return to Sweden without a residence permit. You only need to have your passport stamped once during the one-year exemption period

• you will be able to apply on the Migration Agency website

• the stamp is only valid for the one-year exemption. After the exemption period, you cannot leave Sweden and be sure of return without a valid residency permit

Healthcare

You can read the NHS guidance on who is able to access healthcare in Sweden and how to register. You can also find information on the Swedish social insurance authority’s website (Försäkringskassan).

If you live in Sweden and receive an exportable UK pension, contribution-based Employment Support Allowance or another exportable benefit, you may currently be entitled to state healthcare paid for by the UK. You will need to apply for a certificate of entitlement known as an S1 certificate.

If you are resident in Sweden, you should not be using a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) from the UK to access healthcare in Sweden.

• you may use an EHIC to access state-provided healthcare during a temporary stay in another European Economic Area (EEA) country or Switzerland
• the EHIC covers treatment that is medically necessary until your planned return home
• an EHIC is not a replacement for comprehensive travel insurance
• for more information you can read our travel advice pages and advice on foreign travel insurance

You can read the NHS guidance on healthcare and studying abroad.

You can find an English-speaking doctor in Sweden.

You should check that your prescriptions are legal in Sweden. Many over-the-counter medicines in the UK are only available by prescription in Sweden. You can only buy medicines at authorised chemists (Apoteket).

Healthcare after the UK leaves the EU

If the UK leaves the EU with a deal, your current rights on access to healthcare in Sweden will remain the same until 31 December 2020, as long as you remain a resident in Sweden.

If the UK leaves without a deal, you will be able to continue to access healthcare as before the UK leaving the EU for a one-year grace period.

You should apply for a residence permit to continue to access healthcare after the one year grace period. You will continue to get healthcare until there is a decision on your application, even if it takes longer than a year.

The UK has proposed maintaining current healthcare cooperation with Sweden for S1 form holders until the end of December 2020. If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, and there is no arrangement with Sweden to continue reciprocal healthcare, pensioners receiving coverage through the S1 form will not be covered.

You should take action now to confirm your residency status and decide what steps you need to take to ensure access to healthcare if the UK leaves the EU without a deal. UK nationals will be able to return to the UK for treatment.

Your EHIC may not be valid in the event the UK leaves the EU without a deal. The UK has offered to maintain the EHIC scheme should the UK leave the EU without a deal, however this is reliant on Sweden continuing to accept UK EHICs.

You should read the NHS guidance on healthcare for UK nationals living in Sweden and how it may change after the UK leaves the EU.

Working in Sweden

You can read our guidance on working in another EU country.

Some jobs may require a UK police certificate.

You can find more information on the Swedish Public Employment Service website (Arbetsförmedlingen).

Working in Sweden after the UK leaves the EU

If you’re planning to start a business, provide a service, or do a job in a regulated profession after the UK leaves the EU, further guidance can be found here.

If the UK leaves the EU with a deal, your right to work will stay the same until the end of the implementation period.

If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, you will be able to continue to work as normal for a one-year grace period.

You should:

• sign up for updates to this guide
• check the Migration Agency website for information on when and how to apply for a work permit when an agreement is reached.

Money and tax

The UK has a double-taxation agreement with Sweden to ensure people do not pay tax on the same income in both countries.

You should read the guidance on:

• telling the HMRC if you leave the UK to live abroad
• tax on your UK income if you live abroad
• paying income tax in Sweden

We recommend you get professional advice on paying tax in Sweden.

You can find an English-speaking lawyer.

National Insurance

You may be able to pay National Insurance while abroad in order to protect your State Pension and entitlement to other benefits and allowances.

Money and tax after the UK leaves the EU

If you intend to use a bank card, or other financial service from a UK-based firm in the EU after exit, this may be affected. You can read more about using a bank card, insurance or other financial service in the EU.

The UK leaving the EU will not change existing double taxation arrangements for UK nationals living in Sweden. You should direct individual taxpayer questions about double taxation to the tax authority.

Pensions

You will need to tell the UK government offices that deal with your pension if you retire abroad.

If you retire in Sweden, you can claim:

• your pension through the Swedish Pensions Agency, if you have worked in Sweden
• your UK State Pension or new UK State Pension. Please contact the International Pension Centre to claim
• pensions from working in other EU countries if you have worked in other EU countries

Life certificates

If you get a Life certificate from the UK Pension Service, you need to fill it in promptly or your payments may be suspended.

Pensions after the UK leaves the EU

The UK government will continue to pay State Pension, child benefits and disability benefits to those eligible in the EU after the UK’s exit from the EU.

You can read our guidance on benefits and pensions in a no deal scenario.

If the UK leaves the EU with a deal and you work and pay social security contributions in Sweden, you will still be able to add your UK social security contributions towards your Swedish pension. This will happen even if you claim your pension after the end of the implementation period.

Benefits

You may still be able to claim some UK benefits if you live in Sweden.

You should:

• read more about claiming benefits if you live, move or travel abroad
• use our tool to check which benefits you can claim while you’re abroad

If you’re abroad for more than 4 weeks, any income-related benefits such as pension credit and housing benefit cannot be paid.

You can request proof of the time you’ve worked in the UK from HMRC if you are asked for this.

Swedish benefits

You may be eligible to claim some Swedish benefits. To find out you can contact:

• the social security in Sweden (Försäkringskassan)
• the National Board of Health and Welfare (Socialstyrelsen)

Benefits after the UK leaves the EU

The UK government will continue to pay child and disability benefits to those eligible after the UK leaves the EU.

If the UK leaves the EU with a deal and you work and pay social security contributions in Sweden, you will still be able to add your UK social security contributions towards your Swedish contribution-based benefits. This will happen even if you claim your pension after the end of the implementation period.

You can read our guidance on access to benefts and services in the UK in the case of a no-deal Brexit.

Driving in Sweden

If you are a resident in Sweden, you should exchange your UK licence for a Swedish driving licence before the UK leaves the EU, as your UK licence may no longer be valid after the UK leaves the EU.

You can still use your Swedish licence in the UK for short visits or exchange it for a UK licence without taking a test if you return to live in the UK.

For more information on driving in Sweden, read our guidance on:

• driving licence exchanges and renewals
• what you need to drive abroad
• road travel in Sweden
• taking a vehicle out of the UK

You should read the EU guidance on car registration and taxes in Sweden. You may be exempt from some of these taxes. If so you will need certificates of exemption.

Driving after the UK leaves the EU

If the UK leaves the EU with a deal, driving licence rules will stay the same during the implementation period.

If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, your driving licence will remain valid in Sweden for one year.

You can read our guidance on driving in the EU after the UK leaves the EU.

Voting

You may be able to vote in some UK elections. You can:

• check if you are able to vote
• register as an overseas voter if you would like to vote

If you’re resident in Sweden, you can vote in local municipal and European parliamentary elections.

The election authorities will send you a voting card to the address linked to your ID number (folkbokföringsadress).

You cannot vote in general elections.

Voting after Brexit

After the UK leaves the EU, you can continue to vote in Swedish local elections. You can read more information on [the Swedish government’s election authority websihttps://www.val.se/val-och-folkomrostningar.html) (Valmyndigheten).

You will not be able to vote in European Parliament elections. The election authority will update information (in Swedish) on its website.

Births, deaths and getting married

If your child is born in Sweden, you need to register the birth abroad.

If someone dies in Sweden you can:

• read our guidance on what to do after someone dies abroad
• find a list of funeral directors in Sweden
• read our bereavement information pack for Sweden

Find out how you can get married abroad.

You may also need English-speaking lawyers in Sweden, or notary services in Sweden.

Accommodation and buying property

You can read guidance on how to buy or let property in Sweden.

Pets

When the UK leaves the EU, you will still be able to travel to and from the UK with a cat, dog or ferret but the rules will change. You can read our guidance on pet travel to Europe after Brexit.

While the UK is still a member of the EU you’ll be able to travel with your pet to the EU under the current pet travel rules using your current EU pet passport. If you’re travelling with your pet for the first time you’ll have to visit your vet to get a pet passport.

You can read our guidance on returning your cat, dog or ferret to the UK. For moving pet horses and other equines read our guidance on export horses and ponies: special rules.

Other useful information

Government offices of Sweden](http://www.government.se) * About Sweden * directory enquiries

Returning to the UK

You should read our guidance on:

• access to benefits and services if there is no deal

• bringing your family to the UK

• access to higher education, 19+ further education and apprenticeship funding

• importing vehicles back to the UK

• bringing your pet back to the UK

• checking your tax status after returning to the UK

Tell the Swedish and UK authorities if you are planning to return to the UK permanently.

To move your pension to the UK, contact the International Pension Centre.

If you get healthcare in Sweden through the S1 form, you must contact the Overseas Healthcare Team on +44 (0)191 218 1999 to make sure your S1 is cancelled at the right time.

Disclaimer

Please note that this information is provided as a guide only. Definitive information should be obtained from the Swedish authorities. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office will not be liable for any inaccuracies in this information.