Living in Sweden

Coronavirus

Stay up to date

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Stay up to date

You should:

• sign up for email alerts on living in Sweden
• follow the British Embassy in Sweden on Facebook

Attend a citizen outreach meeting

The British Embassy regularly holds events across Sweden for UK nationals. Attend one of our citizen outreach meetings to keep up to date on working and living in Sweden.Sweden after Brexit.

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If there are changes to residency registration processes,processes after Brexit, we will update this guidance as soon as information is available.

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Passports

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

You can check our travel advice for Sweden.

Passports fromand 1travel Januaryafter 2021Brexit

Check your passport is valid for travel before you book your trip. You’ll need to renew your passport before travelling if you do not have enough time left on your passport.

FromIf 1there Januaryis 2021,a youdeal, mustnothing havewill atchange leastuntil 6the monthsend leftof on2020. anIn adultthis ortime childyou passportcan continue to travel tofreely mostin countriesthe inSchengen Europearea (notwith includingyour Ireland).UK Thispassport. requirementWhat doeshappens notafter apply2020 ifwill form the next part of negotiations.

If there’s no deal, you aremust enteringhave at least 6 months left on an adult or transitingchild passport to Sweden,travel andto youmost arecountries in scopeEurope of(not theincluding WithdrawalIreland). Agreement.

If you renewed your current passport before the previous one expired, extra months may have been added to its expiry date. Any extra months on your passport over 10 years may not count towards the 6 months needed.

YouIf willthere’s needno todeal, renewUK yournationals passportwill before travelling if you do not haveneed enoughvisas timefor leftshort onstays yourelsewhere passport.

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Driving in Sweden

Driving licence rules will stay the same until 31 December 2020.

If you are a resident in Sweden, you should exchange your UK licence for a Swedish one.driving licence before 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:

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

You must 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.

Healthcare

Driving after Brexit

If youthere areis livinga indeal, Swedendriving orlicence moverules therewill permanentlystay beforethe 31same Decemberduring 2020,the you’llimplementation haveperiod.

If life-longthere’s healthcareno rightsdeal, your driving licence will remain valid in Sweden asuntil you31 doDecember now,2020.

You providedcan youread remainour resident.guidance on driving in the EU after a no-deal Brexit.

Healthcare

Read the guidance on who can access healthcare in Sweden and how to register.

You can also find information on the Swedish Socialsocial Insuranceinsurance Agency’sauthority’s website (Försäkringskassan).

State healthcare: S1

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.

Read our guidance on how to get an S1 form.

European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)

If you are resident in Sweden, you must not use your EHIC from the UK to access healthcare in Sweden.

When you travel to Sweden for a temporary stay in another European Economic Area (EEA) country or Switzerland, you can use an EHIC to access state-provided healthcare in that country. During that short stay:

• 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

ThereIf will be no changes to your healthcare access before 31 December 2020. You can also continue to use your EHIC, as you didare before,a duringstudent, thisread time.

Youthe shouldNHS also read guidance on:

• on healthcare and studying abroad.

• findingYou can find an English-speaking doctor in Sweden.

• checkingCheck 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)(Apoteket).

Working

Healthcare andafter studyingBrexit

If there is a deal, your current rights on healthcare in Sweden will remain the same, as long as you remain covered by the Withdrawal Agreement.

If there’s no deal, you will be able to continue to access healthcare until 31 December 2020.

You must apply for a residence permit to continue to access healthcare after 31 December 2020. You will continue to obtain healthcare until there is a decision on your application, even if it takes longer than a year.

If you currently have your healthcare costs paid for by the UK government, we can help if you are registeredasked asto pay for treatment during the first 6 months after Brexit. To organise a residentpayment, you must give your healthcare provider’s details to the NHS Business Services Authority’s Overseas Healthcare Services.

The UK government has offered to continue paying the country you live in for your healthcare if there’s no deal, as it does now. The government has proposed maintaining current healthcare cooperation with Sweden youfor haveS1 form holders until the rightend of December 2020. If there’s no deal, and there is no arrangement with Sweden to workcontinue reciprocal healthcare, pensioners receiving coverage through the S1 form will not be covered.

Your EHIC may not be valid if there’s no deal. The UK has offered to maintain the EHIC scheme should the UK leave the EU without a deal, however this relies on Sweden continuing to accept UK EHICs.

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

Working and studying in Sweden

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

Some jobs may require a UK police certificate.

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

If

Working you are resident in Sweden onafter orBrexit

If beforethere 31is Decembera 2020,deal, your right to work will stay the same, as long as you remain resident.resident in Sweden.

You shouldshould:

• sign up for updates to this guide
• check the Swedish Migration Agency website for information on when and how UKto nationals can apply for a work permit.

  Studyingpermit inwhen Sweden

  an agreement is reached.

If there’s no deal, you arewill residentbe inable Swedento oncontinue orto beforework as normal until 31 December 2020,2020.

Read yourthe rightguidance on providing services after Brexit if you’re planning to studystart a business, provide a service, or do a job in a regulated profession after Brexit.

Studying in Sweden after Brexit

If there is a deal, your right to study will stay the same, as long as you remain resident.resident in Sweden.

ReadIf thethere’s Swedishno government’sdeal, guidanceUK onnationals studyingwho have applied for, are offered a place in, or are enrolled in Swedena programme at a Swedish institution before Brexit will not be required to pay application or tuition fees until 31 December 2022.

If you apply to a programme at a Swedish institution after Brexit you will be required to pay the same application and ourtuition fees as a third country national.

Read the Swedish government’s guidance on studying in theSweden Europeanafter Union.Brexit.

Money and tax

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

Existing double taxation arrangements for UK nationals living in Sweden have not changed.

Read 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

You should obtain professional advice on paying tax in Sweden.

You can find an English-speaking lawyer.

National Insurance

Find out if you can pay National Insurance while abroad so that you protect your State Pension and entitlement to other benefits and allowances.

If you are employed or self-employed in the EU and you have a UK-issued A1/E101 form, you will remain subject to UK legislation until the end date on the form.

If there’s no deal and the end date on your form is after the day the UK leaves the EU, you should contact the relevant EU or EEA authority. They will confirm whether you need to start paying social security contributions in that country after Brexit, as well as UK National Insurance contributions.

Find out more about social security contributions after a no-deal Brexit.

Money and tax after Brexit

Brexit will not change existing double-taxation arrangements for UK nationals living in Sweden. Send your questions about double taxation to the relevant tax authority.

If there’s no deal, it may become more expensive to use your UK bank card in the EU. You can read more about using a bank card, insurance or other financial service in the EU.

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. 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 31 December 2020Brexit

ThereThe willUK begovernment nowill changescontinue before 31 December 2020 to thepay rulesa on claiming the UK State Pension into thethose EU,eligible EEA or Switzerland as a result of the UK leaving the EU.

If you are living in the EU,EU EEAafter orBrexit. SwitzerlandYour by 31 December 2020 you will get your UK State Pension upratedwill everybe yearuprated forin asApril long2020, as2021 youand continue2022 to live there. This will happen even if you startlive claiming your pension on or after 1 January 2021, as long as you meet the qualifying conditions explained in the newEU, StateEEA Pensionor guidance.Switzerland.

If youthere areis livinga indeal Swedenand by 31 December 2020, you will be able to count future social security contributions towards meeting the qualifying conditions for your UK State Pension.

If 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 31 December 2020.

If you are considering moving to Sweden on or after 1 January 2021 and you are not covered by the Withdrawalend Agreement,of the rulesimplementation dependperiod.

Read on negotiations with the EU and may change. Check our guidance on benefits and pensions inif thethere’s EUno deal.

You can continue to receive your UK State Pension if you live in the EU, EEA or Switzerland and you can still claim your UK State Pension.

Benefits

You must tell the UK government offices that deal with your benefits, pension and tax if you are moving or retiring abroad.

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

You should:

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

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

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 contact:

• the Swedishsocial Socialsecurity Insurancein AgencySweden (Försäkringskassan)
• the National Board of Health and Welfare (Socialstyrelsen)

Benefits after 31 December 2020Brexit

ThereThe willUK begovernment nowill changescontinue before 31 December 2020 to thepay ruleschild onand claimingdisability UK benefits into thethose EU,eligible EEAafter or Switzerland as a result of the UK leaving the EU.Brexit.

If youthere areis livinga indeal the EU, EEA or Switzerland by 31 December 2020, you will continue to receive any UK benefits you already receive. This will continue for as long as you live there and meet all other eligibility requirements.

If 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 31the Decemberend 2020.of the implementation period.

IfYou youcan areread consideringour movingguidance toon Swedenaccess onto orbenefits afterand 1services Januaryin 2021the andUK youif arethere’s notno-deal.

Voting

You coveredmay bybe theable Withdrawalto Agreement,vote thein rulessome dependUK onelections. negotiationsYou withcan:

• check theif EUyou andare mayable change.to Checkvote
• register ouras guidancean onoverseas benefitsvoter andif pensionsyou inwould thelike EUto vote.

Voting

If youyou’re are resident in Sweden, you can vote in Swedish local elections.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 electionselections.

Voting orafter EuropeanBrexit

After ParliamentBrexit, you can continue to vote in Swedish local elections.

You can read more information on the Swedish government’s election authority website (Valmyndigheten).

You maywill not be able to vote in someEuropean UKParliament elections. YouThe can:

• checkelection ifauthority youwill areupdate ableinformation to(in vote
• registerSwedish) ason anits overseas voter if you would like to votewebsite

.

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

Read guidance on how to buy or let property in Sweden.

Pets

CurrentTravelling with your pet travelbetween rulesthe EU and the UK will staychange after Brexit. If you’re living in the sameEU, untilcontact 31your Decembervet 2020.before travelling to check requirements. Also read the guidance for UK nationals living in the EU on the Pet Travel to Europe after Brexit page.

Whilst the UK is still in the EU, you can take your pet between the UK and 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 must visit your vet to obtain a pet passport.

ReadYou can read our guidance on bringingreturning your petcat, intodog 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
• about Sweden
• directory enquiries

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 cancel your S1 at the right time.

Read the guidance on returning to the UK permanently which includes information on, amongst other things, tax, access to services and bringing family members.

Disclaimer

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