Child Benefit in Sweden (Barnbidrag): Expat Guide 2026

Swedish child benefit (barnbidrag) is 1,250 kronor a month per child, paid by Försäkringskassan (the Social Insurance Agency). Families with two or more children also get a large family supplement (flerbarnstillägg). Neither payment is taxed (Försäkringskassan).

Parents who live in Sweden with their children get it automatically. Families who move to Sweden have one extra step: report the move to Försäkringskassan so it can decide whether you are insured in Sweden. And from 1 January 2027, new rules require people who move to Sweden to qualify first. This guide covers both.

Who can get barnbidrag

Försäkringskassan lists three conditions (forsakringskassan.se). You can be entitled if:

• you are the custodian (vårdnadshavare) of a child younger than 16, or of an older child who is still in compulsory school (grundskolan) or adapted school (anpassad skola),
• the child lives in Sweden, the EU, the EEA, Switzerland or the UK, and
• both you and the child are insured in Sweden.

"Insured" here does not depend on citizenship. Försäkringskassan says what decides it is where you live or work, and that most people who live or work in Sweden are insured (Försäkrad i Sverige). You do not need a personnummer to be insured; if you do not have one, you can use a coordination number (samordningsnummer). See our guides to the personnummer and the samordningsnummer.

If you have a residence permit

With a valid residence permit, and both you and the child resident in Sweden, you can get child benefit, even if your child has not received their own permit yet. If you are still waiting for a decision on your residence permit, you are not entitled to child benefit, even if the child was born in Sweden. If your temporary permit is about to end, apply to Migrationsverket for an extension for you and your child before the current permits expire, then contact Försäkringskassan for a new decision once the new permit is granted (forsakringskassan.se).

How much you get

Barnbidrag is 1,250 kronor a month per child, shared between the custodians. The large family supplement is 150 kronor for 2 children and higher for more children. These are Försäkringskassan's figures if one parent receives the whole amount (forsakringskassan.se):

If two parents share the benefit, each receives half: for example, 625 kronor each for one child.

Who it is paid to

Unless you have asked to change it (Försäkringskassan, English):

• Child born on or after 1 March 2014: divided equally between you.
• Child born before 1 March 2014: all of it goes to the person who gave birth to the child.
• Sole custody: all of it is paid to you.

You can change the recipient through Mina sidor. If you both agree, the change applies at the earliest from the month after you have both signed. If you do not agree, one parent can report the change alone, but it takes longer because Försäkringskassan investigates where the child lives and gives the other parent 2 weeks to comment (Ändra vem som ska få barnbidraget).

When the money arrives

• The first payment comes the month after the child is born.
• The money arrives by the 20th of each month at the latest.
• If the payment day falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the money comes on the Friday.

You can see the payment under Utbetalningar on Mina sidor 8 days before it arrives (payment dates).

Moving to Sweden with children

Barnbidrag is paid automatically to parents who live in Sweden with their children. When you move here, you start it yourself:

1. Register with Skatteverket if you will stay. Försäkringskassan notes that if you plan to stay in Sweden for at least one year, you should usually be registered in the population register (folkbokförd) with Skatteverket (Flytta till Sverige). Our Skatteverket registration guide walks through it.
2. Report the move to Försäkringskassan. If you move to Sweden with children under 16, you need to give Försäkringskassan information to get child benefit. Use the e-service on Mina sidor, or form 5456 if you cannot use the e-service. Report the children you are custodian for in your own report. Accompanying family members who apply for a benefit should also report.
3. Send documents. If you moved from an EU/EEA country or Switzerland, send written evidence from an authority there showing that you are, or are no longer, covered by its social insurance. If you need a residence or work permit, send copies of all your permits.
4. Wait for the insurance decision. Försäkringskassan first investigates whether you and the child are insured in Sweden before it can pay. It says processing can take longer than usual for people applying for the first time, for example after moving to Sweden (payment dates and processing, Försäkrad i Sverige).

Försäkringskassan's moving guidance does not apply if a foreign employer has posted you to Sweden, or if you are in Sweden to study. Each has its own page on forsakringskassan.se.

If a parent works in another EU country

You still get child benefit, but Försäkringskassan has to work out which country pays. If both parents work or receive a pension, it is usually the country where the child lives. If only one parent works, it is usually the country where that parent works. Your citizenship does not matter as long as you and the child are insured within the EU, EEA or Switzerland. This can take longer because it is done together with the other country's authority (forsakringskassan.se).

New rules from 1 January 2027: qualifying first

The Swedish Parliament (Riksdagen) has decided that people who move to Sweden must meet new conditions, called qualification (kvalificering), to get some benefits. They apply from 1 January 2027, and child benefit is on the list (Kvalificering till socialförsäkringen).

You qualify in one of these ways:

• Residence: you have lived in Sweden for a total of 5 years in the last 15 years. Time living in another EU/EEA country can be counted.
• Income: you have had an income of 40,032 kronor a month for at least 6 months in a row, or 20,850 kronor a month in 12 of the last 24 months. Income from employment and your own business both count, but only income after you moved to Sweden.

Försäkringskassan says the income amounts are adjusted every year, and that there are exceptions for people with a particularly strong earlier connection to Sweden. Its page does not say how the rules apply to families who moved before 1 January 2027. If you are moving around the turn of the year, or already receive barnbidrag and are unsure, check that page or call Försäkringskassan's customer centre on 0771-524 524 (weekdays 8–16).

When your child turns 16

Barnbidrag stops at 16. If your child studies at upper secondary school (gymnasiet), it is replaced automatically by a study allowance (studiebidrag) from CSN of the same amount, 1,250 kronor a month, which is not paid in July and August. If your child is still in compulsory school or adapted school, barnbidrag is extended; the school reports this (När barnet fyller 16 år).

Common problems and fixes

• "We moved months ago and nothing has arrived." Payment is not automatic after a move. Check that you reported the move to Försäkringskassan, not only to Skatteverket.
• "We are still waiting for our residence permits." Child benefit is not paid while you wait for a residence permit decision.
• "We are going abroad for the summer." Within the EU, EEA or Switzerland, holidays of up to 12 months do not affect barnbidrag, but if you will work, study or try living abroad, contact Försäkringskassan before you go. Outside the EU, EEA or Switzerland, stays of up to 6 months usually do not affect it, but tell Försäkringskassan within 14 days if you extend beyond 6 months. If you plan to be away more than 6 months, you are as a rule not entitled to barnbidrag while abroad, and you must tell Försäkringskassan before you leave (forsakringskassan.se).
• "I got money I was not entitled to." If you receive barnbidrag or large family supplement you are not entitled to, you may have to pay it back with a penalty fee. Report changes, such as starting work in another EU/EEA country, straight away.

Your next step

If you have moved to Sweden with children, log in to Mina sidor on forsakringskassan.se and report the move now, attaching the documents from your previous country. If your move is close to 1 January 2027, read Försäkringskassan's qualification page first, since the new rules apply from that date.