Swedish ID Card (Skatteverket ID-kort): How to Apply

The Swedish Tax Agency (Skatteverket) issues an identity card, known in Swedish as an ID-kort, that you can use inside Sweden to confirm your identity and your age — for example at a pharmacy, a bank, or a store. To apply, you must already be listed in the Swedish Population Register with a personnummer, be able to prove your identity, and be at least 13 years old. You pay a fee of SEK 400 (as of 2026), then book an appointment at a service centre that issues ID cards. It normally takes about two weeks to make the card once you have applied.

This is one of the most useful pieces of ID you can hold as a newcomer, because everyday Swedish life frequently asks you to prove who you are. Below is the full process in plain English, based on Skatteverket's own guidance, plus the one thing this card is not — a passport substitute for travel.

What the Skatteverket ID Card Is (and Isn't)

The ID-kort is a photo identity card that confirms your identity and age within Sweden. Skatteverket gives everyday examples of where you would use it: a pharmacy, a bank, and a store.

There is an important limit. You cannot use a Skatteverket ID card instead of a passport when travelling outside Sweden — it is not a travel document. If you plan to leave the country, you still need your passport (or another valid travel document). Treat the ID-kort as a domestic proof-of-identity card, not an international one.

The card also comes with a built-in Swedish e-identification (eID) from AB Svenska Pass. This eID is integrated into the card, and you can use it to access the Swedish Tax Agency's e-services. It is a genuinely useful extra, covered in its own section below.

Who Can Apply

To apply for the ID card you must:

• Be listed in the Swedish Population Register with a Swedish personal identity number (personnummer), and
• Be able to prove your identity, and
• Be at least 13 years old.

Because the personnummer requirement is central, the ID card sits after your population registration in the newcomer sequence. If you have not yet registered, start with our guides on registering with Skatteverket and on getting your personnummer — those steps come first, and the ID card follows once you are in the register.

If the applicant is under 18, written consent is required from the parent(s) or guardian(s). If there are two parents or guardians, both must give their consent.

What It Costs and How to Pay

The application fee is SEK 400 (as of 2026 — check the official Skatteverket page for the current amount before you pay).

The order matters here: you must pay the fee before you book an appointment. You cannot pay at the service centre when you arrive. Skatteverket accepts payment in the following ways:

• Swish
• To Bankgiro 389-0100
• From abroad, via IBAN SE55 1200 0000 0128 1012 1613 (BIC/Swift DABASESX)

Whichever method you use, enter your personnummer in the message/OCR field so the payment is matched to you, and keep your receipt — you will need it as proof of payment at your appointment.

How to Apply: Step by Step

1. Confirm you meet the requirements. You need a personnummer, proof of identity, and to be at least 13 (with parental consent if under 18).

2. Pay the SEK 400 fee first. Use Swish, the Bankgiro number, or the IBAN from abroad, with your personnummer in the message field. Save the receipt.

3. Book an appointment. After paying, use Skatteverket's online booking service to book an appointment at a state service centre (servicekontor) that issues ID cards. Note that not every service centre issues ID cards, so book specifically at one that does.

4. Attend the appointment. Bring your proof of payment, your identity documentation, and — if you are under 18 — the parental consent form. At the appointment a photograph is taken and your height is measured on site. You may not wear dark glasses or head coverings in the photo unless it is for religious or medical reasons.

5. Prove your identity. You prove your identity with an approved document — for example a valid Swedish passport, a Swedish driving licence, a national ID card issued by the police, or a previous Swedish Tax Agency ID card. In some cases, identity can be confirmed via an approved attestor/guarantor who knows you personally. The exact accepted documents and the precise attestor rules are listed on Skatteverket's official "how to apply" page, so check there for your specific situation.

6. Wait for the card to be made. It normally takes about two weeks to issue an ID card, but it can take longer if something in your application requires further investigation (as of 2026 — check the official page).

7. Collect your card in time. You must collect the finished card within about two months of being notified that it is ready.

The Built-in eID (Skatteverket E-Services)

The eID from AB Svenska Pass that is integrated into the card lets you log in to the Swedish Tax Agency's e-services. To use it you need:

• A computer and a card reader, and
• The SConnect Browser Plug-in installed on your browser.

The first time you use it, a PUK code is sent to you by mail, and you choose your own PIN when you first log in. Be careful with the PUK: if you block your PUK code, you must apply for a whole new ID card, because a PUK code cannot be replaced.

A quick clarification, since newcomers often conflate the two: this built-in eID is not the same as BankID. It is its own e-identification for Skatteverket's e-services. BankID is a separate system that most people in Sweden also set up — our dedicated guide on setting up BankID in Sweden walks through that process on its own.

Validity, Renewal, and Collection

An ID card issued by the Swedish Tax Agency is valid for five years. When it approaches expiry, you renew it through the same application process on Skatteverket's site.

Two timing details are worth repeating because they trip people up:

• The card normally takes about two weeks to be made (longer if further investigation is needed).
• Once you are notified it is ready, you must collect it within about two months.

Practical Notes for Newcomers

The ID-kort is a domestic identity and age card — treat it as such. Because Swedish shops, pharmacies, and banks routinely ask you to prove your identity, an accepted photo ID makes daily life noticeably smoother once you have one. (For collecting registered post, an accepted photo ID is often needed as well, though the specific rules for that come from the postal or delivery operator, not from Skatteverket.)

If you are still early in your move and do not yet have a personnummer, focus first on population registration. The ID card genuinely cannot be applied for until you are in the Swedish Population Register with a personnummer — so getting registered is the real unlock. Once that is done, this card is a straightforward, five-year piece of ID that also carries a working eID for Skatteverket's own services.

Because fees, processing times, and accepted documents can change, always confirm the current details on the official Skatteverket pages linked below before you pay or book.