Once you receive your positive decision and step off the plane, you quickly learn that moving to Sweden is not a single action. It is a sequence. Order matters here. Each step unlocks the next, and trying to skip ahead simply does not work.
After arriving, your first task is booking an appointment to receive your residence permit ID card. This is done through the Migration Agency (your page where the decision is located), and appointments are often several weeks out. For me, the earliest available appointment was three weeks away. During that time, you are legally in Sweden, but still very much in transition.
Once you have your residence permit card, the next major phase begins, and this all falls under your first appointment process with the Swedish Tax Agency. This part is commonly misunderstood, because people assume it is quick or informal. It is not.
Before you even go in person, you are expected to notify your move online using the Move to Sweden service, known in Swedish as Flytta till Sverige. This digital notification sets everything in motion and should be completed before your appointment.
You then book an in person identity check at a State Service Centre. This appointment is mandatory and must be scheduled through the National Government Service Centre booking system. There is no workaround for this step.
At the appointment itself, identity verification is the entire point. You must bring your original valid passport, your residence permit card, and any relevant civil status documents. If you are registering with family members, this includes original marriage certificates or birth certificates. Every document must be official and original. Copies are not enough.
After your identity has been verified, the Swedish Tax Agency processes your population registration. If approved, your personal number is issued and sent by post to your registered Swedish address. In my case, this took a couple of weeks, which felt almost shockingly efficient.
There are some important requirements that apply as of 2026. To qualify for a personal number, you must intend to live in Sweden for at least twelve months. In person identity checks are mandatory for every applicant, including children. No one is exempt from this step.
Receiving your personal number is a milestone, but it is not the end of the process. It simply means you are now officially registered in Sweden.
The next step is applying for a Swedish Tax Agency ID card. This requires a separate appointment at a Skatteverket office that issues ID cards, and you must already have your personal number before you can apply. You will also need to pay the SEK 400 fee and be photographed in person. This physical ID card is essential, because most banks will not proceed without it.
Only after completing these steps can you realistically begin the process of applying for BankID. That process starts on your bank’s website, followed by one appointment and then another. At the first meeting, you are expected to demonstrate why you need a bank account and BankID. You will be asked to show income, proof that you pay taxes, and evidence of real expenses such as rent. BankID is your digital identity in Sweden, and it is treated seriously.
Until you reach that point, life works, but sideways. You rely on credit or debit cards, sometimes the Freja app for limited identification, and a lot of patience. You carry extra documents, save confirmations, and explain more than once that you are new and still waiting on BankID. This phase is temporary, even if it feels endless while you are in it.
Eventually, it clicks. You get BankID. Suddenly you can log into healthcare systems, sign documents digitally, manage banking, and interact with Swedish society without friction. The systems fade into the background, which is exactly how they are designed to work.
This move looks different for everyone. I moved to Sweden to be with my husband after a long separation when I had to remain in the United States. Others move for work, for family, for studies, or for reasons that look entirely different. What I have shared here reflects my experience and serves as a baseline, not a universal rulebook.
Because laws, verification requirements, and processes change, it is essential to always check official sources. For the most accurate and current information, consult the Swedish Migration Agency and the Swedish Tax Agency directly through their official websites.
This is a lived account, not legal advice. Think of it as a map drawn by someone who has already walked the route. Sweden runs on systems, sequencing, and patience. Once you understand the order of operations, the country begins to feel not just functional, but quietly humane.
Swedish Wanderlust 