The population register, which is administered by the Swedish Tax Agency. is the basic register of the population of Sweden, and contains information about who lives in the country and where they live. Many rights and obligations that you have depend on:
- you being registered as a resident; and
- where you are registered as resident.
Where you are registered as a resident determines where you pay tax and vote. Being registered as resident means that you are entitled to health care in Sweden (upon payment of the standard patient fee) because your home county council pays the cost of care.
General rule: Anyone moving away from Sweden and planning to be gone for one year or more should no longer be registered as resident in Sweden.
Special rule for government employees: Under Chapter 14 of the Swedish Population Registration Act (1991:481), posted officials and their accompanying family members should remain registered as resident in Sweden throughout the period of foreign posting. The posted official and their accompanying family members are registered as resident at the address and in the parish where the official was or should have been registered prior to posting abroad or, if necessary due to a change in circumstances, in the parish only.
There is no age limit in the Swedish Population Registration Act whereby a child ceases to be registered as resident in Sweden during a posting abroad. The Act does mention children living at home, implying those who still live and are registered as resident at the same address as their parents and who move abroad with them and live with them as a family. In population registration terms, any household employees are equated to other Swedes who move out of the country.
Who can be registered as resident?
Anyone moving to Sweden and planning to live here for one year or more should, in the majority of cases, be registered as resident here. You must apply to the Swedish Tax Agency by visiting them in person at one of their service centres.
An accompanying partner who marries a posted official cannot be registered in the Swedish population register until they actually move to Sweden, have a residence permit where necessary, and intend to live here for at least one year.
Children born abroad must be registered in the Swedish population register if either the mother or the father is registered pursuant to Section 14 of the Swedish Population Registration Act.
Read more on the Swedish Tax Agency website on the Swedish population register.
Information in English: Population registration in Sweden.