Destination guide · Northern Europe

Moving to Sweden from the U.S.

Name: Sweden
Address: Sweden

Which residence permit fits an employee, a researcher, a business owner or a family member, why there is no retirement permit, the 2026 salary tests in kronor, the U.S. tax treaty and Social Security agreement, and what tax, health care, rent, property and paperwork involve, with every figure taken from, or calculated from, an official source and dated.

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Rules and figures checked: October 2026Official sources: 124

CurrencySwedish krona (SEK)USD 1 = SEK 10.05791 (Sveriges Riksbank, Oct 2, 2026)¹

EU / SchengenYes / YesEU member since 1995; Schengen member since 2001²

Retirement visaNoneWe found no retirement, own-means or digital nomad permit in Migrationsverket’s list of permits, as of October 4, 2026³

Work permit salary floorSEK 34,470 a monthGross, 90% of the median salary, for applications from June 16, 2026; about $3,427⁴

U.S. tax treatyYes, signed 1994Social Security agreement in force since January 1, 1987^5,6

Citizenship8 years of residenceSince June 6, 2026, with income and knowledge tests; dual citizenship allowed^7,8

What changed recently

What Has Changed in Sweden Since 2024

Sweden rewrote much of its immigration law in 2026: a higher salary floor for work permits, eight years’ residence for citizenship, a stricter good-conduct test and tighter family rules. The changes, newest first, then what is already fixed for 2027.

2027 budget and tax figures: the Government’s 2027 budget bill was due by November 12, 2026⁹; 2027 tax rates and thresholds are on Skatteverket’s “Belopp och procent” page for 2027. The tax figures on this page are for 2026¹⁰. Statistics Sweden publishes the 2027 municipal tax rates in December 2026 (“Kommunalskatterna 2027”)¹¹.
December 2, 2026: work-permit extensions filed from this date must meet the new salary floor of 90% of the median. Extensions of permits granted before June 1, 2026 and filed from June 1 to December 1, 2026 are still tested against the old rule of 80% of the median salary current when they apply, SEK 30,640 a month for applications from June 16, 2026^12,13.
December 1, 2026: a law the Riksdag passed in June 2026 introduces a state e-ID, issued by the Police, which foreign nationals registered in the population register can get from age 9^14,15.
October 1, 2026: tighter family immigration. A sponsor with a temporary permit must normally have lived in Sweden for two years before family can join, though not holders of work permits, EU Blue Cards, ICT permits or research permits; the maintenance requirement rose and is now also checked on extensions^16,17. Family members of Blue Card and ICT holders staying a year or less now need comprehensive health insurance¹⁸.
July 13, 2026: a stricter good-conduct (vandel) test for residence permits, including work and family permits: Migrationsverket checks, for example, whether you have paid your debts and given accurate information for benefits¹⁹.
July 1, 2026: a new Private Letting Act for people who rent out their own home²⁰; buyers of real property must give a Swedish personal identity number or coordination number to register title²¹; and primary-care patients must be told who their fixed care contact and fixed doctor contact are²².
June 11, 2026: researchers, doctoral students and Swedish EU Blue Card holders can get permanent residence after three years; bachelor’s and master’s students granted a permit from this date may work at most 15 hours a week^23,24.
June 6, 2026: new citizenship rules: eight years’ residence instead of five, an income test, and a Swedish-language and civics requirement. There are no transitional rules, so applications already pending are judged under the new law^25,26,7.
June 1, 2026: the work-permit salary floor became 90% of the median salary, SEK 34,470 a month since the median was updated on June 16, 2026; comprehensive health insurance became a requirement for work permits of up to a year; the maximum first term of an EU Blue Card rose from two to four years; and personal assistants and forest berry pickers can no longer get work permits^12,27,28,29.
May 1, 2026: stricter rules for exchanging an EU or EEA driving license that was itself exchanged from a license issued outside the EEA³⁰.
April 2026: new EU pet-travel rules from April 22³¹; the EU’s Entry/Exit System fully replaced passport stamps on April 10³²; and on April 1, a new mortgage law raised the loan-to-value cap from 85% to 90%³³, and VAT on food fell from 12% to 6% until December 31, 2027³⁴.
January 1, 2026: the state income tax threshold rose to SEK 643,000 of taxable income (SEK 625,800 in 2025); the flat tax for non-residents (SINK) fell from 25% to 22.5%; the tax-free allowance on investment savings accounts rose to SEK 300,000^10,35; and the energy tax on electricity fell by almost 20%, to 36.0 öre per kWh before VAT³⁶.
2024 and 2025: the expert tax relief now lasts seven years for decisions made from January 1, 2024, and since 2025 its salary route requires monthly pay above 1.5 times the price base amount^37,38. For 12-month periods starting from July 1, 2025, the prescription cost cap is SEK 3,800^39,40.

Already set for 2027. The price base amount for 2027 is SEK 59,600 (SEK 59,200 in 2026)^41,10. From it, by our arithmetic, the expert tax relief’s salary route needs more than SEK 89,400 a month for work starting in 2027³⁸, the cap on outpatient care fees stays at SEK 1,450⁴², and the prescription cap becomes SEK 3,850⁴⁰. A new EU pet health certificate must be used from April 1, 2027³¹. The 6% food VAT runs until December 31, 2027³⁴. The citizenship law’s Swedish-language test provisions take effect on October 1, 2027, or earlier if the Government decides⁷. In autumn 2028 the pre-school class gives way to a new year 1 in a ten-year compulsory school⁴³. Not yet set as of October 4, 2026: the 2027 income base amount, which drives the citizenship income test and the property fee cap, and the 2027 energy tax on electricity, where a proposal to keep 36.0 öre has only been sent out for comment^10,44,36.

On this page

Who Sweden suits
Permits and money tests
Permanent residence and citizenship
Step by step, in the right order
Cost of living and rents
Health care
Taxes, the treaty and Social Security
Renting and buying
Where to live
ID numbers, banks, driving, pets
EES and ETIAS
A 12-month timeline
Questions
Sources

Is Sweden for you?

Who Sweden Suits, and Who It Frustrates

Sweden suits Americans with a Swedish job offer, researchers, and families moving with a worker. It frustrates retirees, remote workers and investors, because it has no permit made for them.

In its favor

A clear work route: a work permit needs a job paying at least SEK 34,470 a month, on terms at least on par with Swedish collective agreements^4,28. For highly qualified jobs, 75% of complete applications decided in the last 12 months were decided within one month, as of October 4, 2026²⁸.
Families can come together: a spouse, partner and children under 21 can apply with the worker, and adult family members may work²⁸; the new two-year rule for family sponsors does not apply to work-permit, Blue Card, ICT or research-permit holders¹⁶.
Expert tax relief: newcomers granted the relief are taxed on only 75% of their pay for up to seven years³⁷.
No inheritance, gift or wealth tax: they were abolished in 2005 and 2008^45,46.
A U.S. tax treaty under which U.S. Social Security paid to a Swedish resident is taxable only in the United States⁵, and a Social Security agreement in force since 1987⁶.
Americans buy property under broadly the same rules as Swedes²¹, and dual citizenship is allowed⁸.

Against it

No retirement, own-means, digital nomad or investor permit: we found none in Migrationsverket’s list of permits or in the Aliens Act^3,47. A visitor’s permit gives a tourist at most six months in total, with no right to work or settle⁴⁸.
Remote work is still work: if you will work in Sweden you need a work permit, whether you are employed in Sweden or abroad²⁸.
A long road to citizenship: eight years’ residence, an income test and Swedish-language and civics requirements⁷; 75% of recent applications were decided within 53 months, as of October 4, 2026⁴⁹.
High income tax: municipal and regional tax averages 32.38% in 2026, and the state adds 20% on taxable income above SEK 643,000^11,10.
New rentals cost more than the official averages: apartments completed in 2025 averaged SEK 11,363 a month for 53 m²⁵⁰, about SEK 214 per m² by our arithmetic, against a 2026 national median of SEK 124 per m² in the existing rental stock⁵¹.
Your U.S. license runs out: it is valid only until you have been registered in Sweden for a year, and it cannot be exchanged^52,53.

Permits

Which Permit Fits You, and What It Takes in 2026

As an American you can visit Sweden without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the Schengen area^54,55. Anyone staying in Sweden for more than three months must have a residence permit⁴⁷. A first work permit must be applied for from outside Sweden, or the application may be rejected; the exceptions include people switching from certain study, research or job-seeker permits²⁸.

Work-permit applications are made in Migrationsverket’s e-service²⁸. The Embassy of Sweden in Washington, D.C. handles residence and work-permit matters for Migrationsverket⁵⁶. In your application you name the embassy or consulate-general where you will show your passport and give fingerprints; not all of them handle migration cases, and in some cases Migrationsverket asks you to show your passport digitally, through an app, instead²⁸. Since July 13, 2026, every permit also comes with a stricter good-conduct test¹⁹.

Main residence permits for U.S. citizens, 2026. Checked October 4, 2026.
Permit	Made for	Money or salary test	What you get
Work permit	Employees with a job offer from an employer, who starts the application²⁸	At least SEK 34,470 gross a month, or SEK 28,725 in exempt occupations, and on par with collective agreements⁴	Up to two years at a time; permanent residence after four of the last seven years^28,47
EU Blue Card	Highly qualified jobs of at least six months; a degree of 180 credits or five years’ relevant experience^29,47	At least SEK 53,625 a month from July 15, 2026⁵⁷	Nine months to four years; permanent residence after three years^29,23
ICT permit	Managers, specialists and trainees transferred from a group company outside the EU for more than 90 days, after three months in the group⁵⁸	Pay at least at the full-time collective-agreement minimum^58,12	Up to three years for managers and specialists, one year for trainees⁵⁸
Researcher	A hosting agreement with a research principal approved by the Swedish Research Council; at least half your time on research⁵⁹	At least SEK 9,700 a month⁵⁹	Up to four years at a time; permanent residence after three years^59,23
Self-employment	Experienced business owners who own at least 51% and run the business⁶⁰	SEK 200,000 in your own account, plus SEK 100,000 for a spouse and SEK 50,000 per child, plus money for the business⁶⁰	Up to two years at a time; permanent residence after two years if the business is established⁴⁷
Look for work or start a business	Holders of a master’s-level (second-cycle) degree, applying from abroad⁶¹	SEK 13,000 a month, money for the journey home and comprehensive health insurance⁶¹	Up to nine months⁶¹
Study	Full-time admission to higher education²⁴	SEK 10,656 a month for 2026 applicants²⁴	A permit for the studies; at most 15 hours of work a week for permits granted from June 11, 2026²⁴
Partner	Spouses, registered partners and cohabitees; both partners over 21⁶²	The sponsor keeps SEK 8,116 (single) or SEK 13,408 (couple) a month after tax and rent, with exemptions¹⁷	A first permit of up to two years⁶²
Visitor’s residence permit	Visits of more than 90 days, with no work⁴⁸	SEK 700 a day⁴⁸	At most six months in total for a tourist; up to a year for a parent of a child living in Sweden who no longer works⁴⁸

In dollars at the Riksbank rate of October 2, 2026 (USD 1 = SEK 10.05791), SEK 34,470 is about $3,427, SEK 53,625 about $5,332, SEK 200,000 about $19,885 and SEK 13,000 about $1,293¹.

Application fees and Migrationsverket’s published decision times. The times show the period within which 75% of cases decided in the last 12 months were decided; they are statistics, not limits, and change every month. Read October 4, 2026.
Application	Fee	75% decided within
Work permit	SEK 2,200; SEK 1,500 per adult family member, SEK 750 per child²⁸	1 month for highly qualified jobs, 4 months for other jobs, if the application is complete; 2 and 10 months if it is not²⁸
EU Blue Card; ICT permit	SEK 2,000⁶³; SEK 1,500 per adult family member, SEK 750 per child^29,58	1 month^29,58
Researcher	SEK 1,500; SEK 1,500 per adult family member, SEK 750 per child⁵⁹	1 month⁵⁹
Self-employment	SEK 2,000; SEK 1,500 per adult family member, SEK 750 per child⁶⁰	No figure for complete applications; 11 months for incomplete ones⁶⁰
Look for work or start a business	SEK 2,200⁶¹	5 months⁶¹
Study	SEK 1,500²⁴	3 months²⁴
Partner	SEK 2,000 per adult, SEK 1,000 per child⁶²	14 months⁶²
Visitor’s residence permit	SEK 1,500 per adult, SEK 750 per child⁴⁸	3 months, applied for outside Sweden⁴⁸
Citizenship (adult)	SEK 2,900⁴⁹	53 months⁴⁹

The employee fee of SEK 2,200 and the Blue Card, ICT and self-employment fee of SEK 2,000 both come from the Aliens Ordinance; the difference is not an error⁶³. Migrationsverket states that it does not refund the fee if an application is rejected²⁸.

No retirement visa, no digital nomad visa, no golden visa

Migrationsverket’s list of permits covers work, study, family, visits, protection and the categories for EU, Nordic, UK and Swiss citizens³. As of October 4, 2026 we found no permit for retirees or people living on their own means, no digital nomad or remote-work permit and no investor permit, either there or in the Aliens Act^3,47.

The Aliens Act does contain a general sentence: a permit “may be granted to a foreigner whose support is arranged other than through employment”⁴⁷. We found no Migrationsverket application page or form for it, so we cannot tell you how it is used in practice; if you hope to live in Sweden on a U.S. pension or savings, ask a Swedish immigration lawyer about it before you plan around it. A permit on the grounds of special ties to Sweden needs exceptional grounds⁴⁷.

The visitor’s residence permit is the published option for a long stay without work or family ties. A tourist gets at most six months in total. Parents who no longer work, such as pensioners, visiting their child in Sweden can be granted a year in total; siblings, children and grandchildren up to six months, or nine on special grounds. It is one visit, and it does not give you the right to work or settle⁴⁸.
What it takes: at least SEK 700 for each day, medical travel insurance (Migrationsverket recommends cover of at least EUR 30,000) and a passport valid for three months beyond the visit. The fee is SEK 1,500 for an adult⁴⁸. For a stay of 182 days, about six months, that is SEK 127,400, about $12,667, by our arithmetic.
Remote workers: if you are going to work in Sweden, you need a work permit whether you are employed in Sweden or abroad²⁸.

Working for a Swedish employer: the work permit

Your employer starts the application in Migrationsverket’s e-service, the relevant trade union is invited to comment on the terms, and you then complete your part and pay the fee by card²⁸. The requirements^28,47:

Salary: at least 90% of the median salary published by Statistics Sweden when you apply. With the median of SEK 38,300 published on June 16, 2026, that is SEK 34,470 a month, about $3,427^4,64. The figure is updated each June, so it holds until Statistics Sweden’s June 2027 update⁴. Your pay must also match collective agreements or practice in your occupation, so it may need to be higher²⁸. Sweden has no statutory minimum wage⁶⁵.
Exempt occupations and groups need 75% of the median, SEK 28,725. The list in the Aliens Ordinance includes IT operations and support technicians, systems administrators, network technicians, laboratory engineers, assistant nurses, welders and butchers. Also exempt: people holding a Swedish student or research permit when they first apply for a work permit; doctors, dentists and nurses obtaining Swedish professional certification; and staff of tech or life-science start-ups under five years old with fewer than 100 employees^28,4,63. Personal assistants and forest berry pickers can no longer get work permits²⁸.
Insurance: by your start date your employer must have taken out health, life, industrial-injury and occupational-pension insurance for you. If the job lasts a year or less, you must also have, or have applied for, comprehensive health insurance covering medical and hospital care, emergency dental care and medical repatriation²⁸.
One job: you cannot combine two or more jobs to meet the requirements²⁸.
Term: up to two years, never longer than the contract or your passport, and renewable²⁸. A change of employer or occupation needs a new permit²⁸.
Extensions: if your permit was granted before June 1, 2026 and you apply to extend it between June 1 and December 1, 2026, the old test of 80% of the median salary current when you apply, SEK 30,640 for applications from June 16, 2026, applies; extensions filed from December 2, 2026 must meet the 90% rule^12,13.

Family: a spouse, registered or cohabiting partner and children under 21 can apply at the same time, and adult family members, and children who turn 16 during the year, may work²⁸. The worker must meet a maintenance requirement: enough income after tax to pay the rent and still have a set amount left for each family member²⁸.

Two official figures for the family maintenance requirement. As of October 4, 2026, Migrationsverket’s work-permit page listed amounts “for 2025”: SEK 6,243 a month for a single adult and SEK 10,314 for spouses or cohabiting partners, left after rent, plus amounts for each child²⁸. Its page on the maintenance requirement, updated for the rules in force from October 1, 2026, gives SEK 8,116 and SEK 13,408 for 2026¹⁷, and Migrationsverket’s news on those rules says the amount that must be left over has increased¹⁶. Since October 1, 2026 the requirement is also checked when a worker extends a permit¹⁸. Neither page says which amount is applied to a worker’s accompanying family; plan on the higher 2026 amounts and ask Migrationsverket.

Salary check

Does Your Salary Meet the Work Permit, Blue Card or Expert Tax Floor?

Choose a test and enter your gross monthly salary in kronor or dollars; we compare to the exact öre (a hundredth of a krona) or cent. The work permit floors apply to applications from June 16, 2026⁴; the Blue Card floor from July 15, 2026⁵⁷; the expert tax relief floor depends on the year your work in Sweden starts^66,38. Dollars use the Riksbank rate of October 2, 2026 (USD 1 = SEK 10.05791)¹.

A salary check only. A work permit also needs terms on par with collective agreements, the insurance above and a passport; a Blue Card a highly qualified job of at least six months and a degree or five years’ experience^28,29. The 2027 expert figure is 1.5 × the 2027 price base amount of SEK 59,600, by our arithmetic^38,41. Meeting a figure does not mean a permit or relief will be granted.

The EU Blue Card and intra-company transfers

The EU Blue Card is for a highly qualified job of at least six months. You need a degree of at least 180 higher-education credits or five years’ relevant professional experience, pay of at least 1.25 times the average gross salary, and comprehensive health insurance if you will stay for a year or less^47,29. Migrationsverket gives the threshold as SEK 53,625 a month from July 15, 2026, about $5,332⁵⁷. A first card is valid for nine months to four years, the fee is SEK 2,000, and since June 11, 2026 a Swedish Blue Card leads to permanent residence after three consecutive years^29,23.

An ICT permit covers managers, specialists and trainees transferred for more than 90 days from a group company outside the EU to its Swedish entity, after at least three months’ employment in the group. It lasts for the assignment, up to three years for managers and specialists and one year for trainees⁵⁸, and since June 1, 2026 the pay must reach at least the full-time minimum in the collective agreement^12,58.

Researchers and doctoral students

A research permit needs a hosting agreement with a research principal approved by the Swedish Research Council, research for at least half your working time, and at least SEK 9,700 a month, about $964. It runs for up to four years at a time, and the fee is SEK 1,500⁵⁹. Since June 11, 2026, three consecutive years on a research, doctoral or Swedish Blue Card permit can lead to permanent residence, and a permit to look for work after research or studies runs for 12 to 18 months^23,47.

Your own business: the self-employment permit

We found no separate start-up visa³. To run your own business you need experience in the industry and in running a business, relevant Swedish or English, ownership of at least 51%, a credible budget and established customer contacts⁶⁰. You must also have SEK 200,000 in a bank account in your name, about $19,885, as two years’ support, plus SEK 100,000 for an accompanying spouse and SEK 50,000 for each accompanying child, and on top of that enough of your own money to start or buy the business; loans are not normally accepted⁶⁰. The permit lasts up to two years at a time⁴⁷, the fee is SEK 2,000, and Migrationsverket publishes no decision time for complete applications; 75% of incomplete ones took up to 11 months, as of October 4, 2026⁶⁰. After two years, permanent residence is possible if the business is established⁴⁷.

Funds check

Do Your Funds Meet the Money Test for Your Permit?

Each figure applies only to its own permit: self-employment, SEK 200,000 for you, SEK 100,000 for an accompanying spouse and SEK 50,000 for each accompanying child, not counting the money for the business⁶⁰; looking for work or starting a business after a master’s degree, SEK 13,000 a month for up to nine months⁶¹; a visitor’s residence permit, SEK 700 a day⁴⁸. Enter the funds you can show, in kronor or dollars, at the Riksbank rate of October 2, 2026¹.

A check of the money figure only; the fields that do not belong to the permit you chose are ignored. The self-employment figure is support for two years and does not cover the money needed to run or buy the business⁶⁰. The visitor’s permit is limited to six months in total for a tourist⁴⁸. Meeting a figure does not mean a permit will be granted.

Study

A study permit needs full-time admission; distance learning is not accepted. The 2026 funds figure is SEK 10,656 a month (SEK 10,584 in 2025)²⁴; a new amount applies to 2027 applicants, and time on a student or visitor’s permit does not count toward citizenship⁴⁹.

Family: joining a partner in Sweden

Age: both partners must be over 21, with exceptions on special grounds. The fee is SEK 2,000 per adult and SEK 1,000 per child, and the first permit runs for up to two years⁶².
Maintenance: in 2026 the sponsor must have SEK 8,116 (single) or SEK 13,408 (couple) left each month after tax and rent, plus amounts for children, and housing of adequate size for at least a year. A Swedish, EU or Swiss citizen in a well-established relationship, such as long cohabitation, is exempt unless a child who is not the couple’s joint child is coming¹⁷. This is a 2026 figure; a new amount applies for 2027.
Two years first: since October 1, 2026, a sponsor who holds a temporary permit must normally have lived in Sweden for two years; work-permit, Blue Card, ICT, research and doctoral permit holders are exempt¹⁶.

Swedish ancestry and former citizens

We found no residence permit based on Swedish ancestry alone³. Citizenship passes at birth: a child born after April 1, 2015 always acquires it if either parent is a Swedish citizen at the time of the birth; older rules applied before then⁶⁷. A former Swedish citizen needs only two years’ residence to naturalize, instead of eight^49,7, and people born abroad who lost their citizenship at 22 can apply to regain it⁶⁸.

General information, not advice. Quantum Jetset does not give legal, tax, immigration, financial or investment advice. Migrationsverket decides each case; check the official page for your permit and, if your case is not simple, speak to a Swedish immigration lawyer.

Staying for good

Permanent Residence and Citizenship Under the 2026 Rules

Permanent residence

Work route: after four of the last seven years on a permit for work, research, a Swedish Blue Card, an ICT or seasonal permit⁴⁷. Researchers, doctoral students and Swedish Blue Card holders: three years since June 11, 2026²³. Self-employed: two years, if the business is established⁴⁷.
Conditions: you must be able to support yourself, and your expected conduct must leave no doubt; people entitled to a Swedish income pension, guarantee pension or elderly support are exempt from the support test⁴⁷.
How: you apply for permanent residence when you apply to extend your current permit. A permanent permit can be revoked if you are no longer resident in Sweden^13,69.
Watch the long-term resident status. EU long-term resident status in Sweden comes after five years’ continuous residence; absences of more than six consecutive months, or ten months in total, break the continuity, and the fee is SEK 1,000. As of October 4, 2026, Migrationsverket’s page says that holders “will not be able to be granted a permanent residence permit later, neither as a long-term resident nor on any other grounds”⁷⁰. Ask a lawyer before you apply for it if you want permanent residence.

An inquiry proposed turning some existing permanent permits into temporary ones; as of April 29, 2026, Migrationsverket said the idea had been paused until the next term of office. It is not law⁷¹.

Citizenship since June 6, 2026

Residence: eight years of habitual residence, with permanent residence or an equivalent status, proven identity and good conduct⁷. Shorter periods include two years for Nordic citizens and former Swedish citizens, and seven years for the spouse, registered partner or cohabitee of a Swedish citizen, previously three²⁶.
What counts: time on a visitor’s or student permit does not count, and if you were abroad for more than six weeks in total in a year, the whole time abroad is deducted⁴⁹.
Income: between 18 and 67 you need salary or business income of at least three income base amounts before tax: SEK 250,200 for 2026, or SEK 20,850 a month, about $2,073. Capital and investment income does not count. People entitled to an income-based old-age pension, a guarantee pension or income support for the elderly are exempt^49,7. Whether a U.S. pension alone meets that exemption is a question for a Swedish lawyer; we found no official answer. SEK 250,200 is the 2026 figure; the 2027 figure follows the 2027 income base amount, which had not been set as of October 4, 2026¹⁰.
Knowledge: sufficient Swedish and knowledge of Swedish society, unless you are 67 or older⁷. The level is B1 for reading and listening and A2 for speaking and writing, shown for example by school grades, the top level of Swedish for immigrants (SFI) or a Tisus test. The first civics test was held in August 2026; as of October 4, 2026, Migrationsverket said the Swedish-language test for citizenship may come later than planned⁴⁹, and the law’s provisions on it take effect on October 1, 2027 or earlier if the Government decides⁷.
Fee and time: SEK 2,900; 75% of recently decided applications were decided within 53 months, as of October 4, 2026⁴⁹.
Dual citizenship: “Sweden allows dual and multiple citizenship”⁸.

Step by step

The Order of Operations, Step by Step

The sequence below is for a first work permit applied for from the United States²⁸. Adjust it for your permit.

Choose the permit by what you will live on: a Swedish job points to a work permit or Blue Card, a transfer within your company to an ICT permit, research to a research permit, your own company to self-employment, and a partner in Sweden to a family permit^{28,29,58,59,60,62}.
Get a signed contract and check the salary with the calculator above; it must be at least SEK 34,470 a month and on par with collective agreements^28,4.
Let your employer start the application, then complete your part in the e-service: passport copies, the contract, proof of comprehensive health insurance if the job lasts a year or less, family documents, and the SEK 2,200 fee by card²⁸.
Show your passport at the embassy or consulate-general you chose, or by digital passport check if Migrationsverket offers it²⁸.
Allow the full published time. For a job that is not classed as highly qualified, 75% of complete applications took up to four months, as of October 4, 2026; do not book a move that assumes a faster answer²⁸.
Travel after the decision; if you showed your passport digitally, you give fingerprints and a photo for your residence permit card after you arrive²⁸.
Register in the population register if you will live in Sweden for a year or more: apply online in Skatteverket’s “Moving to Sweden” e-service no earlier than 14 days before you move, then visit a service office in person with your passport and residence permit card^72,73.
Get your personal identity number (personnummer) when you are registered⁷². Public health care is the responsibility of the region where you live⁴².
Open a bank account: residents have a right to a basic payment account, subject to anti-money-laundering checks⁷⁴.
Apply for expert tax relief within three months of starting work, if the relief may apply to you⁷⁵.
Plan your Swedish license before your U.S. license stops being valid, one year after you were registered⁵².
Extend in time, and apply for permanent residence together with an extension once you meet the requirements¹³.

Cost of living

What Things Cost, From Official Figures

Prices are in Swedish kronor. Dollar figures on this page use the Riksbank’s rate of October 2, 2026: USD 1 = SEK 10.05791¹. Your costs are in kronor, so their dollar value moves with that rate.

Start with inflation. Consumer prices were 0.3% higher in August 2026 than a year earlier; on the CPIF measure the Riksbank targets, 0.7%. Food and soft drinks were 6.6% cheaper than a year earlier, while rents for rental apartments rose 3.3%, restaurant prices 2.7% and fuel 6.1%⁷⁶. VAT on food was cut from 12% to 6% on April 1, 2026, until December 31, 2027; restaurant meals stay at 12%³⁴.

Rents: what Statistics Sweden measures

Official rent statistics describe the existing rental stock: about 16,000 rental apartments in a sample, with rents including heating and water but not household electricity or parking. They are not asking rents on the open market⁷⁷. Across Sweden, rents rose 3.3% from 2025 to 2026, and an average three-room apartment costs SEK 9,528 a month, about $947⁷⁷. Newly built rental apartments cost more: the national average for apartments completed in 2025 was SEK 11,363 a month for 53 m², and SEK 12,859 for 52 m² in Greater Stockholm⁵⁰.

Median monthly rent per apartment by number of rooms, and median monthly rent per m², in the existing rental stock, 2026. Including heating and water. Statistics Sweden, updated October 2, 2026. Checked October 4, 2026.
Municipality	1 room	2 rooms	3 rooms	Per m² a month
Stockholm	SEK 6,686	SEK 8,381	SEK 10,623	SEK 148 (2025: SEK 143)
Gothenburg (Göteborg)	SEK 5,871	SEK 7,609	SEK 8,758	SEK 130 (2025: SEK 125)
Malmö	SEK 6,317	SEK 8,467	SEK 10,813	SEK 146 (2025: SEK 140)
Uppsala	SEK 7,026	SEK 9,167	SEK 11,128	SEK 157 (2025: SEK 150)
Lund	SEK 5,385	SEK 8,244	SEK 10,098	SEK 134 (2025: SEK 128)
Västerås	SEK 5,856	SEK 7,747	SEK 9,844	SEK 139 (2025: SEK 133)
Örebro	SEK 6,230	SEK 7,291	SEK 10,065	SEK 129 (2025: SEK 124)
Linköping	SEK 5,838	SEK 7,858	SEK 9,742	SEK 129 (2025: SEK 122)
Helsingborg	SEK 6,400	SEK 8,187	SEK 10,642	SEK 140 (2025: SEK 133)
Umeå	SEK 5,583	SEK 7,325	SEK 8,751	SEK 121 (2025: SEK 116)
Gotland (including Visby)	—	—	—	SEK 124 (2025: SEK 116)
Sweden, all municipalities	—	—	—	SEK 124 (2025: SEK 119)

Sources: Statistics Sweden, rents by number of rooms⁷⁸ and by municipality⁵¹. The rooms table does not cover Gotland. In Stockholm’s inner city the median two-room rent is SEK 9,916⁷⁸. By our arithmetic, 60 m² at Stockholm’s median of SEK 148 comes to SEK 8,880 a month, about $883.

Rent estimate

What the Official Median Gives for Your Size

Choose a municipality and enter the floor area you want. The estimate multiplies Statistics Sweden’s 2026 median monthly rent per square meter in the existing rental stock by your area⁵¹, and converts at the Riksbank rate of October 2, 2026¹.

A median rent in the existing rental stock, including heating and water, not an offer. New-build apartments cost more, and we found no official statistic of second-hand or private rents⁵⁰.

Pay

The average monthly wage was SEK 42,900 in 2025, about $4,265⁷⁹, and the median SEK 38,300⁶⁴. Sweden has no statutory minimum wage; minimum pay is set in collective agreements⁶⁵.

Electricity

Sweden’s energy tax on electricity fell by almost 20% on January 1, 2026, to 36.0 öre per kWh before VAT, from 43.9^36,80. A proposal to keep 36.0 öre in 2027 has only been sent out for comment, as of October 4, 2026³⁶. In the first half of 2026, households in the 2,500 to 4,999 kWh a year band paid on average 330.38 öre per kWh in total, about SEK 3.30: 101.6 öre for the electricity, 126.7 for the network, 36.0 in tax and 66.08 in VAT. A year earlier the total was 294.45 öre; households using 5,000 to 14,999 kWh paid 263.47 öre⁸⁰.

Public transit

From July 1 to December 31, 2026, a state-funded scheme lets regions that take part sell monthly passes at half price⁸¹; in Stockholm it covers SL 30-day tickets bought from July 1 to December 1, 2026⁸². The table shows the ordinary prices.

Ordinary prices of adult transit passes in three cities, 2026. Checked October 4, 2026.
City and ticket	30 days	Other periods	Price valid from
Stockholm (SL), adult 30-day ticket	SEK 1,060	—	Ordinary price, unchanged in 2026⁸³
Gothenburg (Västtrafik), adult, one zone (zone A)	SEK 890	90 days SEK 2,405; 365 days SEK 8,900	June 9, 2026⁸⁴
Västerås (VL), adult, municipal ticket	SEK 720	County ticket SEK 1,260 for 30 days	January 9, 2026⁸⁵

In dollars, SEK 1,060 is about $105, SEK 890 about $88 and SEK 720 about $72. Västtrafik says it usually adjusts its prices at the start of the year⁸⁴, and VL’s 2026 prices took effect on January 9⁸⁵: check current fares before you budget. We did not verify pass prices in the other towns on this page.

Interest rates

The Riksbank’s policy rate was 1.75% as of October 4, 2026, applying from September 30, 2026; its next monetary policy announcement was due on November 4, 2026^86,87. Check the Riksbank’s policy-rate page for the current rate. Build your own full budget, line by line and in both currencies, in the Relocation Planner workbook.

Health care

Public Care by Residence, Private Cover Until Then, and Medicare

Swedish public health care is run by the regions and tied to residence: the Health and Medical Services Act requires each region to offer good care to people who live in the region⁴². People planning to live in Sweden for a year or more should in most cases be registered in the population register⁷³, which gives them a personal identity number⁷².

The insurance your permit requires

Work permits of a year or less: since June 1, 2026 you must have, or have applied for, comprehensive health insurance for your whole stay, covering emergency and other medical care, hospital stays, emergency dental care and medical repatriation^28,12.
Blue Card and ICT holders staying a year or less need comprehensive health insurance too^29,58, and since October 1, 2026 so do their family members staying a year or less¹⁸.
Visitors and job-seekers: a visitor’s permit needs medical travel insurance, and a permit to look for work after a master’s degree needs comprehensive health insurance^48,61.

If you will not be registered, ask the region where you will live how you will be charged before you rely on public care.

What public care costs

A cap on visit fees: the law limits what you pay in patient fees for outpatient care to 0.025 times the price base amount in any 12 months, rounded down to the nearest SEK 50, or a lower amount the region sets. With the 2026 price base amount of SEK 59,200, that is SEK 1,450, about $144, by our arithmetic; with the 2027 amount of SEK 59,600 it stays SEK 1,450^42,10,41. Patients aged 85 or over pay no fees for this care⁴².
A separate cap on prescriptions: for 12-month periods starting from July 1, 2025, you never pay more than SEK 3,800^39,40; you pay full price at first, then a falling share, and after that you get a free card. It applies to people resident in Sweden, and most parts also to people employed here who are not resident³⁹. E-hälsomyndigheten’s history table also shows SEK 2,950 for January to June 2026; the law’s formula gives SEK 3,800^39,40. By the formula in the law, 0.06463 times the price base amount rounded down to SEK 50, the cap becomes SEK 3,850 for 2027, by our arithmetic; E-hälsomyndigheten had not published a 2027 figure as of October 4, 2026^40,41.

The care guarantee and waiting times

By law, the care guarantee promises contact with primary care the same day, a medical assessment within three days when needed, a specialist visit within 90 days of a referral, and planned treatment within 90 days⁸⁸. In practice not everyone is seen within those limits: the Government reported in May 2026 that the number of patients who had waited more than 90 days for a first visit or an operation in specialist care fell by 30% between October 2022 and March 2026⁸⁹. As of October 4, 2026, Socialstyrelsen listed nine regions changing record systems, which can affect their figures: Blekinge, Dalarna, Gävleborg, Halland, Norrbotten, Sörmland, Västerbotten, Västernorrland and Örebro⁹⁰. Since July 1, 2026, primary-care patients must be told who their fixed care contact and fixed doctor contact are²².

In an emergency, call 112⁹¹.

Medicare does not follow you

“Medicare usually doesn’t cover health care while you’re traveling outside the U.S.”, and Medicare drug plans do not cover prescriptions bought outside the United States⁹². Whether to keep paying the Part B premium ($202.90 a month in 2026; a new amount applies for 2027) is a real decision: if you drop Part B and sign up again later, you pay an extra 10% for each full 12-month period you could have been enrolled but were not, for most people for life⁹³. Decide with your whole plan in view.

Taxes for Americans

Two Tax Systems, With a Treaty Between Them

Moving to Sweden adds a second tax system; it does not remove the first while you remain a U.S. citizen. The United States taxes its citizens on their worldwide income wherever they live⁹⁴. The two countries have an income tax treaty, signed in Stockholm on September 1, 1994 and amended by a protocol signed in Washington on September 30, 2005^5,95,96, and a Social Security agreement signed on May 27, 1985 and in force since January 1, 1987⁶. We read the treaty’s articles below as the U.S. Treasury’s Technical Explanation of 1994 and the 2005 Protocol, both published by the IRS, describe them^5,96. What follows is the map; the route is a job for a cross-border tax adviser.

When you become tax resident

The Income Tax Act makes you fully taxable if you live in Sweden, if you stay in Sweden continuously, or if you lived here before and keep substantial ties³⁸. Skatteverket explains continuous stay as at least six consecutive months; short breaks do not interrupt it. Fully taxable people pay Swedish tax on their worldwide income^97,38. If you later leave, Swedish citizens and people who lived in Sweden for ten years or more are presumed to keep substantial ties for five years³⁸.

People who are not resident but work in Sweden pay SINK, a flat tax of 22.5% for 2026 (25% in 2025), with no deductions^10,35.

Income tax on earned income, 2026

Municipal and regional tax is paid on all earned income above the basic allowance. In 2026 it averages 32.38%, from 28.93% in Österåker to 35.65% in Dorotea¹¹.
State income tax of 20% applies to taxable earned income above SEK 643,000, about $63,930 (SEK 625,800 in 2025). Before the basic allowance, that point is SEK 660,400 of income for people under 66 at the start of the year and SEK 760,500 for those 66 or older^10,35.
Basic allowance (grundavdrag): SEK 17,400 to SEK 45,600 for people under 66, and a raised allowance of SEK 65,800 to SEK 179,100 from 66; it is available only to people fully taxable for the whole year^10,98.
Other items: a general pension contribution of 7% of earned income, capped at SEK 47,100 and fully offset by a tax reduction; a burial fee of 0.292%; and a public-service fee of up to SEK 1,184. You must file a return if your income is SEK 25,042 or more¹⁰.

The Government’s 2027 budget bill was due by November 12, 2026⁹; 2027 tax rates and thresholds are on Skatteverket’s “Belopp och procent” page for 2027. The figures above are for 2026¹⁰. 2027 municipal rates: see Statistics Sweden’s “Kommunalskatterna 2027”, published in December 2026¹¹.

Income tax estimate

Estimate Swedish Income Tax for 2026

Enter your taxable earned income for the year, after the basic allowance, and your municipality’s total tax rate. The estimate applies the municipal and regional rate to all of it and 20% state tax to the part above SEK 643,000, each to the öre¹⁰. 2026 rates run from 28.93% to 35.65%; the average is 32.38%¹¹. Dollars use the Riksbank rate of October 2, 2026 (USD 1 = SEK 10.05791)¹.

A simplification, by our arithmetic, for a person fully taxable in Sweden for the whole year. It does not work out the basic allowance for you and leaves out every tax reduction, the burial and public-service fees, the 7% pension contribution and the reduction that offsets it, the rounding of a real assessment, the expert tax relief, capital income, and U.S. tax. Your adviser or Skatteverket works out the real figure.

Examples: 2026 tax on taxable earned income at the average municipal rate of 32.38%, before any tax reduction, by our arithmetic.
Taxable earned income	Municipal and regional tax	State tax	Total	Share
SEK 300,000 (about $29,827)	SEK 97,140	SEK 0	SEK 97,140	32.4%
SEK 500,000 (about $49,712)	SEK 161,900	SEK 0	SEK 161,900	32.4%
SEK 643,000 (about $63,930)	SEK 208,203.40	SEK 0	SEK 208,203.40	32.4%
SEK 800,000 (about $79,539)	SEK 259,040	SEK 31,400	SEK 290,440	36.3%
SEK 1,000,000 (about $99,424)	SEK 323,800	SEK 71,400	SEK 395,200	39.5%
SEK 1,500,000 (about $149,136)	SEK 485,700	SEK 171,400	SEK 657,100	43.8%

Expert tax relief: 25% of pay tax-free for seven years

The special tax regime for newcomers that we found is the expert tax relief (expertskatt), decided by the Taxation of Research Workers Board. With a decision, only 75% of your pay and benefits is taxed; moving costs, two trips home a year for you and your family, and fees for children’s schooling can be paid tax-free, and your employer’s contributions fall too^37,38.

Who: you are not a Swedish citizen; you were not resident or continuously present in Sweden in the five calendar years before the year your work starts; you intend to stay at most seven years; and your employer is Swedish or a foreign employer with a permanent establishment in Sweden^75,38.
The salary route: without any assessment of your duties, monthly pay above 1.5 times the price base amount of the year work starts: at least SEK 88,801 for work starting in 2026, about $8,829^66,38. For work starting in 2027, with the price base amount of SEK 59,600, that is more than SEK 89,400, about $8,889, by our arithmetic^41,38. Otherwise the Board assesses whether you are an expert, researcher or key person⁶⁶.
Deadline: the application must reach the Board within three months of starting work in Sweden⁷⁵. A decision usually takes about two months from a complete application⁹⁹.
How long: seven years from the day your stay in Sweden began; decisions made before January 1, 2024 were capped at five. Changing employer needs a new decision^37,38.

We found no special regime for retirees, remote workers or people living on investment income: the expert relief covers only pay from an employer that meets the conditions³⁸.

Capital income, your home and savings accounts

Capital income, such as interest, dividends and gains, is taxed at 30%¹⁰.
Selling a private home: 22/30 of the gain is taxed, so 22% in effect, and a loss is 50% deductible; deferral of the tax is capped at SEK 3,000,000¹⁰.
Investment savings accounts (ISK): from 2026 the first SEK 300,000 is tax-free; above it, the effective tax for 2026 is 1.065% of the capital base¹⁰. How the United States treats the funds you hold in one is a question for your U.S. tax adviser.

Pensions, Social Security and retirement accounts

Sweden taxes a resident’s pensions as income from employment, including pensions from abroad, with a credit for foreign tax where Sweden may tax them; a tax treaty can limit Sweden’s right⁹⁸. Under the U.S.–Sweden treaty, as the Technical Explanation describes it⁵:

The saving clause, and what it does not touch. Under article 1(4), the United States keeps the right to tax its citizens and residents as if the treaty did not exist, except for the provisions listed in article 1(5), which include article 19(2) on social security, article 23 on relief from double taxation and article 24 on non-discrimination⁵. The 2005 Protocol extends the saving clause to former citizens and long-term residents for ten years after they lose that status⁹⁶.

U.S. Social Security and other payments under a social security system, paid to a resident of the other country or to a U.S. citizen, are taxable only in the paying country (article 19(2)). U.S. Social Security paid to you in Sweden is therefore taxed only by the United States⁵.
Private pensions for past employment are generally taxable only in the country of residence, which would be Sweden (article 19(1)). Because the saving clause applies, the United States can still tax a U.S. citizen on the same pension or annuity, with relief from double tax under article 23⁵.
Relief from double tax: article 23(3) has special credit rules for U.S. citizens living in Sweden, which the 2005 Protocol extended to former citizens and former long-term residents^5,96.
Pension contributions: under article 19(4), a resident who is not a national of the country may deduct contributions to a pension plan in the other country, if the competent authority agrees the plan corresponds to a domestic one⁵.
U.S. government pensions are dealt with in article 20; ask your adviser how it applies to you^5,96.

A question for your tax adviser, not a rule we can state. We found no official Swedish or U.S. guidance on how a 401(k), IRA or Roth IRA payout is treated under article 19(1) or Swedish law. Settle the treatment of your accounts, and whether to take anything out before you move, with an adviser who knows both systems.

No inheritance, gift or wealth tax

Sweden’s inheritance and gift tax was repealed with effect from January 1, 2005⁴⁵, and its wealth tax from January 1, 2008⁴⁶. The property taxes that remain are covered under buying.

Social contributions and the totalization agreement

Employers pay 31.42% on gross pay in 2026; for employees born from 1938 to 1958 only the old-age pension charge of 10.21% applies. The self-employed pay 28.97%. From April 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027, a temporary employer rate of 20.81% applies to pay up to SEK 25,000 a month for employees aged 19 to 23 (born 2003 to 2007)¹⁰. Employees also pay the 7% general pension contribution, which a tax reduction offsets in full¹⁰.

The U.S.–Sweden Social Security agreement has been in force since January 1, 1987; a supplementary agreement signed in June 2004 (June 24 in SSA’s status table, June 22 in the agreement text SSA publishes) took effect on November 1, 2007^6,100. If you work as an employee in Sweden, you are normally covered only by Sweden and your employer pays only Swedish contributions; workers sent temporarily can stay covered at home with a certificate of coverage. Self-employed residents of Sweden are covered by Sweden, unless they move their business for five years or less. Credits in both countries can be combined to meet the benefit requirements; you need at least six U.S. credits¹⁰¹. U.S. benefit questions from Sweden go to the Federal Benefits Unit at the U.S. Embassy in Oslo, or through a Swedish social insurance office¹⁰¹.

What you still file in the United States

U.S. filings for citizens living abroad, tax year 2026. Sources: IRS and FinCEN, checked October 4, 2026.
What	The rule
Form 1040	Due April 15; citizens living abroad get an automatic extension to June 15 (interest still runs from April 15)⁹⁴.
Foreign Earned Income Exclusion	Up to $132,900 of earned income for 2026. It does not cover pensions, Social Security or investment income^102,103.
Foreign Tax Credit	Claim Swedish tax paid on Form 1116; no credit on income you excluded¹⁰⁴.
FBAR	Required when your foreign accounts together exceed $10,000 at any time in the year¹⁰⁵.
Form 8938 (FATCA)	For taxpayers living abroad: over $200,000 at year end or $300,000 at any time (single); $400,000 and $600,000 (joint)¹⁰⁶.

For U.S. tax preparation and planning, our sister brand eTaxNexus works with Americans abroad.

Questions to take to your tax adviser

On which date will I become fully taxable in Sweden, and does my former U.S. state still treat me as resident?
Does the expert tax relief apply to me, and will my employer apply within three months of my start date?
How will Sweden tax my 401(k), IRA and Roth IRA withdrawals, and should I take anything out before I move?
How do the Swedish and U.S. credits work on my private pension and investment income under article 23?
Should I hold Swedish funds in an investment savings account, given my U.S. tax position?
Which Social Security system covers my work, and do I need a certificate of coverage?

Renting and buying

Lease Rules, Buying as an American, and Short-Term Rentals

Renting from a landlord: the Tenancy Act

Leases from landlord companies and municipal housing companies, and sublets of a rental apartment, fall under chapter 12 of the Land Code, known as the Tenancy Act¹⁰⁷:

Notice: an open-ended lease of a home ends at the turn of the month that comes first after three months from notice¹⁰⁷.
Rent control: if the parties disagree, the rent must be reasonable, and it is not reasonable if it is noticeably higher than the rent for apartments of equal use value; mainly collectively negotiated rents are used for the comparison¹⁰⁷.
Key money is a crime: asking for, agreeing to or taking a separate payment for letting a home can be punished with up to two years in prison, and agency fees are capped at one tenth of the price base amount¹⁰⁷.
Sublets: a tenant who sublets a rental apartment can be ordered to repay rent above a reasonable level¹⁰⁷.
Deposits: we found no statutory cap on deposits in chapter 12, so agree the amount and its return in writing¹⁰⁷.

Renting from a private owner: the Private Letting Act

Since July 1, 2026, the Private Letting Act (2026:772) covers a private person letting a home. It does not apply if the owner regularly lets more than two apartments outside their own home, if they rent the apartment themselves, or to lets for leisure purposes. It replaced the 2012 Act on letting one’s own home, which still governs contracts signed under it²⁰.

Rent is agreed between you. The rent tribunal can lower it only if it is substantially higher than what is generally charged for similar private lets²⁰.
Index clauses are allowed, with at least a year between changes; rent is paid monthly in advance²⁰.
Notice: three months for open-ended leases, from either side, and a tenant may always end a fixed-term lease at a month-end with at least three months’ notice. Rent more than two weeks late lets the landlord terminate²⁰.
In writing if either side asks; we found no requirement to register a lease²⁰.

The same reform widened co-op apartment owners’ rights to sublet from July 1, 2026¹⁰⁸; ask the cooperative about its conditions before you sign.

Buying: open to Americans

The rules on registering title are broadly the same for foreign and Swedish citizens. For ownership changes from July 1, 2026, the buyer must give a Swedish personal identity number or coordination number when applying for title; a contract signed before that date can be used instead²¹.

Stamp duty on title: 1.5% for individuals (4.25% for companies) of the higher of the price and the previous year’s tax-assessed value, plus a SEK 825 fee^109,110.
Mortgage deeds: 2% of each new mortgage deed amount, plus SEK 375 per deed^109,110.
Co-op apartments (bostadsrätter): the Stamp Duty Act covers real property and site leaseholds¹¹⁰. A co-op apartment is a share in a housing cooperative, so ask your agent which charges apply to your purchase.
Mortgages since April 1, 2026: loans of at most 90% of the value on purchase and 80% when increasing an existing loan; amortization of 1% a year above 50% loan-to-value and 2% above 70%; first buyers of new homes may be exempt from amortization for up to five years³³.
Annual property fee on houses and owned apartments (ägarlägenheter): 0.75% of the tax-assessed value, capped at SEK 10,425 for 2026 (SEK 10,074 in 2025), about $1,036. New homes are exempt for 15 years. The cap follows the income base amount, so a new cap applies for 2027; it was not known as of October 4, 2026⁴⁴.
Selling later: 22/30 of the gain on a private home is taxed at 30%; see taxes¹⁰.

What property costs

Statistics Sweden publishes average prices of houses by municipality from tax-agency data. In 2025 a permanent detached or terraced house sold for an average of SEK 3,913,000 nationally, about $389,047, and SEK 8,850,000 in Stockholm, about $879,904; the 2025 figures are preliminary¹¹¹. Co-op apartment prices are published only for the metropolitan areas and counties: in 2025 the median resale price was SEK 2,295,000 nationally, SEK 3,500,000 in Greater Stockholm, SEK 2,750,000 in Greater Gothenburg and SEK 2,100,000 in Greater Malmö. Statistics Sweden warns that these averages do not adjust for size or location¹¹². Town-by-town house prices are in the places table.

Short-term rentals

The EU regulation on data sharing for short-term rentals, (EU) 2024/1028, has applied since May 20, 2026¹¹³. Lets for leisure purposes are outside the Private Letting Act²⁰. On September 9, 2026 the European Commission proposed an Affordable Housing Regulation that would set EU conditions for national limits on short-term rentals; as of October 4, 2026 it is a proposal only¹¹⁴. If you plan to rent a home to tourists, ask the municipality, your cooperative and a Swedish adviser about the current rules and the tax before you buy.

Our position on property. We take no developer or property commissions. We may receive a referral fee from some professional partners. It never changes what you pay, and we tell you when it applies.

Where to live

Eleven Places, Compared on Official Numbers

Sweden had 10,613,531 residents on July 31, 2026, and the municipality of Stockholm had passed one million¹¹⁵. We compare eleven places below on population¹¹⁵, rents in the existing stock⁵¹, house prices¹¹¹ and climate normals for 1991–2020 from SMHI, the national weather service¹¹⁶. Our groupings are starting points for a scouting trip, not verdicts.

Capital and U.S. Embassy

Stockholm, with 1,001,545 people in the municipality, is the largest city¹¹⁵, and the U.S. Embassy is there¹¹⁷. It is also the most expensive for buyers: houses averaged SEK 8,850,000 in 2025¹¹¹. The median rent in the stock is SEK 148 per m² a month⁵¹, and an SL 30-day ticket costs SEK 1,060 at the ordinary price⁸³. Pets arriving directly from the United States can enter at Arlanda³¹.

Consider: Stockholm · Uppsala

The West Coast

Gothenburg has 614,176 people¹¹⁵. Houses averaged SEK 7,154,000 in 2025, and the median rent is SEK 130 per m²^111,51. Its station is the wettest here, at 912 mm a year, with a January mean of 0.8°C (33°F)¹¹⁶. Landvetter is the other airport where pets from the United States can enter³¹.

Consider: Gothenburg

The Mild South

Malmö (368,651), Helsingborg (153,099) and the university town of Lund (131,413)¹¹⁵ have the mildest winters here: January means of 0.9 to 1.2°C at their stations¹¹⁶. Median rents run from SEK 134 to 146 per m², and houses averaged SEK 4,743,000 in Helsingborg and SEK 6,284,000 in Malmö^51,111.

Consider: Malmö · Lund · Helsingborg

Regional Cities, the North and an Island

Örebro had the lowest average house price here in 2025, SEK 3,850,000, with Linköping, Västerås and Umeå between SEK 4.1 and 4.5 million¹¹¹. Umeå, the northern university town, has the lowest median rent, SEK 121 per m², and the coldest January, −6.2°C (21°F)^51,116. Gotland, the island municipality that includes Visby, has 60,756 people¹¹⁵.

Consider: Örebro · Linköping · Umeå · Visby

Population on July 31, 2026 (whole municipality); 2026 median monthly rent per m² in the existing rental stock; 2025 average price of a permanent detached or terraced house, with the number of sales. Checked October 4, 2026.
Place	Population, Jul 31, 2026	Rent per m² a month, 2026	Average house price, 2025
Stockholm	1,001,545	SEK 148	SEK 8,850,000 (1,380 sales)
Gothenburg	614,176	SEK 130	SEK 7,154,000 (1,351 sales)
Malmö	368,651	SEK 146	SEK 6,284,000 (874 sales)
Uppsala	248,673	SEK 157	SEK 5,042,000 (858 sales)
Linköping	167,983	SEK 129	SEK 4,425,000 (681 sales)
Västerås	161,812	SEK 139	SEK 4,182,000 (784 sales)
Örebro	160,363	SEK 129	SEK 3,850,000 (633 sales)
Helsingborg	153,099	SEK 140	SEK 4,743,000 (681 sales)
Umeå	134,437	SEK 121	SEK 4,160,000 (687 sales)
Lund	131,413	SEK 134	SEK 5,782,000 (485 sales)
Gotland (Visby)	60,756	SEK 124	SEK 4,002,000 (358 sales)

Sources: Statistics Sweden population¹¹⁵, rents⁵¹ and house prices¹¹¹. These are municipality figures; urban and metropolitan areas differ, and Gotland’s figures cover the whole island. Since 2025, Statistics Sweden adds a small random variation to population figures to protect privacy¹¹⁵.

Climate normals 1991–2020 at SMHI stations: mean temperatures, the mean daily low in January and high in July, and precipitation. Checked October 4, 2026.
Place (temperature station)	January mean	July mean	January daily low	July daily high	Year mean	Precipitation a year
Stockholm (Stockholm)	−1.0°C (30°F)	18.7°C (66°F)	−2.9°C (27°F)	23.6°C (74°F)	7.9°C (46°F)	546 mm (21 in)
Gothenburg (Göteborg A)	0.8°C (33°F)	18.3°C (65°F)	−1.5°C (29°F)	22.4°C (72°F)	8.9°C (48°F)	912 mm (36 in)
Malmö (Malmö A)	1.2°C (34°F)	18.2°C (65°F)	−1.0°C (30°F)	22.7°C (73°F)	9.1°C (48°F)	658 mm (26 in)
Uppsala (Uppsala Aut)	−2.0°C (28°F)	18.2°C (65°F)	−4.6°C (24°F)	23.6°C (74°F)	7.1°C (45°F)	565 mm (22 in)
Lund (Lund)	0.9°C (34°F)	18.3°C (65°F)	−1.2°C (30°F)	23.2°C (74°F)	9.0°C (48°F)	676 mm (27 in)
Västerås (Västerås)	−2.2°C (28°F)	18.0°C (64°F)	−4.7°C (24°F)	23.0°C (73°F)	7.0°C (45°F)	606 mm (24 in)
Örebro (Örebro Flygplats)	−2.0°C (28°F)	17.5°C (64°F)	−5.0°C (23°F)	23.1°C (74°F)	7.0°C (45°F)	677 mm (27 in)
Linköping (Malmslätt)	−1.5°C (29°F)	17.2°C (63°F)	−4.4°C (24°F)	22.6°C (73°F)	7.1°C (45°F)	565 mm (22 in)
Helsingborg (Helsingborg A)	0.9°C (34°F)	17.6°C (64°F)	−1.4°C (29°F)	22.3°C (72°F)	8.7°C (48°F)	666 mm (26 in)
Umeå (Umeå Flygplats)	−6.2°C (21°F)	16.0°C (61°F)	−10.4°C (13°F)	20.9°C (70°F)	3.9°C (39°F)	635 mm (25 in)
Visby (Visby Flygplats)	0.2°C (32°F)	17.4°C (63°F)	−1.9°C (29°F)	21.6°C (71°F)	7.8°C (46°F)	533 mm (21 in)

Source: SMHI, normal values for 1991–2020, which SMHI labels preliminary¹¹⁶. The station used for each place is the choice of our researcher; Linköping’s is the Malmslätt airfield west of the city, and the precipitation figures for Uppsala, Örebro and Umeå come from nearby precipitation stations. Some stations’ records do not cover all 30 years. Fahrenheit and inch conversions are our arithmetic. Compare Sweden with other destinations.

Practical matters

Paperwork: ID Numbers, Banks, Driving, Pets and Schools

The population register and your personal identity number

If you move to Sweden and plan to live here for one year or more, you should in most cases be registered in the population register (folkbokföring)⁷³. You get your personal identity number (personnummer) when you are registered for the first time⁷². You apply online in Skatteverket’s “Moving to Sweden” e-service, at the earliest 14 days before you move, logging in with an e-ID; if you have none, Skatteverket suggests the Freja app. Every family member must then visit a service office in person for an identity check, with their passport and residence permit card. Skatteverket gives about four weeks as the time before a case officer is assigned⁷². Public health care is the responsibility of the region where you live; the Health and Medical Services Act requires each region to offer good care to people resident there⁴².

A coordination number for shorter stays

A coordination number (samordningsnummer) is for people who are not, and have not been, registered. You can apply for one yourself if you will stay less than a year and can show a need for it and a link to Sweden; you book an identity check at a service office. A coordination number that is not used becomes dormant automatically after five years; Skatteverket can renew it after a new identity check¹¹⁸.

The new state e-ID

Under a law in force from December 1, 2026, the Police will issue a state e-ID at the highest security level. It can be issued to foreign nationals registered in Sweden, from age 9^14,15.

A bank account

Consumers resident in Sweden or elsewhere in the EEA have the right to a payment account with basic features at Swedish banks. Banks may still refuse or close an account on anti-money-laundering grounds, for example when your identity cannot be verified⁷⁴. Once your foreign accounts together exceed $10,000 at any time in the year, you must file an FBAR in the United States¹⁰⁵.

Driving on a U.S. license

A U.S. license is valid in Sweden until you have been registered in the population register for more than one year⁵². It cannot be exchanged: Transportstyrelsen exchanges licenses from outside the EEA only from the United Kingdom, the Faroe Islands, Japan and Switzerland, and no U.S. state is on that list⁵³. Since May 1, 2026, an EEA license that was itself obtained by exchanging a license from outside the EEA can be exchanged in Sweden only in limited cases, for example if the holder had held a license for at least five years before settling in Sweden³⁰. Ask Transportstyrelsen early what you must do to get a Swedish license before your first year of registration ends.

Pets

The United States is among the countries outside the EU where, in Jordbruksverket’s words, the rabies situation is documented and monitored, so a dog or cat coming from the United States needs no rabies antibody (titer) test, though Jordbruksverket recommends one^31,119. For each animal^31,119:

An ISO microchip, implanted before the rabies vaccination.
A rabies vaccination at 12 weeks or older, then a 21-day wait after the first vaccination.
An EU health certificate issued or endorsed by an official veterinarian or the national veterinary authority (in the U.S., USDA APHIS) and used within 10 days, and the owner’s declaration. Certificates stamped from April 22, 2026 are valid for six months for travel within the EU, and a new certificate model must be used from April 1, 2027.
No tapeworm treatment is required.
Arriving directly from outside the EU, enter only through Arlanda (Stockholm) or Landvetter (Gothenburg) airport; if the pet enters the EU elsewhere, it is checked there and declared in the red channel in Sweden.
A move counts as non-commercial only if the pet travels with you or within five days of you, with at most five animals.

We found no official figure for a fee at the border check; ask the airport and your airline before you book.

Shipping your household

EU law gives relief from import duty on personal property when you move your normal residence to the EU, if you have lived outside the EU for a continuous 12 months, have owned and used the goods for at least six months, enter them within 12 months of moving (in several shipments if you like), and do not lend, pledge, hire out or sell them for 12 months without telling customs. Alcohol, tobacco, commercial vehicles and trade equipment are excluded¹²⁰. Ask Swedish Customs (Tullverket) about its form and whether VAT relief also applies before you ship.

Schools

Children resident in Sweden must attend school. Compulsory schooling starts in the autumn term of the calendar year a child turns six and lasts ten years, and public schooling is free¹²¹. From autumn 2028 the pre-school class is replaced by a new year 1 in a ten-year compulsory school; children born in 2022 will be the first to start in year 1⁴³. The Education Act also provides for international schools that follow another country’s or an international curriculum, mainly for pupils living in Sweden for a limited time; a child can meet compulsory schooling there in the cases the Act lists, for example a stay in Sweden for a limited time¹²¹.

Your U.S. services, and emergencies

The U.S. Embassy is at Dag Hammarskjölds Väg 31, Stockholm, phone 08-783 53 00. U.S. Citizen Services is open Monday to Friday, 8:00 to 16:30, except U.S. and Swedish holidays, and is reached through its online “ACS Navigator”¹¹⁷. Its services include passports, notarials, emergency help and federal benefits¹²².
For emergencies involving U.S. citizens, the Embassy’s line is +46 (0)8 783 5300 (from the United States, 011 46 8 783 5300), 24 hours a day; you can also call the State Department’s Overseas Citizen Services, 1-888-407-4747 from the U.S. and Canada or +1 202-501-4444 from abroad¹¹⁷.
In an emergency, call 112 for the police, rescue services and fire department. For non-urgent police matters, call 114 14^91,117.

Entry rules

Before the Permit: Visiting Under EES and ETIAS

Sweden has been an EU member since January 1, 1995 and a Schengen member since March 25, 2001². U.S. citizens need no visa for short stays: the United States is on the EU’s list of visa-exempt countries⁵⁵, and you may stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the Schengen area⁵⁴. At the border you may be asked for a passport valid for three months beyond your departure, a return ticket and SEK 700 for each day of your visit; Migrationsverket recommends medical insurance of at least EUR 30,000⁵⁴.

Since April 10, 2026 (after a gradual start on October 12, 2025), the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) has recorded visitors’ entries and exits with fingerprints and a facial image instead of passport stamps³². Once you hold a Swedish residence permit or long-stay visa, you are not registered in the EES; you show the permit with your passport¹²³.

As of October 4, 2026, ETIAS, the EU travel authorization for visa-free visitors, is not in operation, and the EU says it will announce the start date several months before launch. When it starts, the fee will be EUR 20¹²⁴. Check the European Commission’s page before you travel.

Timeline

A Realistic Twelve Months

Built backwards from the rules above, for a work permit in a job that is not classed as highly qualified, where 75% of complete applications decided in the last 12 months took up to four months, as of October 4, 2026; the plan allows the full four. Other permits have their own times, shown in the table above.

Months 12–9

Decide and test

Choose the permit and run the salary or funds check. Book a session with a cross-border tax adviser about your 401(k), IRA and pensions, and about the expert tax relief. Plan a scouting trip within your 90 visa-free days.

Months 9–6

Contract and application

Sign the contract and let your employer start the application. Buy comprehensive health insurance if the job lasts a year or less. Start pet preparations: microchip first, then the rabies vaccination, with 21 days to wait after it.

Months 6–2

Passport check and the wait

Show your passport at the embassy or by app. Allow up to four months for the decision. Meanwhile, look for housing; new-build rents are well above the official medians for the existing stock.

Months 2–0

Prepare the move

Get moving quotes: household goods enter free of duty only if you have owned and used them for six months and lived outside the EU for twelve. Arrange your pet’s EU health certificate for use within ten days, entering through Arlanda or Landvetter. Apply to the population register no earlier than 14 days before you move.

Arrival

Register and settle

Visit a Skatteverket service office for the identity check, and allow about four weeks before a case officer takes up your registration. Then open a bank account and find a health center. Apply for expert tax relief within three months of starting work.

By month 12

License, taxes, family

Get a Swedish license before your first year of registration ends. Put the Swedish return, the U.S. return (June 15 for Americans abroad) and the FBAR on the calendar. Enroll children: school is compulsory for children resident in Sweden.

Questions

What Americans Ask Us About Sweden

Does Sweden have a retirement visa?

No. As of October 4, 2026 we found no permit for retirees, people living on their own means or digital nomads in Migrationsverket’s list of permits or the Aliens Act^3,47. The published option without work or family ties is a visitor’s residence permit: at most six months in total for a tourist, or a year for a parent who no longer works visiting a child living in Sweden, with SEK 700 a day and no right to settle⁴⁸.

Can I live in Sweden and work remotely for my U.S. employer?

Not on a visitor’s footing. Migrationsverket says that if you are going to work in Sweden you need a work permit, whether you are employed in Sweden or abroad²⁸. We found no digital nomad permit³.

How much do I need to earn for a Swedish work permit?

At least 90% of the median salary when you apply: SEK 34,470 gross a month, about $3,427, since the median was updated on June 16, 2026, or SEK 28,725 in exempt occupations⁴. Pay must also be on par with collective agreements, and a Blue Card needs at least SEK 53,625 a month from July 15, 2026^28,57.

Can my spouse and children come with me on a work permit?

Yes. A spouse, registered or cohabiting partner and children under 21 can apply at the same time, and adults may work; you must meet the maintenance requirement²⁸. The two-year residence rule for family sponsors introduced on October 1, 2026 does not apply to work-permit holders¹⁶.

Will Sweden tax my U.S. Social Security?

No. Under article 19(2) of the U.S.–Sweden treaty, as the U.S. Treasury’s Technical Explanation describes it, social security payments are taxable only in the paying country, so U.S. Social Security paid to a Swedish resident is taxed only by the United States; that paragraph is an exception to the saving clause⁵.

What is the Swedish expert tax relief?

A decision from the Taxation of Research Workers Board that only 75% of your pay is taxed, for up to seven years. You must not be a Swedish citizen or have lived in Sweden in the previous five calendar years, and you must apply within three months of starting work^37,75. Without an assessment of your duties, the salary route needs at least SEK 88,801 a month for work starting in 2026⁶⁶.

Can Americans buy property in Sweden?

Yes, under broadly the same rules as Swedish citizens. For ownership changes from July 1, 2026 the buyer must give a Swedish personal identity number or coordination number when applying for title²¹. Title stamp duty is 1.5% for individuals, plus a fee of SEK 825¹⁰⁹.

Can I drive in Sweden on my U.S. license?

Until you have been registered in the Swedish population register for one year⁵². U.S. licenses cannot be exchanged: Transportstyrelsen exchanges licenses only from the United Kingdom, the Faroe Islands, Japan and Switzerland⁵³. Ask Transportstyrelsen early what you need to get a Swedish license.

How long until I can become a Swedish citizen, and can I keep my U.S. passport?

Since June 6, 2026 you need eight years’ residence, an income of at least SEK 250,200 a year for 2026 from work or business, and Swedish and civics knowledge unless you are 67 or older^7,49. Sweden allows dual citizenship⁸.

Do I need ETIAS to visit Sweden?

Not as of October 4, 2026: ETIAS is not yet in operation, and the EU says it will announce the start date several months ahead. When it starts it will cost EUR 20¹²⁴. The Entry/Exit System has recorded visitors’ entries and exits since it became fully operational on April 10, 2026³².

How do I get a Swedish personal identity number?

By being registered in the population register, which applies if you plan to live in Sweden for a year or more. You apply online no earlier than 14 days before moving and then visit a Skatteverket service office with your passport and residence permit card⁷². For shorter stays, a coordination number may be possible instead¹¹⁸.

Sources

Every Figure on This Page, and Where It Comes From

We use official sources only: Swedish laws in the Riksdag’s Code of Statutes; the Swedish Migration Agency, the Tax Agency, the Taxation of Research Workers Board and the Government Offices; Statistics Sweden, Sveriges Riksbank, the National Mediation Office and SMHI; the land registry, the Transport Agency, the Board of Agriculture, the Financial Supervisory Authority, the eHealth Agency, the National Board of Health and Welfare and the Police; Region Stockholm and the public transport authorities; the Embassy of Sweden in Washington; the EU; and U.S. federal agencies and the U.S. Embassy in Stockholm. Swedish-language titles are given in English. Each source was read on the date shown. Where official texts disagree, we say what each one says. If you spot something that has changed, email [email protected].

Search interest rates and exchange rates: USD, October 2, 2026 (series SEKUSDPMI: USD 1 = SEK 10.05791). Sveriges Riksbank. Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Sweden: EU member since January 1, 1995, Schengen member since March 25, 2001, currency Swedish krona. European Union. Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
You want to apply: the list of permit types. Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Salary requirements for a work permit (median salary table). Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Technical Explanation of the U.S.–Sweden income tax convention of 1994. U.S. Department of the Treasury, published by the Internal Revenue Service. Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Status of totalization agreements. Social Security Administration. Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Swedish Citizenship Act (Lag 2001:82 om svenskt medborgarskap), consolidated text amended up to SFS 2026:1689. Sveriges riksdag (Swedish Parliament), Swedish Code of Statutes. Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
What Swedish citizenship means (dual citizenship). Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
The central government budget (2027 budget timetable). Government Offices of Sweden (regeringen.se). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Amounts and percentages, income year 2026 (Belopp och procent 2026). Swedish Tax Agency (Skatteverket). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Municipal taxes 2026 (statistical news, December 15, 2025). Statistics Sweden (SCB). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
New rules for work permits now apply (news, June 1, 2026). Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Extending a work permit as an employee; applying for permanent residence. Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Committee report 2025/26:TU21, A state e-ID (new law in force December 1, 2026). Sveriges riksdag. Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
The Government introduces a state e-ID (press release, May 7, 2026). Government Offices of Sweden (regeringen.se). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
New rules for young adults and people who want to move to a family member in Sweden (news, October 1, 2026). Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Maintenance requirement for reference persons (2026 amounts). Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
New rules for family members accompanying employees (news, October 1, 2026). Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
New requirements regarding good conduct (vandel) for residence permits (news, July 13, 2026). Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Private Letting Act (Privatuthyrningslag 2026:772), in force July 1, 2026. Sveriges riksdag, open data. Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Title registration for foreign citizens and Swedish citizens who have emigrated. Lantmäteriet, the Swedish land registry. Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Legal changes strengthen primary care (press release, July 2026). Government Offices of Sweden (regeringen.se). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
New rules for researchers and doctoral students (news, May 25, 2026). Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Higher education studies. Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
New requirements for Swedish citizenship take effect (press release, June 6, 2026). Government Offices of Sweden (regeringen.se). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
New rules for Swedish citizenship from June 6, 2026 (Swedish news, May 6, 2026). Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
New median salary affects the salary requirement for work permits (news, June 16, 2026). Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Employees: work permits. Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
EU Blue Cards. Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Stricter exchange rules to counter license tourism (news, 2026). Swedish Transport Agency (Transportstyrelsen). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Bringing dogs into Sweden from non-EU countries where the rabies situation is documented and monitored. Swedish Board of Agriculture (Jordbruksverket). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Entry/Exit System (EES). European Commission, Migration and Home Affairs. Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Act 2026:226 on mortgage loan-to-value and amortization requirements, in force April 1, 2026. Sveriges riksdag, open data. Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
VAT on food lowered to 6 percent (news, 2026). Swedish Tax Agency (Skatteverket). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Amounts and percentages, income year 2025 (Belopp och procent 2025). Swedish Tax Agency (Skatteverket). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Ending the indexation of the energy tax on electricity (memorandum circulated March 24, 2026). Government Offices of Sweden (regeringen.se). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
About the tax relief. Taxation of Research Workers Board (Forskarskattenämnden). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Income Tax Act (Inkomstskattelag 1999:1229), consolidated text amended up to SFS 2026:1393. Sveriges riksdag (Swedish Parliament), Swedish Code of Statutes. Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
High-cost protection for medicines. Swedish eHealth Agency (E-hälsomyndigheten). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Act 2002:160 on pharmaceutical benefits, s. 5 (as amended by SFS 2025:578). Sveriges riksdag (Swedish Parliament), Swedish Code of Statutes. Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Price base amount for 2027 set (press release, September 24, 2026). Government Offices of Sweden (regeringen.se). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Health and Medical Services Act (Hälso- och sjukvårdslag 2017:30): ch. 8, s. 1 and ch. 17. Sveriges riksdag (Swedish Parliament), Swedish Code of Statutes. Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
A ten-year compulsory school. Swedish National Agency for Education (Skolverket). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Municipal property fee and property tax. Swedish Tax Agency (Skatteverket). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Act on Inheritance and Gift Tax (1941:416): repealed at the end of 2004 by SFS 2004:1341. Sveriges riksdag (Swedish Parliament), Swedish Code of Statutes. Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
State Wealth Tax Act (1997:323): repealed at the end of 2007 by SFS 2007:1403. Sveriges riksdag (Swedish Parliament), Swedish Code of Statutes. Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Aliens Act (Utlänningslag 2005:716), consolidated text amended up to SFS 2026:1752. Sveriges riksdag (Swedish Parliament), Swedish Code of Statutes. Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Visiting Sweden for more than 90 days (visitor’s residence permit). Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Swedish citizenship for adults. Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Rents in newly constructed rented dwellings by region, 2022–2025 (table TAB6421). Statistics Sweden (SCB). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Rent in rented dwellings by county and municipality, 2016–2026 (table TAB4590). Statistics Sweden (SCB). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Foreign driving licenses. Swedish Transport Agency (Transportstyrelsen). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Exchanging a license from the United Kingdom, the Faroe Islands, Japan or Switzerland. Swedish Transport Agency (Transportstyrelsen). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Visiting Sweden for up to 90 days (entry visa). Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Regulation (EU) 2018/1806, Annex II: countries whose nationals are exempt from the visa requirement (United States). EUR-Lex. Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Going to Sweden: visas and residence permits through the Embassy of Sweden in Washington. Embassy of Sweden in Washington, D.C. (swedenabroad.se). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
EU-blåkort (Swedish page: salary threshold from July 15, 2026). Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
ICT permits (intra-corporate transfers). Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Researchers. Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Self-employed people. Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Look for work or start a business (highly qualified people). Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Live with a partner in Sweden. Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Aliens Ordinance (Utlänningsförordning 2006:97), consolidated text amended up to SFS 2026:1746: fees (ch. 8, s. 5) and exempt occupations (ch. 5, s. 6). Sveriges riksdag (Swedish Parliament), Swedish Code of Statutes. Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Median salaries in Sweden. Statistics Sweden (SCB). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
The Swedish model and collective agreements (no statutory minimum wage). National Mediation Office (Medlingsinstitutet). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Conditions for tax relief: salary level. Taxation of Research Workers Board (Forskarskattenämnden). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Automatic citizenship for children. Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Regaining Swedish citizenship. Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Permanent residence permit. Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Long-term residents in Sweden. Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
How have the migration rules changed? (Swedish overview, April 29, 2026). Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Moving to Sweden: population registration (Flytta till Sverige). Swedish Tax Agency (Skatteverket). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Moving to Sweden (population register, in English). Swedish Tax Agency (Skatteverket). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
The right to a payment account. Financial Supervisory Authority (Finansinspektionen). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Conditions for tax relief. Taxation of Research Workers Board (Forskarskattenämnden). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Consumer Price Index (CPI), August 2026 (statistical news, September 14, 2026). Statistics Sweden (SCB). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Rents in rented dwellings 2026 (statistical news, October 2, 2026). Statistics Sweden (SCB). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Rent in rented dwellings by number of rooms for larger municipalities, 2016–2026 (table TAB4603). Statistics Sweden (SCB). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Average salaries in Sweden. Statistics Sweden (SCB). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Electricity prices for households by consumer category, half-years 2014–2026 (table TAB4310). Statistics Sweden (SCB). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
The Government halves the price of monthly public transport passes (press release, May 2026). Government Offices of Sweden (regeringen.se). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
From July 1: half price on 30-day tickets in public transport (SL). Region Stockholm. Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Regional board’s proposed 2026 budget for Region Stockholm (SL 30-day ticket unchanged at SEK 1,060). Region Stockholm. Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
The new prices (news, April 15, 2026). Västtrafik. Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
New ticket prices from January 9, 2026. VL, Västmanland public transport. Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Home page: policy rate 1.75%, next monetary policy announcement November 4, 2026. Sveriges Riksbank. Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Policy rate, deposit and lending rate (1.75% from September 30, 2026). Sveriges Riksbank. Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Health and Medical Services Ordinance (2017:80), ch. 6, s. 1: the care guarantee. Sveriges riksdag (Swedish Parliament), Swedish Code of Statutes. Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Health care queues continue to fall (press release, May 2026). Government Offices of Sweden (regeringen.se). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Specialized care: waiting times and the care guarantee (regions excluded from the statistics). National Board of Health and Welfare (Socialstyrelsen). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Contact the police (112 and 114 14). Swedish Police Authority (Polisen). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Travel outside the U.S. Medicare.gov. Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Avoid late enrollment penalties. Medicare.gov. Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
U.S. citizens and resident aliens abroad. Internal Revenue Service. Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Technical Explanation of the 2005 Protocol (signed at Washington on September 30, 2005). U.S. Department of the Treasury, published by the Internal Revenue Service. Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Protocol amending the U.S.–Sweden income tax convention (2005). Internal Revenue Service. Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
New in Sweden and will be employed here (tax liability). Swedish Tax Agency (Skatteverket). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Paying tax on a foreign pension (Betala skatt på utländsk pension). Swedish Tax Agency (Skatteverket). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Applying: the application process. Taxation of Research Workers Board (Forskarskattenämnden). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
U.S.–Swedish Social Security Agreement: text (supplementary agreement signed at Stockholm June 22, 2004; in force November 1, 2007). Social Security Administration. Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Agreement between the United States and Sweden (pamphlet). Social Security Administration. Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Figuring the foreign earned income exclusion. Internal Revenue Service. Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Foreign earned income exclusion: what is foreign earned income. Internal Revenue Service. Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Foreign tax credit. Internal Revenue Service. Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBAR). FinCEN, U.S. Treasury. Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Do I need to file Form 8938? Internal Revenue Service. Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Land Code (Jordabalken 1970:994), chapter 12 (the Tenancy Act), amended up to SFS 2026:1498. Sveriges riksdag, open data. Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Committee report 2025/26:CU31 on private letting and subletting of co-op apartments. Sveriges riksdag, open data. Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Stamp duty and fees (title and mortgage deeds). Lantmäteriet, the Swedish land registry. Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Stamp Duty Act (Lag 1984:404 om stämpelskatt vid inskrivningsmyndigheter). Sveriges riksdag, open data. Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Sold one- and two-dwelling buildings by region, 1981–2025 (table TAB1169). Statistics Sweden (SCB). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Sold tenant-owned flats by region, 2000–2025 (table TAB1151). Statistics Sweden (SCB). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Regulation (EU) 2024/1028 on data collection and sharing relating to short-term accommodation rental services. EUR-Lex. Official page. Checked September 27, 2026.
Commission proposal COM(2026) 599 for an Affordable Housing Regulation (Swedish text), published by the Riksdag. Sveriges riksdag, open data. Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Population per month by region, age and sex, 2025–2026 (table TAB6471). Statistics Sweden (SCB). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Data series with normal values for 1991–2020 (temperature and precipitation normals by station). Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Contact the U.S. Embassy (address, phone, emergencies). U.S. Embassy in Stockholm. Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Coordination number (samordningsnummer). Swedish Tax Agency (Skatteverket). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Bringing cats into Sweden from non-EU countries where the rabies situation is documented and monitored. Swedish Board of Agriculture (Jordbruksverket). Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Council Regulation (EC) 1186/2009: relief from customs duty (personal property). EUR-Lex. Official page. Checked September 28, 2026.
Education Act (Skollag 2010:800): ch. 7 and ch. 24. Sveriges riksdag, open data. Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
U.S. citizen services. U.S. Embassy in Stockholm. Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
Entry/Exit System fully operational from 10 April 2026: who is exempt. European Commission, Migration and Home Affairs. Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.
ETIAS, the EU travel authorization for visa-free visitors. European Commission, Migration and Home Affairs. Official page. Checked October 4, 2026.

General information, not advice. Quantum Jetset does not give legal, tax, immigration, financial or investment advice. Rules and costs change; check the official sources above and speak to a qualified professional before you act. Next scheduled review: April 2027.

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