How to Open a Bank Account and Get BankID in Sweden: A Guide for Indians

Buddy Hive
7 min read · Oct 11, 2026

NoteThis guide gives you an overview of the process, so you know what to expect and can take each step with confidence. Things might change over time as authorities come up with new rules and fees. Before you apply, pay or sign anything always check official websites or call the respective authority if things are not clear. This guide was last checked in October 2026.

In Sweden almost everything runs through your bank. Your salary lands there, rent and bills are paid from it, and BankID, the e-ID the banks issue, is how you log in to Skatteverket, Försäkringskassan, 1177 and nearly every other service. Swish, which everyone uses to pay friends and small shops, needs BankID too.

For Indians the order matters: personnummer → Swedish ID card → bank account → BankID → Swish. This guide covers what banks ask for, why your Indian passport usually does not get you BankID, and what to do if a bank says no.

A person holding a brown wallet with bank cards Photo: Rann Vijay on Pexels

The journey at a glance

Get your personnummer and Swedish ID card first. Banks and BankID are built around them.
Choose a bank: one with a branch near you, or the bank your employer works with.
Apply or book a meeting: most newcomers without BankID meet the bank in person.
Answer the bank's questions: what the account is for and where your money comes from.
Get Mobile BankID: in the bank's app or at the branch, once the account is open.
Set up Swish and give your clearing and account number to your employer.

Step 1: Get your personnummer and ID card first

You can sometimes open an account without them, but you cannot get BankID without a personnummer, and most banks want a Swedish ID document before they issue it.

Personnummer: if you do not have one yet, start with our personnummer guide. A samordningsnummer is not enough for BankID.
Swedish ID card: see our ID card guide. It costs SEK 400 and takes about two weeks. A colleague can pay the fee for you before you have a Swedish account.

Why your Indian passport is not enough

There are two ways to get BankID, and an Indian passport fits neither well:

Digital ID check in the BankID app: you photograph your ID and scan its chip with your phone. Swedbank, for example, only accepts a Swedish passport or national ID card for this, and Handelsbanken only EU, EEA or UK documents.
At a branch: banks such as Handelsbanken and Nordea want a Swedish ID document. Handelsbanken states plainly that foreign ID documents are not accepted.

With a Skatteverket ID card you can get BankID at a branch meeting. From 1 December 2026 foreign residents can also get a new state ID card from the Police (see the ID card guide). Ask your bank whether it accepts that card for the digital check in the app.

Official sources: Handelsbanken: Mobile BankID (in Swedish), Swedbank: digital ID check (in Swedish)

Step 2: Choose a bank

The big banks, SEB, Nordea, Handelsbanken and Swedbank, all take newcomers. Danske Bank, Länsförsäkringar and the savings banks (sparbanker) do too. All of them offer BankID and Swish.

Ask your employer or HR. Many have a bank they work with, which can mean a faster meeting.
Pick a bank with a branch near you. Your first meeting is usually in person, and some branches are cashless and appointment-only.
Compare the monthly fee. Banks charge for an account package with a debit card, typically a few dozen kronor a month.
Wise and Revolut are handy for transfers to India, but they do not give you BankID. You still need a Swedish bank.

Step 3: Apply or book a meeting

How you apply depends on the bank. Two examples:

Nordea: fill in the online form for people without Mobile BankID. Nordea calls you within 10 working days and books a meeting at a branch, where you hand in the full application.
SEB: if you have a personnummer and a Swedish ID card, print and sign the customer form and post it with copies of your ID card and, as an Indian citizen, your residence permit card. SEB says processing times are longer than usual right now.

Other banks let you book a meeting online or by phone. If the first branch has no times, try another.

Official sources: Nordea: become a customer without Mobile BankID, SEB: new in Sweden (in Swedish)

Step 4: The meeting and the bank's questions

Bring:

Your Swedish ID card, or your Indian passport if you do not have one yet
Your residence permit card (UT-kort): as a non-EU citizen you must show it
Your work contract or an employment certificate, or your admission letter if you study
Your Swedish mobile number and address

Swedish money laundering rules mean the bank must ask you:

What the account is for: for example salary, rent and bills.
How much you will deposit and where it comes from: your salary, and any savings you bring from India.
Whether you will send money abroad, and to which countries. Say India if you plan to.
Where you pay tax.

These questions are routine. If you plan to move savings from India, bring an Indian bank statement showing where the money comes from. Large unexplained transfers are a common reason accounts get frozen.

Official source: Handelsbanken: good to know before you apply (in Swedish)

Step 5: Get Mobile BankID

Once the account is open:

At the meeting: ask the bank to set up Mobile BankID there and then. Bring the phone you will use.
Later: order Mobile BankID in the bank's app or internet bank, following the bank's steps.

You can have Mobile BankID on more than one device, and a BankID from one bank works with every service that accepts BankID. Never share your BankID code, and never log in or sign because someone on the phone asks you to. Banks and authorities never call you to do that.

Step 6: Set up Swish and tell your employer

Swish: connect your account and Swedish mobile number in your bank's app, then download the Swish app. Some banks need your Mobile BankID to be a few days old first. Swish is free for private persons.
Swish limits are set by your bank and are often low for new customers. You can usually raise them in the bank's app.
Salary: give HR your clearing number and account number so your salary is paid in. Most employers pay only into a Swedish account.

Your right to a basic account

Swedish banks must offer a basic payment account (betalkonto med grundläggande funktioner) to anyone legally resident in the EU or EEA, which includes you with a Swedish residence permit. It comes with a card and internet bank.

A bank can only refuse if money laundering rules stop it, for example if it cannot verify who you are or where your money comes from, or if there are other special reasons. If you are refused:

Ask for the reason in writing.
Complain to the bank, which must have a complaints officer (klagomålsansvarig).
Contact Finansinspektionen, which supervises the rule, or take the dispute to ARN, the National Board for Consumer Disputes. Konsumenternas Bank- och finansbyrå gives free advice.

Often the quicker fix is to try another bank, ideally with your employer's help.

Official sources: Finansinspektionen: the right to a payment account (in Swedish), Konsumenternas: right to a basic payment account (in Swedish)

After you have BankID

Log in to Försäkringskassan, 1177 and Skatteverket with BankID. See our Försäkringskassan guide for child allowance, parental benefit and sick pay.
Tell your Indian bank you are now an NRI so your resident savings accounts are re-designated as NRO. See our NRE and NRO guide.
Set up a cheap way to send money home, and keep records of transfers for tax in both countries.

Our free Sweden newcomer checklist puts all of these in order and tracks what you have done.

Common problems

"We need a Swedish ID document." Get the Skatteverket ID card first, then book the bank meeting. Your Indian passport will not get you BankID.
No meeting times for weeks. Try other branches, another bank, or ask your employer which bank they use.
The bank asks for more documents. Send them quickly. Applications often stall on proof of where money comes from.
Your salary is due before your account is open. Tell HR early, so payroll knows when your account details are coming.
Your new phone has no BankID. Order it again in the bank's app using BankID on your old phone, or visit a branch.
Your residence permit is about to expire. Banks may restrict your account. Apply for an extension in good time and show the bank the new card.

Useful official links

Common questions

Can I open a Swedish bank account without a personnummer?

Sometimes, but it is harder. Some banks accept a foreign passport plus your residence permit, or a samordningsnummer, but most build everything around the personnummer, and you cannot get BankID without one. Wait for your personnummer and Swedish ID card if you can.

Can I get BankID with my Indian passport?

Usually not. The digital ID check in the BankID app needs a Swedish passport or national ID card, and banks such as Handelsbanken only accept Swedish ID documents at a branch. Get a Swedish ID card first, then get BankID at a branch meeting.

Which bank is best for newcomers from India?

There is no single best bank. SEB, Nordea, Handelsbanken and Swedbank all take newcomers, and your employer may have a bank it works with. Choose one with a branch near you, as your first meeting is usually in person.

What documents do I need to open a bank account in Sweden?

Your Swedish ID card, Indian passport, residence permit card and personnummer. Banks also ask what the account is for and where your money comes from, so bring your work contract or an employment certificate.

Can a Swedish bank refuse to open an account for me?

Banks must offer a basic payment account (betalkonto med grundläggande funktioner) to anyone legally resident in the EU or EEA, unless money laundering rules stop them. If you are refused, ask for the reason in writing and complain to the bank, Finansinspektionen or ARN.

How long does it take to get a bank account and BankID?

Plan for one to three weeks. Booking a meeting can take a week or two, the account is often opened at the meeting, and you can usually get Mobile BankID the same day or as soon as your internet bank works.

How do I start using Swish?

Once you have Mobile BankID, connect Swish to your account and Swedish mobile number in your bank's app, then download the Swish app. Some banks require your BankID to be a few days old first. Swish is free for private persons.

Can my salary be paid before I have a Swedish account?

Ask your employer. Most pay salary only into a Swedish account, so tell HR early that your account is coming, and give them your clearing and account number as soon as you have them.