Getting BankID in Sweden: Requirements, Steps and Security

If you are new to Sweden, you will quickly notice that the country runs digitally – and the key to it all is called BankID. Whether you log in to the Tax Agency, book a doctor's appointment, pay with Swish or sign a rental contract: you will be asked for your BankID almost everywhere.

In this post we explain what BankID actually is, what you need before you can get it, how to get it step by step and what you really need to know about security.

What is BankID?

BankID is an e-legitimation – an electronic ID. Think of it as an ID card for the internet: it lets you prove who you are online and sign documents digitally in a legally binding way.

BankID is not issued by a government agency but by Swedish banks. Even so, it is by far the most widely used e-ID in the country and is recognised as a secure form of identification by the state.

Good to know: banks have no legal obligation to issue you a BankID. In practice, though, you will get one without trouble once you meet the requirements.

The different types: Mobile BankID, file and card

BankID comes in three forms:

• Mobilt BankID – the app on your smartphone or tablet. You confirm your identity with a code, fingerprint or face recognition. This is by far the most common option today.
• BankID på fil – BankID stored as a file on your computer. You need special software for it.
• BankID på kort – BankID on a chip card that you use with a card reader on your computer. This is mostly offered by some banks and used in a business context.

Our tip: go for Mobile BankID. Many services – above all Swish, the Swedish mobile payment system – require it, and you always have it with you.

Requirements: what you need first

BankID is the last link in a short chain. You need to have these things sorted first:

1. A personnummer – the Swedish personal identity number you get once you are folkbokförd (entered in the population register) with the Swedish Tax Agency (Skatteverket). A samordningsnummer (coordination number) usually won't do.
2. A bank account with a Swedish bank – you always get BankID through your bank. No customer relationship, no BankID.
3. A valid ID document that the bank accepts – more on that below.
4. An up-to-date smartphone that can run the BankID app.

If you are under 18, you need your guardian's consent. The rules for children and teenagers vary from bank to bank.

The ID question: why your foreign passport often isn't enough

This is where many newcomers get stuck. The quickest way to activate Mobile BankID is the digital ID check: you hold your ID document against your phone, the app reads the chip via NFC – done, without visiting a branch.

The catch: as of 2026, this only works with a Swedish passport or a Swedish national ID card issued by the Police. Swedbank, for example, states explicitly that a foreign passport, a Swedish driving licence or the Tax Agency's ID card will not work for this (Swedbank: digital ID check).

If you are not a Swedish citizen, this means: you visit a bank branch and identify yourself in person. Which documents are accepted differs between banks: some require a Swedish ID document (such as the Tax Agency's ID card), others also accept an EU passport. It is best to ask your bank beforehand.

That is why many newcomers apply for the Swedish ID card from Skatteverket first – it makes getting BankID easier and helps in lots of everyday situations. We explain how in our post about the Swedish ID card.

How to get Mobile BankID – step by step

1. Wait for your personnummer: Nothing works without it. Allow a few weeks.
2. Open a bank account: Choose a bank and open an account. Expect questions about where your money comes from and how you plan to use the account – that is standard in Sweden.
3. Order BankID: When you open your account at a branch, you can often order BankID straight away. Alternatively, order it through online banking or your bank's app.
4. Install the BankID app: Download the official "BankID säkerhetsapp" from the App Store or Google Play.
5. Activate it: Follow your bank's instructions. You choose a security code and can then enable fingerprint or face recognition.
6. Test it: Log in once to Skatteverket or your online bank – then you know everything works.

The costs are modest: many banks, Swedbank for example, issue Mobile BankID free of charge. A BankID is also only valid for a certain period (at Nordea, for example, five years) – your bank will remind you in good time to renew it.

What you need BankID for

The list is long. A few everyday examples:

• Government agencies: Skatteverket, Försäkringskassan (the Social Insurance Agency), Arbetsförmedlingen (the Public Employment Service), CSN and many municipalities
• Healthcare: 1177 – the healthcare portal where you book appointments, view prescriptions and contact your Vårdcentral (local health centre)
• Banking and payments: online banking, online card payments and Swish
• Contracts: rental agreements, electricity, internet, insurance
• Everyday life: parcel pick-up via apps, preschool and school portals, mail from authorities via a digital mailbox (digital brevlåda)

You are not completely stuck without BankID, but many things take much longer and have to be done with paper forms or in person.

Security: how to protect yourself from scams

Because BankID can do so much, it is also a popular target for fraudsters. The most common scam is phone fraud (vishing): someone calls you, pretends to be from your bank, the police or an authority and asks you to identify yourself with BankID "for security reasons". In reality, you are handing over access to your account.

The golden rules:

• Never open BankID because someone calls you and asks you to. Legitimate companies and authorities do not call you and ask you to log in.
• Never share your security code – not even with "the bank".
• Don't scan QR codes that someone sends you by phone or message.
• Always read carefully what you are confirming. The app shows whether you are logging in or signing something.
• Only use BankID when you yourself started the process.
• If in doubt: hang up. You don't have to be polite.

If it has happened anyway: call your bank's blocking hotline immediately (available around the clock) and report it to the police on 114 14. If the crime is happening right now, call 112. You can find more advice from the Swedish Police on phone fraud.

Talk about this with older family members who use BankID in Sweden too – they are particularly often targeted by these calls.

Looking ahead: Sverige-id as a state alternative

BankID is not the only e-ID. Alongside other private providers, from 1 December 2026 Sweden is introducing Sverige-id, a state-issued e-ID handed out by the Police. People who are folkbokförda in Sweden but are not Swedish citizens can apply for it too (Police: Sverige-id).

For everyday life, however, BankID will remain the standard for now – mainly because Swish and online banking depend on it.

Our conclusion

In Sweden, BankID is as important as your front door key. The order is: personnummer → ID card (recommended) → bank account → BankID. Without Swedish citizenship you will usually have to visit a bank branch to activate it, because the digital ID check only works with Swedish documents. Plan for that and it will be done quickly.

And above all: never confirm anything in the BankID app that you did not start yourself. That one rule protects you from the vast majority of scams.