How to Get BankID in Sweden as a Newcomer (2026 Guide)

To get BankID in Sweden you need three things: a Swedish personnummer, a customer relationship with a bank that issues BankID, and an ID document your bank accepts. There is no way to apply to BankID directly, and a samordningsnummer alone does not qualify. As of October 2026, the usual order for a newcomer is personnummer first, then a bank account, then BankID through that bank's app or branch. BankID is the digital ID that almost everything in Swedish daily life depends on, from logging in to the tax agency to using Swish, so getting it is one of the most important admin steps after you arrive.

This guide explains exactly who can get BankID, what the banks ask for, how Mobilt BankID works, what to do while you wait, and the alternatives (such as Freja eID) for people who cannot get BankID yet.

By Usman, an immigrant living in Sweden who built Smartly.se from first-hand experience of Swedish daily life. Last updated 24 October 2026.

What Is BankID?

BankID is Sweden's most widely used electronic ID. The Swedish bank consumer agency, Konsumenternas bank- och finansbyrå, describes it as a digital ID used to prove who you are online, comparable to an ID card or driving licence, and as the most common e-ID in Sweden. You use it to log in to services and to approve (sign) things such as payments and contracts.

BankID is not issued by the state. It is issued by banks, and each bank decides who it will give BankID to. That is why the process feels different at different banks, and why a rule you read in a forum may not apply to your bank.

BankID types

According to the same consumer agency, BankID comes in three forms:

Type	How it works	Where you see it
Mobilt BankID	Stored in a BankID app on your phone or tablet	By far the most common today
BankID på kort	A card used with a card reader and computer software	Older and rarer
BankID på fil	A file created on your computer	Older and rarer

Companies and authorities decide which types they accept, and each service decides which e-IDs it supports, so some services accept more than one e-ID. For a newcomer, Mobilt BankID is what you want. It is also what people mean when they search "mobilt BankID" or "BankID mobile".

Who Can Get BankID?

The consumer agency lists the basic conditions: you need a Swedish personnummer, you must be a customer of one of the issuing banks, and you must be over 18 (or have a guardian approve the application). Banks can also set their own extra conditions. A Swedish passport or citizenship is not required: a lawyer-answered Q&A on Lawline makes the point that what counts is the personnummer, not your nationality.

In practice, that means three gates:

A Swedish personnummer. You get this from Skatteverket (the Swedish Tax Agency) when you register as a resident. See our personnummer guide for how and when that is possible.
A bank account at a BankID-issuing bank. Banks that issue BankID include Swedbank, SEB, Nordea, Handelsbanken, Danske Bank, Länsförsäkringar Bank, ICA Banken, Skandiabanken and the savings banks, among others. See BankID's contact page for the current list. Compare options in our best banks for expats and bank comparison guides.
An accepted ID document, checked by the bank. BankID explains that an original identification is needed the first time you get a BankID, usually at a bank branch, often when you become a customer.

Can you get BankID with a samordningsnummer?

Not at the moment. Swedbank states on its own page that it is not possible to get Mobilt BankID with a samordningsnummer, because a Swedish personnummer is required. The Swedish Bankers' Association has argued in the past that a samordningsnummer is not secure enough as a basis for an e-ID, since there has been no Swedish ID document that proves a verified samordningsnummer (see the parliamentary question on this). Policy discussions about foreign ID documents for e-ID have been going on for years, but I could not find any bank that issues BankID on a samordningsnummer as of October 2026.

If you only have a samordningsnummer, read our samordningsnummer guide to understand what it can and cannot do, and see the alternatives below. Our Swish without personnummer guide covers what you can do for payments in the meantime.

How to Get BankID in Sweden: The Newcomer Path, Step by Step

Step	What to do	Notes
1	Register with Skatteverket and get your personnummer	You cannot skip this. See the personnummer guide.
2	Get a Swedish ID document if you do not have one	Banks may only accept certain documents. See the ID section below.
3	Become a customer of a bank that issues BankID	Each bank sets its own rules and procedures.
4	Order Mobilt BankID in the bank's app, in internet banking, or at a branch	Digital identity check or branch visit, depending on the bank and your documents.
5	Set up your security code and test it	For example, log in at Skatteverket or 1177.

I will not give a number of days for each step, because timing depends on your bank and on the Skatteverket processing queue, and I have not found an official figure for how long banks take to issue BankID. If a service has a deadline, ask the bank for a realistic estimate when you start.

Step 1: personnummer

Without a personnummer, banks will generally still let you open an account (many banks have a limited type of account for people who lack one), but you will not be able to get BankID or Swish on that account. The Karolinska Institutet guide to opening a Swedish bank account notes that a bank account opened without a personnummer has limited features and that you can upgrade it once you receive your personnummer and a Swedish ID card, which unlocks features such as BankID and Swish. Bring your Skatteverket decision when you go back to the bank.

Step 2: ID documents

This is the step where newcomers most often get stuck, so it deserves care. The honest answer is that the banks decide, the rules differ, and they have changed over the years.

What I could verify from official bank pages:

Handelsbanken says valid ID for people with a personnummer includes a passport, a Swedish driving licence, a Skatteverket ID card or a national ID card. Without a Swedish personnummer, you identify yourself with a valid foreign passport or national ID card, and non-EU/EEA citizens must also show a residence permit. These are Handelsbanken's rules for becoming a customer; see its page. That page does not spell out which ID document is accepted for BankID specifically.
Swedbank says you need a Swedish personnummer and an approved Swedish ID document that shows it. Its Mobilt BankID page also says a digital ID check, where you scan your passport or national ID card, is sometimes required.
SEB says that to get or renew Mobilt BankID you may need a Swedish passport or national ID card, which the app reads with your phone's NFC reader. If you have no BankID, no Swedish passport and no national ID card, SEB says you need to book a meeting with the bank. See SEB's BankID page.

What I could not verify: a complete, current list for every bank of which documents a newcomer on a foreign passport can use. A report from The Local in January 2022 found that several banks had tightened their rules for foreign citizens, with different banks accepting different documents (for example, some still accepted the Skatteverket ID card at a branch). That article is several years old, so treat it as background rather than a current policy.

Practical rule: before you travel to a branch, call or message your bank and ask exactly which documents it will accept for a first BankID for someone with your passport and your personnummer. Write down what you were told. If the answer is "a Swedish ID card", move to the next step.

Step 3: the Swedish ID card question

Many newcomers have a foreign passport as their only ID. Two Swedish-issued options are relevant:

Skatteverket ID card (see our Swedish ID card guide). Skatteverket's FAQ says anyone registered in Sweden (folkbokförd) who is over 13 can apply, regardless of citizenship, by visiting a Skatteverket office that issues ID cards in person and paying the application fee beforehand. Check the current fee, booking process and processing time on Skatteverket's site, since I could not confirm up-to-date figures.
Police-issued national ID card. Swedish citizens use the national ID card issued by the Police (Polisen). It is not for foreign nationals who are not citizens.

A change coming on 1 December 2026. The Police Authority is launching a state e-ID called SverigeID (see the Police page on SverigeID). According to the Police, both Swedish citizens and people registered in Sweden without Swedish citizenship can apply, from 1 December 2026, at the highest assurance level. For registered non-citizens it is linked to an ID card without travel function, and booking is by phone (114 14), opening on 1 November 2026, at selected police stations. The Police page says the card will, according to a government proposal, replace Skatteverket's ID card for registered residents. The government press release of May 2026 confirms the Police will issue the state e-ID and that foreign nationals registered in Sweden are eligible.

Be careful with what this means. SverigeID is a state e-ID, not BankID. It is not issued through your bank, and the pages I read do not say that it replaces BankID or that Swedish banks will give you BankID on the basis of it. It also seems aimed at people who are already registered residents, so I do not read it as a route for samordningsnummer holders. Treat it as something to watch, not as your BankID plan.

How to Order Mobilt BankID Once You Qualify

The exact clicks differ by bank, but the shape is the same.

Install your bank's app and log in with whatever login method you already have (for example a security device or card reader).
Find the BankID option in the app or internet bank. Banks use wording like "Skaffa Mobilt BankID" or "Beställ nytt Mobilt BankID".
Complete the identity check the bank asks for. This may be a scan of an ID document or a branch visit.
Download the BankID Säkerhetsapp (the "BankID Security App") from your app store and follow the instructions to link it to your order.
Choose a security code. Keep it private. BankID will ask for this code or biometrics every time you approve something.

Swedbank states that Mobilt BankID is free to get, and that the only possible cost is mobile data use. I did not find a stated price at other banks' BankID pages, so check your own bank's price list. Swedbank also notes that you can have up to three active Mobilt BankID at once.

Using BankID with a foreign phone or SIM

I could not find an official BankID page that settles whether a non-Swedish SIM or phone number is accepted. What I could verify is that SEB advises that you may need to set your phone's app store region to Sweden to download the BankID app. Whether you need a Swedish number depends on your bank, so ask the bank directly before relying on your home number. If you do not yet have a Swedish number, see our guide to mobile plans in Sweden for newcomers.

Moving BankID to a new phone

Per SEB's instructions, you can move BankID to a new device by turning on Bluetooth on both phones, identifying yourself with your security code in the app on the old device, and choosing "Flytta". BankID will then no longer work on the old device. Do this before you sell, reset or lose access to your old phone.

What You Use BankID For

Once you have it, BankID is used to log in to or sign in a long list of services. Examples that matter for newcomers:

Skatteverket: logging in to e-services and signing your tax return (Skatteverket's e-legitimation page explains that an e-ID is used to log in and sign). See our tax in Sweden guide.
Healthcare: registering and booking appointments on 1177. See healthcare in Sweden.
Banking: logging in to your bank, approving payments, opening savings and investment accounts.
Swish: the payment app relies on BankID. See Swish without personnummer.
Authorities and companies: booking your driving test, signing contracts, signing in to pension and payslip services.

Each service decides which e-IDs it accepts, so BankID is the default but not always the only option.

What If You Cannot Get BankID Yet?

If you are still waiting for a personnummer, or you only have a samordningsnummer, you are not locked out of everything. Here are the practical options.

Option	Who can use it	Limits
Freja eID (Freja+)	People with a Swedish personnummer, or a verified samordningsnummer for people from the EU, EEA and Great Britain	Not accepted everywhere. Accepted only in some of Skatteverket's services, per Skatteverket.
Freja eID (basic or ID-document level)	Anyone with an email (basic) or a supported ID document (middle level)	Low acceptance. Skatteverket says the basic version is accepted by only a few of its services.
Bank account without BankID	People without a personnummer	Limited features. Upgrade later.
Login by other means	Depends on the service	Some services offer a password, one-time code or paper process.
Visit the service in person	Anyone	Slower, and not available for everything.

Freja eID in more detail

Freja eID is a private e-ID app. According to Freja, it comes in three levels:

Registration with an email address, available to everyone.
Verification with an ID document, a selfie and a check that you are a living person, available for users from a certain list of countries.
Freja+, available to users with a Swedish personnummer or a verified samordningsnummer for people from the EU, EEA and Great Britain. If you have a personnummer and register with a passport or a Swedish national ID card, you will in most cases get Plus directly. If you use a Swedish driving licence or a Skatteverket ID document, you must do a physical ID check to get Plus.

For a samordningsnummer, Freja describes the steps: get a verified samordningsnummer through a personal visit to Skatteverket, register in the Freja app with your EU/EEA passport, add the samordningsnummer in the app, and wait for a PIN envelope to arrive by post (Freja says it comes after a few days) at the address you gave Skatteverket. Freja notes that this method does not work if you already have a Swedish personnummer. At that point, you should use a Swedish ID document to get Freja+ instead.

Skatteverket confirms that Freja can be used in some of its services without a Swedish e-legitimation, and that Freja+ is only available to people with a personnummer or a samordningsnummer at a verified identity level. For most other e-services, Skatteverket says a Swedish personnummer and a Swedish e-legitimation are required. Check each service you need, and check the current price on Freja's own site, because I could not verify it.

Common Mistakes Newcomers Make With BankID

Arriving at the bank without checking the ID rules. The most common failure is a branch visit that ends with "we cannot accept that document". A two-minute call or chat beforehand saves a wasted trip.

Assuming a samordningsnummer is enough. It is useful for many things, but BankID is built around the personnummer. Do not plan an important deadline around getting BankID on a samordningsnummer.

Treating a limited account as a full account. A bank account without a personnummer is better than nothing, but it does not come with BankID. Upgrade it as soon as your personnummer is registered.

Believing old forum advice. Banks changed their ID rules for foreign citizens around 2022, and different banks have different practices. If a post is more than a year old, verify it with the bank.

Sharing your security code or approving requests you did not start. BankID is only as safe as your behaviour. Never approve a login or signing request that you did not start yourself, and never give your code to someone on the phone, even if they say they are from your bank or from the police. BankID has a page on identity theft.

Forgetting to move BankID before changing phones. See the steps above.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get BankID in Sweden as a newcomer?

You need a Swedish personnummer, a customer relationship with a BankID-issuing bank, and an ID document your bank accepts. Register with Skatteverket for a personnummer, open a bank account, then order Mobilt BankID through the bank's app, internet bank or a branch. The bank may do a digital ID check or ask you to visit in person.

Can foreigners get BankID?

Yes, if they have a Swedish personnummer. Citizenship is not a condition. What matters is the personnummer, the bank's own requirements and an accepted ID document. Without a personnummer, you cannot currently get BankID, and some alternatives such as Freja eID exist.

Can I get BankID with a samordningsnummer?

Not at present. Swedbank says on its own site that it is not possible to get Mobilt BankID with a samordningsnummer. I did not find any bank that issues BankID based on a samordningsnummer as of October 2026. Freja+ is the closest alternative if you are an EU/EEA or UK citizen with a verified samordningsnummer.

Is BankID free?

Swedbank states that getting Mobilt BankID is free, with the only possible cost being mobile data use. I could not verify the price at every bank, so check your own bank's price list.

What is the difference between Mobilt BankID and BankID på kort?

Mobilt BankID is stored in an app on your phone or tablet. BankID på kort is a physical card used with a card reader and computer software. Mobilt BankID is far more common today, and it is what most people mean when they say "BankID".

Can I get BankID before I have a Swedish bank account?

No. BankID is issued through a bank, so you must be a customer of an issuing bank first. Some banks let you open an account without a personnummer, but that account will not include BankID until you have one.

How long does it take to get BankID?

I could not find an official processing time. Once you have a personnummer and an accepted ID, ordering can be done digitally at some banks and in person at others. Ask your bank for an estimate and plan around uncertainty.

Can I use BankID with a foreign phone number?

I could not verify this from an official source. SEB notes that you may need to set your phone's region to Sweden to download the app. Ask your bank whether a foreign phone number or SIM works for you.

What is SverigeID, and will it replace BankID?

SverigeID is a state e-ID launched by the Police on 1 December 2026, available to Swedish citizens and people registered in Sweden. It is not the same as BankID, and I found nothing saying it replaces it. See the Police page for details.

Hur får man BankID som nyanländ i Sverige?

Du behöver ett svenskt personnummer, vara kund hos en bank som utfärdar BankID och kunna legitimera dig med en id-handling som banken godkänner. Ett samordningsnummer räcker inte. Kontakta din bank innan du går till kontoret och fråga vilka id-handlingar de godkänner.

Summary

BankID requires a Swedish personnummer. A samordningsnummer is not enough at the banks I checked.
You get BankID through a bank. Be a customer first, then order Mobilt BankID in the app, online or at a branch.
ID rules differ by bank. Ask before you visit, and write down the answer.
Mobilt BankID is what you want. The card and file versions are older and rarer.
Swedbank says it is free. Check your own bank's price list.
Freja+ is a partial substitute for people with a personnummer or a verified samordningsnummer (EU/EEA/UK).
Watch SverigeID from 1 December 2026, but do not confuse it with BankID.
Keep your security code private and never approve requests you did not start.