Identity Documents in Sweden

Identity Documents In Sweden

There are several identity documents used in Sweden. None are compulsory by law, meaning that there is no formal penalty for not possessing one. Certified identification cards are issued by the tax agency. The police issues passports and national identity cards, but only for Swedish citizens. A Swedish driver's license, issued by the transport agency, is also accepted as an identity document. Banks sometimes issue identity cards for established customers or their children.

In Sweden, no law has been introduced about compulsory identity documents. However there is no law forbidding an authority or company to demand to see one, otherwise refusing service. Identity documents are needed in Sweden in certain commonly occurring situations, e.g. purchases using debit- or credit cards when not using a PIN, or picking up a package at the postal service representatives, or for age checking when purchasing alcoholic beverages, or to get medical care and medicines. A valid Swedish identity document is also required for opening a bank account or other situations where the use of Swedish personal identity number is required, although this varies from organisation to organisation. For certain situations, the law says that safe identification is needed, without saying how it should done. In these cases a Swedish identity document is usually expected by authorities like the police. A person found committing a crime like speeding or no bus ticket, having no identity document, will be taken to the police station and kept until the identity is certified (even if identity documents are not compulsory).