My partner and I (couple in our early 30s, no kids) are flying into Stockholm for around 10 days over Christmas and New Year's. We are trying to decide whether it's worth splitting our time to head up north for 3–5 days or if we should stick to the south (Stockholm, Gothenburg, Uppsala, etc.) and maybe even check out Copenhagen, Oslo, or Helsinki.

A bit about us:

• City & Culture: We love wandering cities, checking out architecture, visiting museums, drinking good coffee, and trying local restaurants/markets.
• Winter Activities: We live in Minnesota in the US, so typical Arctic activities (dog sledding, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling) aren't high on our list since we do those at home.
• Alpine Skiing: We’d love to get a couple of days of downhill skiing in, but we aren't sure how realistic/worthwhile conditions are that early in the season, or where makes the most sense without going out of our way.
• Northern Lights: Catching the lights would be a huge plus, but we aren't sure if that alone justifies making the trip up north.

A few questions for the locals/experienced travelers:

1. Is 3-5 days up North (Kiruna/Abisko/Åre) worth it for us? Aside from the lights, is there unique architecture or cultural stuff up north that makes it worthwhile given our preferences?
2. Skiing? How reliable are ski conditions around Christmas/New Year? Are major resorts (like Åre or Sälen) fully up and running, or is it better to skip skiing entirely on a holiday trip?

Appreciate any advice or recommendations on how to structure this.

Hello everyone! I'm going on a city break to Stockholm with my cousin, and I'm torn between Fotografiska and the Nobel Prize Museum. Which one do you think is a must-see for tourists? Thank you!

In the US, we have gifts cards like Visa gift cards that can be used anywhere that Visa is used. Is there an equivalent to such in Sweden? A friend is going through a rough patch and I want to send her a gift card she can use anywhere.

Thanks for any ideas!!

Moving to Sweden later this year and I'll be starting a B licence from zero. I've read Transportstyrelsen's pages but a few things I can only get from people who've done it:

1. Körkortstillstånd on a samordningsnummer. NTF's FAQ says a samordningsnummer is enough for the permit, so you don't have to wait for the personnummer. Has anyone actually done that? Did Transportstyrelsen request the number for you, or did you get it from Skatteverket first?
2. Timings. Skatteverket says about 6 weeks before a move-to-Sweden application even gets a case officer. How long did it really take you from arrival to personnummer, then ID card, BankID and permit? Any tricks that sped it up?
3. English. Has anyone done lessons and the risk courses in English outside Stockholm? And was the driving test manageable with limited Swedish, or did you need more than the basic instructions?
4. Private practice. My partner will be my supervisor once their EU licence is sorted. How long did the handledare approval take, and did you mostly go private or driving school?

Thanks for any experience, good or bad!

NB: fully intending to learn the language, but I'll be quite rural so need to sort the license ASAP

Hi! Canadian here.

I had met a Swedish boy online and I had stayed with him for two weeks this month in Sweden. We had discussed that we want to take each other seriously and look into ways I would be able to move to Sweden so we can have a future together.

I am still young, I'm under 20 and I haven't gotten a degree yet since I don't have that kind of money as I'm an orphan and financially independent. I have looked into the holiday visa, but I am scared that nobody would take a second look at my resume. I have worked at a pharmacy behind the desk as an assistant and I am working as the primary health and beauty worker right now at a grocery store. Without a college or university degree, I feel a bit hopeless.

We have spoken about a relationship visa, however, I do not want to put all financial responsibility onto him. I do not want him to pay the bills by himself, groceries etc. I truly do want to help and make us a team effort.

I have been learning Swedish for the past 8 months, I have numerous textbooks but I am not up to fluency but I study everyday to get better.

Does anyone have any advice or where to lead us in the correct direction?

Hi everyone!

My partner and I are new to Sweden and have won the bidding on a 5–6-year-old bostadsrätt. The apartment looks well maintained, the BRF owns the land, and our mortgage financing is arranged.

Before signing the contract, we’d appreciate some advice:

1. Inspection: Is a professional inspection worth it for a relatively new apartment? What should we check, especially in the bathroom, plumbing and ventilation?
2. BRF finances: Which figures in the annual report should we look at to assess the association’s financial health and the risk of fee increases?
3. Documents: Besides the annual report, should we review the maintenance plan, statutes or anything else?
4. Hidden costs: What additional expenses should we budget for beyond the mortgage, monthly fee, electricity and insurance?
5. Next steps: What should we do between winning the bidding, signing the contract and getting the keys?

For those who have bought an apartment in Sweden, what do you wish you had known beforehand? Any tips or common mistakes to avoid would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

Hi everyone!
I’ll be visiting Stockholm with my girlfriend and a few friends, and her birthday happens to fall during our trip. I’d love to organise a nice birthday dinner followed by drinks somewhere with a good atmosphere.
Ideally, we’re looking for is somewhere that allows you to bring your own birthday cake, or offers the option to order one in advance or a good cocktail bar where we can continue the evening after dinner.
We’re not necessarily looking for fine dining or anything overly fancy, just somewhere with great food, a lovely atmosphere and good drinks that would make the occasion feel special.
**Do restaurants in Stockholm generally allow you to bring your own birthday cake, as is quite common in Turkey?** If so, are there any places you’d recommend? We’d also be happy to hear about any great spots for after-dinner cocktails or wine.
Thanks in advance for your recommendations!

Hi all,

I recently got laid off, July to be specific and now applied for A-kassa(union) and got denied this Friday.
They said they can’t give it to me if I am studying 💯.

So for the past year, I have been taking a self paced degree, which I hope to complete next summer or autumn and normally took breaks in between when work got so demanding. This semester I decided to go full blown as I wasn’t sure when my next job will come around. I had paused this particular module so j decided this semester, I will finish the remaining 22.5 credits left, since I get rejections every morning. While I was working full time, I still managed to do 15 credit a semester.
I did send in this information but they claimed I didn’t study for 16week

I have had this job I got laid off for year and was earning quite decently, 65k after taxes.
I genuinely think it’s unfair to deny me support that I have been paying for for 8yrs because I am studying.

Living in Stockholm is already so expensive and if I got CSN I wouldn’t afford the same lifestyle on that money. 13k an adult. My rent is already relatively high. I have adjusted to a cheaper student apartment that’s 8k and still the balance left off what I would presumably get from CSN wouldn’t even last a month.

I don’t understand as this insurance we presumably pay for can’t be leaned back on when we lose our job.

Has anyone had to appeal or negotiate this kind of situations?
I can’t lie I am getting depressed from having to deal with these things.

I am coming to stockholm on exchange next year, and am looking to commute with an ebike which from google maps with regular cycling will take about 15minutes I am only staying for six months so would like to ask for some recommendations and advice.

1) Where can I buy E-bikes in stockholm?

2) Which bikes should I get?

3) Is there any safe place to park in stockholm university?

4) Can I resell the bike before I leave if so where?

Thank you

Edit: Thanks for all the replies and suggestions will take note especially of the parking :)

Where I stay it would be easier and faster to bike than to take public transportation hence the consideration. Social Travel will mainly be to and fro the airport so will research more on the SL pass thank you all for the recommendations.

I am concerned about a big uphill incline on the way but will study the route more when I'm in stockholm before deciding.

Min dotter föddes i ett annat land och vi ska flytta hem. Hon har ett svenskt pass med samordningsnummer, hon är 5 månader, jag är svensk. På Skatteverket står det bara att det tar upp till 5 veckor innan ansökan hamnar hos handläggare, men hur lång tid tar det sen? Någon som har erfarenhet?

Hej! I uploaded my documents as soon as the portal opened, and I would like to hear about your application experience (Masters). If UA sent you a message regarding your documents, how many weeks did it take for them to do so? I've read that if you don't get a message, then you can assume you're clear. But they stated that times will vary so I'd love to hear about your timeline.

Tack!

Hej allihopa! Jag är en Greek-utbildad läkare som vill flytta till Sverige för ST-tjänst (och permanent om allt går bra). Jag ska ta Swedexprovet - C1 nivå om en vecka. Jag trot att jag kan inte tillräckligt svenska for att prata med patienterna dagligen, eftersom jag har studerat svenska bara i två år. Jag skulle vilja fråga er:
1. Är det möjligt för mig att flytta till Sverige och stanna dit i en månad, för att ta svenska lektioner? Till exempel från folkuniversitetet osv
2. Skulle jag kontakta vårdcentraler där jag ville arbeta på och fråga dem om de erbjuder lektioner?
3. Skulle jag stanna i Grekland, fortsätta lektionerna med min grekiska lärare och ta extra lektioner online på medicinska svenska?
Förlåt mig för eventuella misstag.
Tack så jättemycket!!!

I am having an interview this Monday for a 6-month junior-level contract with a Swedish bank. While they do have two posts open, one in London and one in Stockholm (for context, I am based in the UK and am being put forward for the London role), I thought I would pitch the idea of moving to their Stockholm office for a bit, should that be a viable option.

I've been to Stockholm before and fell in love with the city, which is why I'm now considering moving there for 6 months. However, before I get to the idealisms, I want to understand how easy or difficult it is to secure a temporary work visa in Sweden, and whether that's even possible for Swedish financial companies.

I would like to get a good idea before I make a realistic-ish pitch to them, and all my conversations with the role so far has been with my headhunter/recruiter!

Hi everyone,

Someone with a Swedish work permit may be laid off and has a 2-month notice period. The employer is offering *arbetsbefriad* (no work duties during the notice period), while continuing to pay the full salary and benefits until the employment officially ends.

They have a few questions:

1. Would being *arbetsbefriad* while still employed and receiving full salary and benefits violate their work permit conditions?
   
2. Does the 3-month period to find a new job start only after the 2-month notice period ends?
   
3. Has anyone experienced a similar situation or received clarification from Migrationsverket?

They want to make sure everything is handled correctly and that their work permit is not put at risk in case they find a new employment.

Thanks in advance for any advice or personal experiences!

I am an EU citizen who intends to move to Sweden soon, and hopefully with my girlfriend (who is NOT an EU citizen). However, I read that we are required be married for her to get her residence permit without a work visa. Is that the case? Or is it possible even without us being married/legally together? We've been in a serious relationship for years, and have always considered moving to Sweden, so it'd be nice to know.

Thank you in advance!

Hej allihopa!

I've been looking into studying for a Masters in Stockholm and potentially relocating to Sweden long-term but I'm quite perplexed whether this is the right choice on a practical level.

For context - I'm an EU student in Computer Science. Getting here would be no problem and tuition would be completely free for me. I also speak Norwegian which is generally mutually intelligible with Swedish (I'm considering Oslo as an option too but I digress).

My main concerns are the practicalities of living in Stockholm. I've heard time and time again that finding accommodation is a nightmare and that it's incredibly cliquey socially. Furthermore, the high unemployment rate isn't particularly reassuring.

I have savings to support myself initially but will need a part-time job alongside my studies at some point and, ideally, a proper full-time one after graduating if I choose to stay.

I don't expect moving to be easy but it seems like there are a lot of factors piling up where I'm seriously reconsidering this option.

I wanted to ask what your experiences are and any advice on the matter? I'd love to hear from people who've made a similar move.

Tack så mycket!

Hi everyone, I’m looking for firsthand experiences with a Swedish work permit application involving a recruitment advertisement problem.

My situation:

• I’m a non-EU graduate of a Swedish university. I applied for a post-study job-seeking residence permit before my student permit expired.

• After finding a job, I asked Migrationsverket to change my application to a work permit application. I have already started working.

• The position was advertised on the company’s website and LinkedIn before I was hired. However, the employer cannot verify that the original Platsbanken advertisement was successfully published.

• Migrationsverket has sent a notice of possible refusal because of the advertising requirement. I have submitted additional recruitment evidence; there is no final refusal yet.

My employer wants to keep me. The position has since been advertised again on Platsbanken. Our backup plan is to sign a new contract after the advertising period ends, then submit a fresh application from outside Sweden after I leave.

Has anyone personally been through this?

1. Did you receive approval after reapplying from abroad with the same employer and the same role, following an advertising-related refusal?

2. How did you handle the existing employment relationship and the new contract: termination and rehire, a pause, or another arrangement?

3. Did Migrationsverket require anything beyond the new advertisement, contract and normal application documents?

If you have a similar experience, please mention roughly when it happened and the final outcome. Cases involving an advertising issue alone would be especially helpful, as salary or insurance problems may involve different considerations.

Thanks!

Hey everyone! I just got an offer for a PhD position in Stockholm. I haven't started dealing with the work permitting. But I have an important question about the accelerated visa process for PhD students.

I know you can get a PR permit in 3 years if you come for a PhD. I also plan to have a baby during that process and take parental leave for a year as I will be a solo parent and can't use the preschool program until the baby is 1.

Does my parental leave time count toward the 3 years to PR because I still have my PhD contract? So one year working, one year leave, one year working.

Additionally, I know that it's often hard to actually get this 3 year permit for PhD students because you need 12-18 more months of employment at the time of the decision and PhD contracts are usually 4 years long. If leave DOES count, then I will have 2 more years when I hit the 3 year mark in the country because the PhD contract itself gets extended.

Anyway any advice or insight on this will be greatly appreciated!

I'm considering a postdoctoral research position and would like some clarification regarding Sweden's permanent residency (PR) rules for researchers route.

The position is funded through a tax-free scholarship (stipendium) of approximately 30,800 SEK/month, initially for one year with a possible extension to two years. But it has mentioned scholarship holders are not considered university employees.

My understanding is that researchers can apply for permanent residency after three years of qualifying residence permits. However, the Swedish Migration Agency also requires applicants to support themselves through income from employment or their own business.

My questions are:

1)If I spend three years on research in Sweden on a tax-free scholarship, will those three years count towards the residence requirement for PR?

2)If I complete three years on scholarships but have no taxable employment income, will my PR application be rejected despite having sufficient scholarship income?

3)Would switching to a salaried research position shortly before applying for PR satisfy the financial requirement, or is a minimum period of salaried employment required?

I'd especially appreciate answers from international postdocs or researchers who have gone through this process recently.

Thanks in advance!

Hi

Has anyone received a 6-month work permit extension despite having a permanent employment contract?

My situation is that I've held a Swedish work permit since June 2023, but my current permit expires in March 2027 because my passport expires on the same date. I'm renewing my passport now.

By March 2027, I'll have completed around 45 months on a work permit, just 3 months short of the 48 months required to be considered for permanent residence.

I'm wondering whether it's possible to request a 6-month extension instead, even with permanent employment, so I can apply for PR at the next renewal after completing 48 months.

Has anyone been in a similar situation or successfully received a shorter extension?

Just got the results today for swedish citizenship test and I passed it. So happy 😄

Hi everyone,

I'm a prospective master's student with a B.E. in Computer Engineering planning to apply for a master's in Sweden in 2028, after gaining around two years of relevant experience in AI/ML and Data Science.

I'm looking into universities such as KTH, Chalmers, Linköping, and Lund, but I also want to understand what happens after graduation.

For people who moved to Sweden for education and later entered the job market, how realistic is it to find a relevant technical role as an international graduate?

I'd particularly appreciate insight into the importance of learning Swedish, the opportunities for English-speaking AI/ML and Data Science professionals, and the overall experience of settling in.

Personal safety, infrastructure, public transport, and quality of life matter to me too.

What would you recommend researching before making a decision, and are there any university cities or career paths you think I should look at more closely?

Hi! I am a 19-year-old (born Feb 2007) Turkish citizen who has been living in Sweden since I was about 13 (moved here December 2020 with family). I currently have a permanent residence permit, and am studying at university here in Stockholm.

Due to various timing and application issues, I unfortunately wasn’t able to get my citizenship in the past before the law change. I actually ended up getting rejected twice. Once in 2025 because my application process took too long, and I ended up turning 18 before getting a response, resulting in my requirement to move up to 5 years. I waited a couple of months till I fulfilled that window, and I applied again in Dec 2025. Unfortunately, I got rejected again about 2 months ago due to the law change as the requirement now changed to 7 years.

I don’t have any other problems with the other requirements of proficiency, culture, etc. I have been living here since middle school, completed all of my high school education here, and am also attending university here until 2028. That’s where my issue arises. I will be reapplying in Dec 2027, before I am 21. However, after 21, the requirement becomes 8 years. Will I be rejected again because I turn 21, even though that’s after I have applied? Also, ideally I want to do my master’s abroad right after university, so I want to move after graduation. However, if this process takes longer, I would need to get a job here to show proof of income, reason to stay, etc. For this, I would also have to line it up before graduation to ensure it’s consistent in my application.

I am currently living in Sweden alone since my family has moved back to Turkey, so I am going through this process alone. I want to move back to Sweden after my master’s and work here, so it would be really very helpful to get my citizenship before that. I have also always wanted to do my master’s in the UK, but I don’t know if that’s going to be possible with how unlucky I have been in this process. Does anyone know if my turning 21 or graduating in 2028 would cause a problem in my application? Will I have to apply again in 2028, in which case my application could take up to 5 years to process? It feels really discouraging that I might have to give up on my master’s plans because of this. Are there any services that I can talk to for advice?

Sorry if any of this was unclear, I would be happy to clarify if something is confusing. I just really don’t know what I can do to help my situation. I would appreciate any and all advice!!

Hi! I am a 19-year-old (born Feb 2007) Turkish citizen who has been living in Sweden since I was about 13 (moved here December 2020 with family). I currently have a permanent residence permit, and am studying at university here in Stockholm.

Due to various timing and application issues, I unfortunately wasn’t able to get my citizenship in the past before the law change. I actually ended up getting rejected twice. Once in 2025 because my application process took too long, and I ended up turning 18 before getting a response, resulting in my requirement to move up to 5 years. I waited a couple of months till I fulfilled that window, and I applied again in Dec 2025. Unfortunately, I got rejected again about 2 months ago due to the law change as the requirement now changed to 7 years.

I don’t have any other problems with the other requirements of proficiency, culture, etc. I have been living here since middle school, completed all of my high school education here, and am also attending university here until 2028. That’s where my issue arises. I will be reapplying in Dec 2027, before I am 21. However, after 21, the requirement becomes 8 years. Will I be rejected again because I turn 21, even though that’s after I have applied? Also, ideally I want to do my master’s abroad right after university, so I want to move after graduation. However, if this process takes longer, I would need to get a job here to show proof of income, reason to stay, etc. For this, I would also have to line it up before graduation to ensure it’s consistent in my application.

I am currently living in Sweden alone since my family has moved back to Turkey, so I am going through this process alone. I want to move back to Sweden after my master’s and work here, so it would be really very helpful to get my citizenship before that. I have also always wanted to do my master’s in the UK, but I don’t know if that’s going to be possible with how unlucky I have been in this process. Does anyone know if my turning 21 or graduating in 2028 would cause a problem in my application? Will I have to apply again in 2028, in which case my application could take up to 5 years to process? It feels really discouraging that I might have to give up on my master’s plans because of this. Are there any services that I can talk to for advice?

Sorry if any of this was unclear, I would be happy to clarify if something is confusing. I just really don’t know what I can do to help my situation. I would appreciate any and all advice!!

Hi everyone,

I'm currently in Sweden on a family-ties residence permit. I am transitioning to a student residence permit from inside Sweden using the transitional "sunset window" (October 1, 2026 - December 31, 2027) for young adults.

Because it's a 3-year university program, I need to show the full ~260,000 SEK in maintenance funds. I'm combining my own savings with money from my parents, but I have a question about my bank statements:

• My savings: I have 130,000 SEK in my name. 100,000 SEK of this is in a fixed/locked savings account (in my name). I plan to cancel the fixed term and transfer it into my primary Swedish checking account right before printing the statements.

• Parents' gift: My parents are providing the remaining 130,000 SEK, but I only have 3 weeks for it to be transferred into my account over a 3-week window before I have to submit my application. I know it's a tight window but we were waiting to talk to a lawyer because we thought we could apply for a family ties extension, but both me and the lawyer thought it was really risky considering I'll have to leave after I turn 21 as I plan on also doing a master's degree in Sweden.

By the time I apply, the full 260k will be sitting together in my personal account (in Sweden), but the transaction log will show the 130k incoming over those 3 weeks, and 130k from another account under my name.

Hence, I have a few questions I hope some of you might be able to answer:

1. Has anyone transitioned under these new October 2026 rules yet? How heavily did Migrationsverket scrutinize your recent bank history?

2. Will showing the statement of my old fixed savings account satisfy the proof of origin for my own 100k?

3. What extra proof should I attach for the 130k parental transfer (e.g., parents' original bank statements, gift letters) to ensure it doesn't get flagged as temporary or "borrowed" money?

Appreciate any insights from anyone who has navigated this or the new rules!