Healthcare

Registering, the European Health Insurance Card, the S1 form.

In Sweden

Checked on 23 October 2026

How do I access healthcare when I move to Sweden?

In Sweden, there is no fund to choose: public healthcare is organised by the regions, and your right to care follows from your registration in the population register (folkbokföring). Once registered, you are entitled to medical and dental care on the same terms as other residents, paying the patient co-payment (patientavgift) set by your region. Before registration, your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) gives you access to public care on the same financial terms as residents.

Costs: Patient co-payment (patientavgift) set by each region
Timeframes: Access to care as a resident from registration in the population register

Steps

Before your registration: present your EHIC for care in the public system. Some care requires prior authorisation or additional insurance: ask your home fund.
Register in the population register (see SE-SEJOUR-TOUS-001): this is what opens access to care as a resident.
Find out about the care in your region (general practitioners, fees) on 1177.se, the health guide that Socialstyrelsen (the national board of health and welfare) points to: the organisation varies from one region to another.
Check your cover with the Försäkringskassan (the social insurance agency): it assesses whether you are insured in Sweden for social benefits (allowances, benefits).
If you remain insured in another EU country (foreign pension, posting), ask your home institution for form S1 and register it in Sweden.

Documents

EHIC from your country, for the period before registration.
Your personnummer once registered (it identifies your file everywhere).
Form S1 if your home country remains responsible.

Costs and timelines

Patient co-payment: each region sets the price of a consultation: look at your region's page on 1177.se. The cap (högkostnadsskydd), however, is national: 1,450 SEK at most over 12 months for outpatient consultations (öppenvård: everything that does not require hospitalisation; a region may set less; 1,450 SEK in Stockholm in 2026). Once the cap is reached, you receive a frikort (free-care card) until the end of the 12-month period.
Dental care: free until the end of the year you turn 19 (tandvårdslagen, sections 7 and 15 a, since 1 January 2025). From the year you turn 20, you pay yourself, with state support if you are insured in Sweden (allmänt tandvårdsbidrag, deducted from the dentist's bill, the dentist sets the price: 600 SEK a year from the year you turn 20, 300 SEK from the year you turn 24 until the year you turn 64, 600 SEK from the year you turn 65, according to the Försäkringskassan scale updated on 03/03/2025; can be carried over for a year).
Timeline: access "as a resident" begins with registration in the register (allow several weeks after arrival).

Common pitfalls

The gap between arrival and the personnummer. For several weeks, you have only your EHIC: keep it valid and carry it with you.
EHIC and private care. The EHIC does not cover private care; it applies only in the public system.
Thinking a fund takes care of healthcare. The Försäkringskassan manages benefits; care itself is the responsibility of the regions.
Person without an activity or student: the Swedish law on foreign nationals (utlänningslagen, chapter 3 a, section 3) requires, in addition to sufficient resources, comprehensive health insurance valid in Sweden for you and your family: form S1 if you are a pensioner, otherwise private insurance (see SE-SEJOUR-TOUS-001).

What changes by country of origin

EU and EEA citizens: EHIC until registration, then care as a resident; S1 if your country remains responsible.
Swiss citizens: Swiss EHIC for a temporary stay. To stay for more than three months, a residence permit from the Migrationsverket is needed (free), then registration in the register; students: comprehensive private health insurance is mandatory.
British citizens (Scots included): third country since Brexit; access to care as a resident once the residence permit has been obtained and registration done. The Försäkringskassan states that periods of work in the United Kingdom may fall under British social security.

Official sources (11) ›

The European framework

These European rules also apply in Sweden.

Checked on 23 October 2026

Health insurance required for visas and permits: what EU rules ask (short and long stays)

For a Schengen short-stay visa, you must show travel medical insurance covering urgent medical care, emergency hospital treatment and repatriation (including in case of death), valid in all Schengen countries, with at least €30,000 of cover (Visa Code, Article 15). For long stays, the EU directives ask for sickness insurance covering the risks normally covered for nationals of the destination, for example for students, family members, Blue Card holders and long-term residents. The exact proof, and whether you must buy private insurance or can join the public system, depend on the destination.

Who decides: Consulates (Schengen visas); the immigration authority of the destination (long stays)
Costs: Set by insurers; Schengen visa insurance must cover at least €30,000 (Visa Code, Article 15)

Before you act

No promise. The consulate or immigration authority decides whether your insurance is acceptable. This page is general information, not legal advice.
Scams. Buy insurance only from a real, identifiable insurer, and check the policy before paying. A fake or inadequate insurance certificate can lead to refusal of your application.
Ask a professional (the insurer, the consulate or a lawyer) if you have a chronic illness, are pregnant, or are over the age limits of standard policies.
Be honest in insurance forms about your health and your plans.

Steps

Short stay with a visa: buy travel medical insurance that meets Article 15 of the Visa Code (below) for the whole trip; for a multiple-entry visa, it must cover the first trip, and you sign a statement that you know you need insurance for later trips. Exceptions: the requirement may be considered met where adequate cover can be presumed from the applicant's professional situation (for example seafarers, Article 15(6)), and holders of diplomatic passports are exempt (Article 15(7)).
Visa-exempt short stay: insurance is not among the entry conditions listed in the Schengen Borders Code (Article 6), but medical care abroad can be expensive: travel insurance is your choice.
Long stay: read the destination's list for your route. Denmark and Ireland did not take part in the five directives below and are not bound by them (see the recitals of each text), so their rules are purely national. In the other EU countries, the directives ask for insurance "for all risks normally covered for nationals" for:
- students and researchers, valid for the whole planned stay (Directive (EU) 2016/801, Article 7(1)(c));
- family reunification, for the sponsor and the family, if the country requires it (Directive 2003/86/EC, Article 7(1)(b));
- Blue Card and seasonal workers, for periods not already covered through the job (Directive (EU) 2021/1883, Article 5(1)(e); Directive 2014/36/EU, Article 5(1)(b) for stays up to 90 days and Article 6(1)(b) for stays over 90 days);
- EU long-term residents, for themselves and for dependent family members (Directive 2003/109/EC, Article 5(1)(b)).
After arrival: ask whether your permit gives access to the public health system, and from when (see the destination's health fiche).

Documents

An insurance certificate in the name of each person, with dates, cover, amount and territory.
For a Schengen visa: proof that the cover is valid in all Schengen countries and is at least €30,000 (Article 15(3)); for a visa with limited territorial validity covering several Member States, the cover must be valid at least in the Member States concerned.

Costs and timelines

Price: set by insurers. The Visa Code asks you to take insurance, in principle, in your country of residence, or in another country if that is not possible (Article 15(4)).
Check: consulates verify that claims against the insurer can be recovered in an EU country (Article 15(5)).

Common pitfalls

Cover too low or not valid everywhere. For a Schengen visa: at least €30,000 and valid in all Schengen countries.
Wrong dates. The insurance must cover the whole stay or transit (Article 15(3)).
Travel insurance for a long stay. A short-trip policy may not meet the "all risks normally covered for nationals" standard required for long-stay permits, and what each country actually accepts varies: ask the immigration authority directly before you buy.
Gaps between the visa and the permit. Keep cover until you are registered in the public system or have the insurance the permit requires.

What changes by profile

Workers may be covered through their job; the Blue Card and seasonal directives ask for insurance only for periods not covered by, or resulting from, the work contract.
Retirees and people living on passive income follow national rules for national visas (for Portugal, see PT-VISA-TIERS-050).

Official links

Visa Code (consolidated), Article 15: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:02009R0810-20240628
Commission, applying for a Schengen visa: https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/policies/schengen/visa-policy/applying-schengen-visa_en

Official sources (9) ›

These guides give the general rules. Your situation can change the answer: Moovy looks at it with you and tells you when you need a professional.

Healthcare

Registering, the European Health Insurance Card, the S1 form.

In Sweden

Checked on 23 October 2026

How do I access healthcare when I move to Sweden?

Costs: Patient co-payment (patientavgift) set by each region
Timeframes: Access to care as a resident from registration in the population register

Steps

Before your registration: present your EHIC for care in the public system. Some care requires prior authorisation or additional insurance: ask your home fund.
Register in the population register (see SE-SEJOUR-TOUS-001): this is what opens access to care as a resident.
Find out about the care in your region (general practitioners, fees) on 1177.se, the health guide that Socialstyrelsen (the national board of health and welfare) points to: the organisation varies from one region to another.
Check your cover with the Försäkringskassan (the social insurance agency): it assesses whether you are insured in Sweden for social benefits (allowances, benefits).
If you remain insured in another EU country (foreign pension, posting), ask your home institution for form S1 and register it in Sweden.

Documents

EHIC from your country, for the period before registration.
Your personnummer once registered (it identifies your file everywhere).
Form S1 if your home country remains responsible.

Costs and timelines

Patient co-payment: each region sets the price of a consultation: look at your region's page on 1177.se. The cap (högkostnadsskydd), however, is national: 1,450 SEK at most over 12 months for outpatient consultations (öppenvård: everything that does not require hospitalisation; a region may set less; 1,450 SEK in Stockholm in 2026). Once the cap is reached, you receive a frikort (free-care card) until the end of the 12-month period.
Dental care: free until the end of the year you turn 19 (tandvårdslagen, sections 7 and 15 a, since 1 January 2025). From the year you turn 20, you pay yourself, with state support if you are insured in Sweden (allmänt tandvårdsbidrag, deducted from the dentist's bill, the dentist sets the price: 600 SEK a year from the year you turn 20, 300 SEK from the year you turn 24 until the year you turn 64, 600 SEK from the year you turn 65, according to the Försäkringskassan scale updated on 03/03/2025; can be carried over for a year).
Timeline: access "as a resident" begins with registration in the register (allow several weeks after arrival).

Common pitfalls

The gap between arrival and the personnummer. For several weeks, you have only your EHIC: keep it valid and carry it with you.
EHIC and private care. The EHIC does not cover private care; it applies only in the public system.
Thinking a fund takes care of healthcare. The Försäkringskassan manages benefits; care itself is the responsibility of the regions.
Person without an activity or student: the Swedish law on foreign nationals (utlänningslagen, chapter 3 a, section 3) requires, in addition to sufficient resources, comprehensive health insurance valid in Sweden for you and your family: form S1 if you are a pensioner, otherwise private insurance (see SE-SEJOUR-TOUS-001).

What changes by country of origin

EU and EEA citizens: EHIC until registration, then care as a resident; S1 if your country remains responsible.
Swiss citizens: Swiss EHIC for a temporary stay. To stay for more than three months, a residence permit from the Migrationsverket is needed (free), then registration in the register; students: comprehensive private health insurance is mandatory.
British citizens (Scots included): third country since Brexit; access to care as a resident once the residence permit has been obtained and registration done. The Försäkringskassan states that periods of work in the United Kingdom may fall under British social security.

Official sources (11) ›

The European framework

These European rules also apply in Sweden.

Checked on 23 October 2026

Health insurance required for visas and permits: what EU rules ask (short and long stays)

Who decides: Consulates (Schengen visas); the immigration authority of the destination (long stays)
Costs: Set by insurers; Schengen visa insurance must cover at least €30,000 (Visa Code, Article 15)

Before you act

No promise. The consulate or immigration authority decides whether your insurance is acceptable. This page is general information, not legal advice.
Scams. Buy insurance only from a real, identifiable insurer, and check the policy before paying. A fake or inadequate insurance certificate can lead to refusal of your application.
Ask a professional (the insurer, the consulate or a lawyer) if you have a chronic illness, are pregnant, or are over the age limits of standard policies.
Be honest in insurance forms about your health and your plans.

Steps

Short stay with a visa: buy travel medical insurance that meets Article 15 of the Visa Code (below) for the whole trip; for a multiple-entry visa, it must cover the first trip, and you sign a statement that you know you need insurance for later trips. Exceptions: the requirement may be considered met where adequate cover can be presumed from the applicant's professional situation (for example seafarers, Article 15(6)), and holders of diplomatic passports are exempt (Article 15(7)).
Visa-exempt short stay: insurance is not among the entry conditions listed in the Schengen Borders Code (Article 6), but medical care abroad can be expensive: travel insurance is your choice.
Long stay: read the destination's list for your route. Denmark and Ireland did not take part in the five directives below and are not bound by them (see the recitals of each text), so their rules are purely national. In the other EU countries, the directives ask for insurance "for all risks normally covered for nationals" for:
- students and researchers, valid for the whole planned stay (Directive (EU) 2016/801, Article 7(1)(c));
- family reunification, for the sponsor and the family, if the country requires it (Directive 2003/86/EC, Article 7(1)(b));
- Blue Card and seasonal workers, for periods not already covered through the job (Directive (EU) 2021/1883, Article 5(1)(e); Directive 2014/36/EU, Article 5(1)(b) for stays up to 90 days and Article 6(1)(b) for stays over 90 days);
- EU long-term residents, for themselves and for dependent family members (Directive 2003/109/EC, Article 5(1)(b)).
After arrival: ask whether your permit gives access to the public health system, and from when (see the destination's health fiche).

Documents

An insurance certificate in the name of each person, with dates, cover, amount and territory.
For a Schengen visa: proof that the cover is valid in all Schengen countries and is at least €30,000 (Article 15(3)); for a visa with limited territorial validity covering several Member States, the cover must be valid at least in the Member States concerned.

Costs and timelines

Price: set by insurers. The Visa Code asks you to take insurance, in principle, in your country of residence, or in another country if that is not possible (Article 15(4)).
Check: consulates verify that claims against the insurer can be recovered in an EU country (Article 15(5)).

Common pitfalls

Cover too low or not valid everywhere. For a Schengen visa: at least €30,000 and valid in all Schengen countries.
Wrong dates. The insurance must cover the whole stay or transit (Article 15(3)).
Travel insurance for a long stay. A short-trip policy may not meet the "all risks normally covered for nationals" standard required for long-stay permits, and what each country actually accepts varies: ask the immigration authority directly before you buy.
Gaps between the visa and the permit. Keep cover until you are registered in the public system or have the insurance the permit requires.

What changes by profile

Workers may be covered through their job; the Blue Card and seasonal directives ask for insurance only for periods not covered by, or resulting from, the work contract.
Retirees and people living on passive income follow national rules for national visas (for Portugal, see PT-VISA-TIERS-050).

Official links

Visa Code (consolidated), Article 15: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:02009R0810-20240628
Commission, applying for a Schengen visa: https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/policies/schengen/visa-policy/applying-schengen-visa_en

Official sources (9) ›

These guides give the general rules. Your situation can change the answer: Moovy looks at it with you and tells you when you need a professional.

Healthcare

In Sweden

How do I access healthcare when I move to Sweden?

Steps

Documents

Costs and timelines

Common pitfalls

What changes by country of origin

The European framework

Health insurance required for visas and permits: what EU rules ask (short and long stays)

Steps

Documents

Costs and timelines

Common pitfalls

What changes by profile

Other topics

Healthcare

In Sweden

How do I access healthcare when I move to Sweden?

Steps

Documents

Costs and timelines

Common pitfalls

What changes by country of origin

The European framework

Health insurance required for visas and permits: what EU rules ask (short and long stays)

Steps

Documents

Costs and timelines

Common pitfalls

What changes by profile

Other topics