I WOULD SAY, IT IS NOT AN EASY TASK
If you are living in big cities like Stockholm, Göteborg, you might have the chance to go to SEB or Handelsbanken and be able to open a bank account only with your passeport. They are used to deal with foreigners. But that’s is not the case for smaller cities like Linköping, Norrköping, Karlstad… you might go through difficulties.
To be able to open a bank account in Sweden, you need to have a personal number (The GOLDEN key to be Swedish). In order to have a personal number, you need to have a job! BUT, in order to have a job, you need to have a personal number. (Don’t be afraid, you can do it! I am laughing just thinking about how strange it is)
So, Basically, it seems Mission Impossible. But, you can do it! Swedish people know how complicated it is, so you can get a job without a personal number and then apply for it.
As soon as you get a temporary personal number (just to be able to pay taxes), you can go to the bank and push to open a bank account. Then, they will give a strange calculator. It is a security to connect to your bank account, you will need it every time you want to pay online (ahaha I love Swedish Invention)
If you get a personal number, you need to apply for an “ID kort” (identity card) (it costs 400kr) and then, you can go to the bank, and it will be super easy.
I don’t have any preference for bank, here is a list of the majors banks in Sweden
- SEB
- Nordea
- Handelsbanken
- ICA Banken
- Skandia Banken