This is all in good faith, but I've seen far to many posts of the same kind here and this is a answer to many of them. This is not to people dealing with migration issues already, this is to all the dreamers and planners that are not already here.

Everyone dreaming about moving to Sweden because they like to go on nature walks and don't mind a bit of bad weather. Become a millionare (in USD) first and you can worry about talking walks or where you want to live. Houses don't grow on trees, and jobs even less so. You will not be able to move to a small town and just wing it, there will be nothing for you there to support yourself on, and even if it is it will not meet the requirements of salary for eventually staying here. The weather is the least of your problems.

Do not worry if you are going to be cold during winter or find friends. Worry about the heaps of paperwork and permits to even get here, then worry about what is needed to stay. As I said in another thread today. The job will be your way of staying, and the salary you need to be allowed to stay long term is going to be higher than the salary of many native Swedes. Get this in your head, because there are no ways around this unless you are married to someone who can support you for the rest of your life here (and there are rules about your partners salary/housing too). None of the rules are rule of thumb, they are written in stone, just realize this.

Don't worry about what fields of work you "could imagine doing", worry about competing with a thousand natives for a part-time gig at a fast food chain. And worry about how you are going to do grocery shopping in your small town dream without a car. And a car comes with heaps of new rules, you can't just drive around a beater, it will cost MONEY to even legally have a car on the roads. Worry about how many times per day the bus will even pass the forsaken (joke) village you dream about.

I'm so serious. There is a romanticized view of just "Moving here" and going on walks, drinking tea and being close to nature. This is not the reality for any of you, and I frankly don't have the energy to answer every thread like this.

I do not know the economics of the people asking these things over and over again, but if you already are millionaires in USD its fine, but you will still need that job in the end. The rules are having employment that pay a certain amount.

There are less jobs than people here, like in any country. You are going to be playing at Hard difficulty here.

And this goes for everyone wanting to study here and then "Build a life here". Brother... To the good students out there especially from developing countries, there are so many easier places. You can probably long term build a better life in your own country if you truly are highly educated.

I could also say a lot about xenophobia and coldness but I leave that one for you to figure out yourself.

Unless you are married, already employed, sent here via work, or headhunted you will have a hard time.

This is not to discourage, if you think the work is worth it and believe in yourself, go for it. You can make it, but you need to be part of the 5% of immigrants, if even that. But I see too many crazy posts, "Single mom wanting to move to a desolate island, how is daycare there" etc. Worry about getting here properly first.

Hej,

I'm a foreign national renting in Stockholm, looking for other people's real experiences before I take this further. Got a rental situation that was stable, but kinda turned messy & escalating.

Background:

• Renting the same apartment (a new-build) since 2022: I'm the first and only tenant it's ever had. Landlord has said openly it was bought as an investment property.
• Contract (förstahandskontrakt: first-hand contract, hyresavtal på obestämd tid/tillsvidareavtal — indefinite-term agreement) is signed directly with the landlord, who is based in Stockholm at a different address.
• Account has always been in good standing — no issues on that front at all.
• Since Jan this year, I've been receiving notices not from my actual contracted landlord, but from someone who appears to be his brother, based in the US, corresponding as if he is the landlord, the dynamic between the two of them is unclear and honestly confusing.
• The notices have made a series of shifting, spurious claims: first alleging arrears that don't exist, then that I must move out within a month due to contract terms that aren't accurate, then that new tenants were already booked in.
• I contacted Hyresgästföreningen (the Swedish tenants' union) and was advised I have besittningsskydd (security of tenure) and don't need to take any action.
• A later notice invoked privatuthyrningslagen (the law on renting out one's own home, which removes besittningsskydd), claiming personal use, the brother said he intended to return to Sweden and wanted the apartment back for that reason.
• However, checking the listing on Qasa showed the flat had actually been re-advertised for rent at a higher price, suggesting the "personal use" claim was pretext.
• Numerous further deadlines were issued; I was advised I didn't need to act on any of them. The brother has now made an application through Kronofogden (the enforcement authority) for avhysning (eviction), which I intend to contest.
• I expect this will end up going to Hyresnämnden (the Rental Tribunal).

What I'm asking: Has anyone dealt with a similar situation, a landlord (or someone acting as one) using shifting/spurious grounds and a personal-use claim to try to remove a tenant with besittningsskydd? What's your experience of a dispute escalating to Kronofogden and/or Hyresnämnden, and any advice for someone in my position? Mainly just after some stability at this point, not looking to be pressured into an unnecessary move if I'm legally entitled to stay.

As we all know, the new requirements for the citizenship include knowing the language and knowledge "about the Swedish society" - so samhällskunskap. While I have the means to prove the language skills, I lack any kind of proof for knowing anything about Sweden, except living here now for over 8 years.

Migrationsverket specifies on their website the ways how to prove both knowledge about language and samhällskunskap:

• betyg från svensk grundskola eller gymnasium
• studier på komvux eller folkhögskola
• godkänt betyg i svenska för invandrare (SFI kurs D).

As they mentioned komvux, I thought instead of doing a test for 2000 kr and having to go to stockholm, I could maybe just go to a course there about samhällskunskap and prove it that way.
The problem were the levels on Komvux, there were 1a1, 1a2, 1b, grundläggande, and one called just.. "samhällskunskap", ...etc - which one would be enough? (And which one can I actually do, with my foreign education? aka lacking the basic swedish samhällskunskap)

Since the details of which level one would need to pass is.. lacking, I wrote 2 emails:

- Komvux: "We have no idea, ask Migrationsverket"
- Migrationsverket: "Migrationsverket har ingen information om exakt vilka kurser som uppfyller kravet"

Sigh. In my world they should know which level/nivå one should have to complete and it should be listed clearly, but what do I know.

So for samhällskunskap a Komvux course going through samhällskunskap from/up to årskurs 9 is enough.

Maybe. ...."borde"..."borde överensstämma"...
I do not have much trust that it would actually work. Or that they don't change their mind halfway through.

(Of course migrationsverket took a week to respond, now it is too late to apply to komux lol - that is on me partly, I had that idea quite late.)

Hey guys, maybe someone here has been in a similar situation.

I’m traveling in Stockholm and I’m running out of Lamotrigine 100mg, which I normally take every day.

I live in NYC and have my US prescription, the original bottle, pharmacy records etc.

Apparently my American prescription isn’t enough to just buy it here.

Does anyone know the easiest/cheapest way to get a Swedish prescription as a tourist?

I don’t have personnummer or BankID.

I checked some private clinics but they want like 2000-2500 SEK just for a consultation, which feels a bit crazy just to renew a medication I already take.

Maybe a cheap vårdcentral, walk-in, or some other option foreigners use?

Also curious if pharmacies can ever do an emergency supply if I show my prescription/bottle.

Thanks!

I'm [33M] an American sambo living with my girlfriend in Norrköping and moved here 2 months ago. I have a2-b1 Swedish and 4 years of experience in programming and 1 in software test automation. Do I need to wait until my Swedish is better before I could realistically work in an office somewhere? Any advice for me to land a developer job? Tack så mycket för hjälpen!

I’m a Norwegian currently living in the US but looking to move back to sanity. I have a good chance of getting a job in Sweden, and I was wondering if I accept this job, how much prep work can I do while still in the US.

I’m keenly aware of the necessity of personnummer. Can I get that sorted before I move?

My wife is a US citizen. I know from EU rules that it’s a formality for her to move with me. Can I get her the residence permit before we go, or does she need to apply in Sweden? I would prefer to do it in advance because airlines are itchy if she doesn’t have a return ticket meaning we’d have to spend money on a return ticket for no use.

How easy is it to rent from the great abroad? I heard that the Swedish rental market is a mess. The job I’m aiming pays enough to allow me to go for the second hand market.

In terms in internationalness, I am aware that stockholm is reasonable. How about gothenburg or malmö? I have free pickings of where to live (within Sweden), but since my wife is USAian we’d like as much international flair as possible. Keep in mind that we’re well middle aged so the party scene isn’t of great importance, though we like an urban and vibrant setting.

Hello!

My job is having me visit Stockholm for a week. I have travelled in Europe before - 10 years ago - but have never made it to Sweden. From the little I have been able to dive into, I am very excited to spend some time here!

I already know it's going to be cold and am planning on packing accordingly. But should I really expect much snow/precipitation in the first week of December? Is December a month that typically has a lot of tourist traffic, or will I be able to slow down a bit and enjoy more of the city? I love walking around, learning about the history of the city, and enjoying local food/drink.

Hey,

I have aquired SSN and ID Card from skatteverket(comes in two weeks)

What is the fastest way to open swedish bank and get bankID?

Any bank better than others?

I am nordic citizen btw.(if that has any impact)

Hi everyone, I’m an international student admitted to a Master’s programme in Sweden and would really appreciate advice from anyone who has experienced something similar.
Timeline:
April 2026: Submitted my first residence permit application.

June: Completed biometrics.

11 August: Application was rejected because the Migration Agency was not satisfied with the authenticity/verification of my bank statement. They had contacted my bank for verification but apparently did not receive the required response.

12/13 August: Submitted a new application rather than appealing, with a new fee.

17 August: Completed biometrics again.

For the new application, I provided signed and stamped bank statements and a bank letterhead confirmationaddressing the financial-document issue.

My case officer recently asked whether the current application should be treated as a new application or an appeal. I confirmed that it is a new application.

I’m currently waiting for the decision.

My university is aware of the situation and has been understanding about the delay, but my classes have already commenced and I need to report to the university as soon as possible.
My questions are:
Has anyone experienced a similar situation and been approved after reapplying with additional bank documentation?

How long did your second application take?

Would it be appropriate to write to my case officer again, explaining that my programme has commenced and that I need to report to the university as soon as possible, or is it better to simply wait?

I’d really appreciate any advice or experiences. Thank you!

I (22yo female) moved to southern Sweden about two weeks ago as a student. I don’t speak swedish (know about 5-10 daily words maybe) at all. Therefore I often don’t understand what’s being said obviously; and in multiple occasions people talk to me, I cannot feel sure they speak to me or not, as I think I visibly look foreign (i am white, medium blonde, brown eyes, freckles, like lets say i don’t look like a typical nordic person), despite that im being spoken to swedish everywhere, obviously i don’t understand, had to reply in english. Is this normal? Do you guys speak swedish to everyone in sweden? Or do you expect the person to know swedish when you have a talk with them despite they could be tourists as well? Would you speak swedish to everyone you encounter in your own country? Just wondering.

Edit: Before people coming after me, lemme mention a recent incident happened last week in a bus stop outside a shopping centre. I was returning home from Ikea, waiting there, listening music. There were other people around, three people next to me (non-white, saying this to clarify the situation, and they were definitely speaking swedish (i can distinguish swedish). Anyway, then two girls came to me. Spoke swedish, i thought they were talking to the other people, i didn’t turn till the girl kept speaking swedish. Then i realised she was talking to me all the time, felt bad, had to respond in English and tried to give them directions. They could have gone to those three people (they were definitely speaking swedish), but they came to me despite me not responding for a while.