Moving to Sweden from the UK: a complete guide

Dreaming of moving to beautiful Sweden? You’re not alone, since the latest statistics show there’s around 30,000 Brits in Sweden.¹ In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about moving to Sweden from the UK, including the cost of living, what has changed for Brits after Brexit and much more.

We’ll also point out a cost-effective way to manage your money across borders from the money services provider Wise. Open a Wise account and you can send money between the UK and Sweden for low fees and the mid-market exchange rate.

Want to take your savings with you? Wise can also help you with large transfers.

Table of contents

Can you move to Sweden from the UK? Moving to Sweden from the UK after Brexit² How to get a Swedish visa?² How to move to Sweden from the UK? What’s the cheapest way to get to Sweden from the UK?⁶ Options for retiring in Sweden Retirement visas⁸ Pensions⁹ Living in Sweden - what you need to know Cost of living - how much money do you need to move to Sweden?¹¹ Healthcare system¹² Opening a Swedish bank account¹³ Finding a job in Sweden Renting or buying property in Sweden Checklist for moving to Sweden from the UK Save on your relocation costs to Sweden with Wise

Can you move to Sweden from the UK?

Yes, you can move to Sweden from the UK, but it might be more complicated than before.

Since the UK left the EU, British people are now considered third country nationals. However, there are still many options for moving to Sweden from the UK.

Moving to Sweden from the UK after Brexit²

UK citizens don’t need a visa to enter Sweden. But, because of Brexit, you can now only spend up to 90 days in Sweden without a long-stay visa or residence permit.

The Swedish type D visa is made for those who wish to extend their stay in Sweden up to one year. When you get it, you’ll need to apply for a residence permit as well. The most common types of the D visa are the Work Visa, Student Visa and Family Visa.

The Work Visa is issued to those who already have a job waiting for them in Sweden. The visa process starts with your employer initiating the application and completing the job offer. The processing can take up to a year, so make sure you plan accordingly.³

If you plan on studying in Sweden for more than three months, you need to apply for a Student Visa and a residence permit. You can only apply once you’ve received an acceptance letter. The visa will last as long as your education programme.⁴

The Family Visa is made for those who wish to join their spouse, children or parents in Sweden. The partner visa is called the Sambo Visa. The application process includes an interview where you’ll be asked questions about your relationship. For example, you’ll probably be asked about your partner’s family, your first date etc.⁵

How to get a Swedish visa?²

In order to apply for a long-stay D visa, you need to contact the Swedish embassy, ask about the specific documents you need to provide and book an appointment. After filling out the application, you’ll then submit those documents, which include your passport, proof of paid fee, proof of sufficient funds etc.

All that’s left is to attend an interview and wait for a response. The embassy will send you an email about the status of your application.

How to move to Sweden from the UK?

The first step to moving to Sweden from the UK is deciding which route you want to take. All long-stay D visas have a similar application process, but make sure you check for any new information in case anything changes.

What’s the cheapest way to get to Sweden from the UK?⁶

The most convenient and often most affordable way to get to Sweden from the UK is by plane. The cheapest month to fly is May, when you can get a one-way ticket for as little as £10.

However, the average ticket prices are higher and it’s not always possible to find a good deal. A more realistic price you can expect to pay is between £40 and £80 for a one-way ticket.

📚 Read more: How to use the UK-issued Wise card abroad?

Options for retiring in Sweden

Whether you’re slowly approaching retirement age or just planning ahead of time, you might be considering Sweden as a potential retirement destination. Sweden has so much to offer, starting with untouched nature and a high standard of living.

But how easy is it to retire in Sweden? Here are the things you should be aware of:

Retirement visas⁸

There’s no specific retirement visa in Sweden, but you can apply for residence as a person with sufficient funds. The institution responsible for receiving and processing these applications is the Swedish Migration Agency.

Some of the documents you need to provide are your proof of health insurance, a pension statement and bank statements showing your available funds. Make sure you check the Swedish Migration Agency’s website in order to get the most recent information.

Pensions⁹

If you manage to retire in Sweden, you can also claim your UK state pension there. It can be paid into a UK bank account or a Swedish one, in which case you’ll be paid in Swedish kronas. You can also choose how often you’ll get paid and it can be anywhere from 4 to 13 weeks. Contact the International Pension Centre to get the most recent information.

Living in Sweden - what you need to know

Here are some basic facts you should know about Sweden if you’re considering moving there:

• Currency - Swedish Krona (SEK)
• Main languages - Swedish
• Population - 10,663,610¹⁰
• Number of British expats - around 30,000¹

Cost of living - how much money do you need to move to Sweden?¹¹

Before moving to Sweden from the UK, it’s good to get an idea of how far your money will go.

In general, the cost of living in Sweden is lower than in the UK. For instance, you will pay around 30% less for rent and around 15% less for groceries. However, the price of groceries is slightly higher in Sweden - around 5%.

Let’s take a look at a few average prices for common spending categories in Sweden, compared with the UK:

• A three-course meal for two costs around £58 in Sweden, while it’s £60 in the UK
• A loaf of bread is around £2.12, compared to £1.21 in the UK
• A draught beer is around £5.45, compared to £4.5 back in the UK
• A monthly public transport pass is approximately £61, compared to £68 in the UK
• Rent for a one-bedroom apartment in the city centre is around £748, compared to £1,063 in the UK
• Utilities for a typical apartment are around £80 a month, compared to £251 in the UK

If you want to buy an apartment, this will also be cheaper in Sweden. For example, the price of a city centre apartment per square metre is around 18% lower than in the UK.

Healthcare system¹²

Sweden has one of the world’s top healthcare systems. It’s available to all residents, both expats and Swedish locals. The system is so expat-friendly that if a medical professional doesn’t speak English, you have the legal right to an interpreter.

The system is decentralised and mostly tax-funded, so the availability of certain services can vary between counties. The prices of medical services are low and there’s a limit on how much a patient can contribute towards healthcare per year.

The Swedish public healthcare is so good that there’s almost no need to get private treatment. The main advantage is skipping the occasional long waitlists.

Opening a Swedish bank account¹³

After moving to Sweden from the UK, opening a Swedish bank account should be one of your next steps. Having it is essential for everything from paying rent and utility bills to managing your money.

Swedish banks likely won’t allow you to open a bank account online and you’ll have to visit a branch. It’s best to check with the bank you’re intending to apply with what documents they need. Most of the time, you’ll need your passport, proof of address and the Swedish personal identification number known as personnummer.

Sweden’s top banks are Handelsbanken, Swedbank, Nordea and SEB. You can even check with your bank whether you can keep using your UK account in Sweden.

And, as an alternative to a bank account, check out the Wise account. You can send, receive, and spend in multiple currencies, including British pounds and Swedish kronas. It’s not a bank account but offers many similar features.

Learn more about the Wise account 💰

Finding a job in Sweden

The Swedish Public Employment Service provides information and advice to those who are looking for a job in Sweden. You can find out what Swedish employers like to see in a CV, how to find the right job and what your rights are in the workplace. Their Job Bank can also give you an idea of what the job market is like in Sweden.

If you want to work in Sweden, you need to find a job before your arrival. You can search through various websites and directly contact employers or companies. Once you get a job offer, your employer will start the application for a work permit and you’ll finish the process with the The Swedish Migration Agency.³

Renting or buying property in Sweden

Finding a place to live is one of the most important things when moving to any new country. Whether you’ll be renting or buying property in Sweden, picking a perfect home will most likely require effort and patience.

If you can’t handle apartment searching on your own, you can always consult a real estate agent. This way, you might even get access to some unlisted properties. If you’d like to look through some available options, these are some popular Swedish property websites:

• Hemnet
• Booli
• Blocket
• Bostad Direkt

In Sweden, there are no legal restrictions on buying property as a non-EU citizen. In fact, not only can you buy real estate, you’re also allowed to sell and lease.¹⁴

📚 Read more: How to transfer large amounts of money from the UK?

Checklist for moving to Sweden from the UK

Let’s go through the most important steps of moving to Sweden from the UK:

• Go through available visa options, gather your documents and apply for your visa of choice
• Find a place to live - do this online or travel to Sweden to view properties
• Do some research and get an estimate for shipping your belongings to Sweden
• Look into Swedish banks, find some that suit you and see if they let you open an account before arriving
• Look into taking out a private health insurance policy
• Tell HMRC that you’re leaving the UK
• Book your flight

Save on your relocation costs to Sweden with Wise

Before moving to a new country, you’re likely to have lots of costs to cover. Some of these, such as real estate costs, visa application fees and rental deposits, will need to cross borders.

Open a Wise account and you can send money between the UK and Sweden for low, transparent fees and the mid-market exchange rate. It’s not a bank account but offers many similar features.

You can also use Wise once you arrive in your new home. For starters, you can spend in SEK from the moment you step off the plane using your contactless Wise card. It works in 150+ countries and automatically converts your pounds to the local currency whenever you spend, only adding a tiny, upfront currency conversion fee.

Sign up with Wise today 💰

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Sources used:

1. Statista - British citizens in EU countries in 2019
2. Visa Guide - Sweden Long Stay Visas
3. Visa Guide - Sweden Work Visa
4. Visa Guide - Sweden Student Visa
5. Visa Guide - Sweden Family Visa
6. Skyscanner - London to Sweden
7. Skyscanner - Flights from London to Stockholm
8. Migrationsverket - Application for residence status for a British citizen
9. Gov.uk - State Pension if you retire abroad
10. Worldometers - Sweden population
11. Numbeo - Cost of living in the UK compared to Sweden
12. Allianz Care - Healthcare in Sweden
13. Wise - How to open a bank account in Sweden
14. Immigrant Invest - Real estate investment in Sweden

Sources last checked on date: 01-May-2024