Get Birth Certificates in Sweden

A birth certificate (personbevis or födelsebevis) in Sweden is an important civil document used for identifying a child’s legal identity, enrolling in school, applying for a passport, and many other official purposes. This guide explains how to get birth certificates in Sweden, with specific information for Stockholm and Gothenburg.

How Birth Registration Works in Sweden

In Sweden, birth registration is handled by the Swedish Tax Agency (Skatteverket), which manages the national population register (folkbokföring). When a baby is born in a Swedish hospital, the hospital reports the birth directly to Skatteverket. The child is automatically registered in the population register and assigned a personal identity number (personnummer) within a few days of birth.

Sweden’s system is highly automated. Parents do not need to visit a government office to register the birth — the hospital handles the reporting. The child’s personnummer and registration details are sent to the parents by Skatteverket. A personbevis (population register certificate) can then be requested from Skatteverket and serves as the official document confirming the child’s registration details.

Documents Required for Birth Certificate in Sweden

Because the hospital automatically reports births to Skatteverket, the documentation burden on parents is minimal. However, parents may need to provide:

Parents’ personal identity numbers (personnummer) or passports
Acknowledgment of paternity (faderskapserkännande) for unmarried fathers — this is usually handled by the social welfare office (socialtjänsten) in the municipality

For foreign nationals, Skatteverket may need additional documentation to assign a personnummer. Parents should contact Skatteverket for guidance in such cases.

Getting a Birth Certificate in Stockholm

Stockholm is the capital of Sweden and its largest city. Births at Stockholm hospitals such as Karolinska University Hospital (Solna or Huddinge), Danderyds sjukhus, or Södersjukhuset are reported automatically to Skatteverket. Parents in Stockholm receive the child’s personnummer by mail within a few weeks of birth.

A personbevis for a Stockholm-registered child can be requested from Skatteverket online (skatteverket.se) using Bank-ID authentication. This document is commonly used in place of a traditional birth certificate for most official purposes in Sweden. Stockholm residents can also visit a Skatteverket service office in the city for in-person assistance.

Getting a Birth Certificate in Gothenburg

Gothenburg (Göteborg) is Sweden’s second-largest city. Births at Gothenburg hospitals including Sahlgrenska University Hospital are automatically reported to Skatteverket. The process is identical to that in Stockholm — the hospital reports the birth, and the child receives a personnummer from Skatteverket.

Parents in Gothenburg can request a personbevis online through Skatteverket’s website or visit the Gothenburg Skatteverket service office. For paternity acknowledgment (faderskapserkännande), the Gothenburg municipality’s social welfare office (socialtjänsten) handles the process.

Getting a Swedish Birth Certificate from Abroad

Swedish citizens born abroad can register the birth at the nearest Swedish embassy or consulate, or directly with Skatteverket upon returning to Sweden. The child must be registered in the Swedish population register to receive a personnummer. Contact the Swedish embassy or Skatteverket for guidance on the specific steps required.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to get a personnummer in Sweden?

The personnummer is typically assigned within one to three weeks of the hospital reporting the birth to Skatteverket. Skatteverket sends the personnummer details to the parents by mail.

What is a personbevis and how do I get one?

A personbevis is a population register certificate from Skatteverket that shows the child’s registration details and serves as the official record in place of a traditional birth certificate. It can be requested online from skatteverket.se using Bank-ID, or by visiting a Skatteverket office.

Does Sweden issue a traditional birth certificate document?

Sweden does not use a traditional birth certificate in the way many countries do. Instead, the personbevis from Skatteverket and the personnummer serve all the same official purposes. For international use, a certified extract from the population register with apostille can be obtained from Skatteverket.

Can a Swedish personbevis be used abroad?

Sweden is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention. Certified extracts from the Swedish population register (including birth information) can be apostilled by the Swedish Tax Agency (Skatteverket) or the relevant authority for use in other Hague Convention countries.

Conclusion

Getting a birth certificate in Sweden is one of the most automated processes in the world. The hospital reports the birth directly to Skatteverket, and the child receives a personnummer without parents needing to visit a government office. Whether in Stockholm or Gothenburg, the personbevis from Skatteverket is the document that confirms your child’s legal identity in Sweden and is used for all official purposes throughout their life.