How to get a Covid-19 vaccination without a Swedish personnummer
The Local asked Sweden's 21 regions whether the Covid-19 vaccine will be free for foreigners without a personnummer, and how people in this group should make sure they are offered the vaccine.
We put these questions to authorities after being contacted by several readers who do not have a Swedish ID number (personnummer) and wanted to know how they could get vaccinated, including some belonging to risk groups.
- How can you get tested for Covid-19 in Sweden without a personnummer?
- Is life in Sweden impossible without a personnummer?
We received answers from the following regions (click on the name to be taken straight to your region): Blekinge, Dalarna, Gävleborg, Kronoberg, Norrbotten, Stockholm, Sörmland, Uppsala, Värmland, Västmanland, and Östergötland.
We have not received responses from the remaining regions: Gotland, Halland, Jämtland, Jönköping, Kalmar, Skåne, Västerbotten, Västernorrland, Västra Götaland, or Örebro. If we receive information from these regions, or updates from the regions that have responded so far, we will update this article.
Most of the regions said they would be following the guidelines set out by SKR, the umbrella association for Sweden's regions and municipalities.
The association has recommended that regions offer free vaccination against Covid-19 "to people from other countries who are here for studying, for example", but it does note that the vaccine is considered as 'planned care' which means people from outside the EU/EEA or Switzerland are generally not entitled to it free of charge, and it states that individual regions are in charge of deciding on fees.
SKR has also said that it "recommends that regions offer free vaccination to everyone who lives or is permanently staying in Sweden" including asylum seekers, but did not specify whether a certain type of document should be required as proof of residence.
Few regions were able to give specific information about how the booking process would work, including alerting authorities to your risk group status if relevant, because work was still under way in preparing for later phases of vaccination. The most common advice was to keep updated via the 1177.se site, your region's website and social media accounts, and to contact your local doctor's office (vårdcentral) if you belong to a risk group.
Can you confirm who will be offered the vaccine in Sweden, and for those who do not have a personnummer, how do they access the vaccine?
"It is difficult to give specific answers to question 1 and 2 currently. The stance in Blekinge is that as many people as possible shall be offered the vaccine. Generally, personnummer, coordination number and BankID are not a requirement to be vaccinated. E-legitimation [BankID] will not be needed to book a vaccine slot in Blekinge."
Is the vaccine free even for people without a personnummer, and those who usually need to pay for healthcare in Sweden, or is any documentation required?
"Currently I can refer to the attached document [SKR guidelines]. Any fee levels for certain groups regarding vaccination against Covid-19 are not fixed in region Blekinge."
If you belong to a risk group, do you need to take any action to get the vaccine at the right time?
"The region is working to continually update its information, including on social media and at 1177.se, in other languages too. The challenge is making people outside 'the ordinary system' aware of our vaccination centres. Continual dialogue is happening within the region to find ways to ensure that the target group gets the opportunity to get vaccinated. There isn't a big problem when it comes to students, since we have good checks on the level of need, since the region is collaborating with universities."
"We will offer the vaccine against Covid-19 to all who are staying in Sweden for a longer time, for example those who are temporarily working or studying here. We are currently working with planning and can therefore not respond to detailed questions yet. We will give information in due course. The vaccination will be free."
Can you confirm who will be offered the vaccine in Sweden, and for those who do not have a personnummer, how do they access the vaccine?
"Everyone will be offered the vaccine. The practicalities of handling this group are not yet solved."
Is the vaccine free even for people without a personnummer, and those who usually need to pay for healthcare in Sweden, or is any documentation required?
"Free for everyone."
If you belong to a risk group, do you need to take any action to get the vaccine at the right time?
"You need to follow societal information and info from the region."
Can you confirm who will be offered the vaccine in Sweden, and for those who do not have a personnummer, how do they access the vaccine?
"Free vaccination applies also to people from other countries who are temporarily staying in Kronoberg, who work or study here. Planning for how this group will be reached is ongoing at the moment, so we cannot currently answer this question."
Is the vaccine free even for people without a personnummer, and those who usually need to pay for healthcare in Sweden, or is any documentation required?
"The vaccination will be free of cost for all."
If you belong to a risk group, do you need to take any action to get the vaccine at the right time?
"People from other countries will be vaccinated according to the same phases as other residents. Planning is ongoing at the moment, so we cannot answer the question of what people should do."
Can you confirm who will be offered the vaccine in Sweden, and for those who do not have a personnummer, how do they access the vaccine?
"Everyone who lives in Sörmland has the right to get vaccinated here. You can book a time for vaccination by calling our booking service on the number 016-10 40 44. The phone line is open Monday-Thursday 8-17 and Fridays 8-15. From the second half of March, we will have additional languages as well as Swedish; I cannot say which at the moment since we are working on this currently. Note that the phone line is a booking service for those being offered the vaccine in the current phase, not a general question line. This is to so we can offer the right help at the right time."
Is the vaccine free even for people without a personnummer, and those who usually need to pay for healthcare in Sweden, or is any documentation required?
"Yes, the vaccine is free for everyone."
If you belong to a risk group, do you need to take any action to get the vaccine at the right time?
"We are still planning and do not currently have an answer to this."
Can you confirm who will be offered the vaccine in Sweden, and for those who do not have a personnummer, how do they access the vaccine?
"Vaccination against Covid-19 is offered to people who are 18 and older. You do not have to be a Swedish citizen to get the vaccine and everyone who lives or is permanently staying in Sweden will be offered the vaccine. Exactly how it will work for people lacking a personnummer is not clear yet and is something that is part of the planning that is currently going on."
Is the vaccine free even for people without a personnummer, and those who usually need to pay for healthcare in Sweden, or is any documentation required?
"The vaccination against Covid-19 is free of cost for everyone who wants to get vaccinated against the disease and you do not need to be a Swedish citizen to get the vaccine. Exactly how it will work for people lacking a personnummer is not clear yet and is something that is part of the planning that is currently going on."
If you belong to a risk group, do you need to take any action to get the vaccine at the right time?
"Planning is ongoing for phases 2, 3 and 4. Here is what applies at the moment. From the middle of March:
People born in 1956 or earlier will receive a letter to their home with information on how you book a time for vaccination at the doctor's surgery you are registered with, but this booking is not open yet. People who have had a bone marrow or organ transplant, or live with someone who has. Those receiving treatment with dialysis or who live with someone who does. How the vaccination will be carried out is not yet decided.
People who work in healthcare other than the groups currently being vaccinated will get an offer of vaccination from their employer.
From April:
People who are 18-64 who belong to a risk group will book a time for vaccination at the doctor's surgery you are registered with, or through contacting healthcare. This booking is not yet open.
People who are 60-64 will book a time for vaccination at the doctor's surgery you are registered with. This booking is not yet open.
People who for certain reasons have difficulty following the rules to protect themselves and others against Covid-19. How the vaccination will be carried out is not yet decided.
From April-May:
People who are 18 or older but don't belong to one of the other groups. It is not possible to book a time or join a queue for the vaccine at the moment."
Can you confirm who will be offered the vaccine in Sweden, and for those who do not have a personnummer, how do they access the vaccine?
"Those without e-identification (BankID) will be able to book a time for a vaccination in Norrbotten by ringing a special phone number. This applies regardless of the reason for not having a BankID. People who can't book online for other reasons can also ring the number."
Is the vaccine free even for people without a personnummer, and those who usually need to pay for healthcare in Sweden, or is any documentation required?
"On these issues we are following decisions from the government, Public Health Agency and other authorities. So the same thing applies in Norrbotten as in the rest of the country when it comes to who will be vaccinated and what it costs."
If you belong to a risk group, do you need to take any action to get the vaccine at the right time?
"We urge all Norrbotten residents to keep updated via 1177.se and norrbotten.se around when the different phases of vaccination begin in our region. There will be information there on how to book a time. We recommend that everyone who is waiting for a vaccination be patient until we say that it is time for their group to get vaccinated."
Can you confirm who will be offered the vaccine in Sweden, and for those who do not have a personnummer, how do they access the vaccine?
"When it comes to how booking will work, it is not yet decided, but there will most likely be a solution in Phase 4 where you can ring and book, something which is already used for testing."
Is the vaccine free even for people without a personnummer, and those who usually need to pay for healthcare in Sweden, or is any documentation required?
"Region Uppsala follows SKR's guidelines. There it states, among other things, that: 'SKR recommends the regions to offer everyone who lives or is permanently staying in Sweden free vaccination against Covid-19, in line with the Public Health Agency's recommendations' and 'SKR also advises that the regions in the current situation offer vaccination against Covid-19 free of charge for people from other countries who are staying here for, for example, studies'."
If you belong to a risk group, do you need to take any action to get the vaccine at the right time?
"Planning is now under way when it comes to vaccination of risk groups. Therefore we cannot currently give information on how booking will be done in this phase."
Can you confirm who will be offered the vaccine in Sweden, and for those who do not have a personnummer, how do they access the vaccine?
"Yes, we can confirm that people can be vaccinated free of charge. People will get access to the vaccine by ringing the region's booking phone service and getting a time, when it is the right phase for them."
Is the vaccine free even for people without a personnummer, and those who usually need to pay for healthcare in Sweden, or is any documentation required?
"The vaccine will be free. No special documentation will be required."
If you belong to a risk group, do you need to take any action to get the vaccine at the right time?
"You need to keep informed via the channels that the region uses, primarily 1177.se where there is information in several languages."
Can you confirm who will be offered the vaccine in Sweden, and for those who do not have a personnummer, how do they access the vaccine?
"It is correct that everyone who lives or is permanently staying in Sweden will be offered free vaccination. People will be vaccinated according to the nationally determined priority order, ie if I am aged 18-59 and am otherwise healthy it is phase 4 which will likely begin in May.
If you don't have a personnummer or reserve nummer, or don't know if you have one, you will need to contact Råby Vårdcentral och asylhälsa for help to arrange this. For that, you need a valid passport or ID, a residence permit for five months or longer, and an address in Västmanland. After that, you contact the vaccine booking service by phone, 021-4818700. If you have a personnummer and BankID you can book a time yourself via 1177.se when it is time for the phase you belong to.
In the few cases that a reserve number is needed in order to book a vaccination, residents should contact Råby's health centre -- telephone 021-17 60 00. The health centre will help to look up if you have an existing reserve number and, if necessary, create a new one so that the resident can contact 1177 again and can book a vaccination time. If the reserve number is missing, the resident will have to go to Råby Vårcentral's premises in Västerås or Fagersta. The resident must have a valid passport or ID, a residence permit of five months or longer in Sweden and an address where the resident is registered in Västmanland."
Is the vaccine free even for people without a personnummer, and those who usually need to pay for healthcare in Sweden, or is any documentation required?
"Yes, it will be free."
If you belong to a risk group, do you need to take any action to get the vaccine at the right time?
"If you are not registered in our region with a personnummer (folkbokförd), we may have difficulties reaching people. In that case, keep an eye on the information at 1177.se in Region Västmanland. If you belong to the phase currently being vaccinated, you can get in touch with the vaccination booking service by phone for help with booking."
Can you confirm who will be offered the vaccine in Sweden, and for those who do not have a personnummer, how do they access the vaccine?
"Everyone who is over 18 years old will be offered the vaccine. You won't need a BankID. The planning for how different groups will be reached and how they will be able to book a slot is currently ongoing."
Is the vaccine free even for people without a personnummer, and those who usually need to pay for healthcare in Sweden, or is any documentation required?
"The vaccination will be free for all groups."
If you belong to a risk group, do you need to take any action to get the vaccine at the right time?
"Planning for the vaccination of these groups is still ongoing."
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We put these questions to authorities after being contacted by several readers who do not have a Swedish ID number (personnummer) and wanted to know how they could get vaccinated, including some belonging to risk groups.
- How can you get tested for Covid-19 in Sweden without a personnummer?
- Is life in Sweden impossible without a personnummer?
We received answers from the following regions (click on the name to be taken straight to your region): Blekinge, Dalarna, Gävleborg, Kronoberg, Norrbotten, Stockholm, Sörmland, Uppsala, Värmland, Västmanland, and Östergötland.
We have not received responses from the remaining regions: Gotland, Halland, Jämtland, Jönköping, Kalmar, Skåne, Västerbotten, Västernorrland, Västra Götaland, or Örebro. If we receive information from these regions, or updates from the regions that have responded so far, we will update this article.
Most of the regions said they would be following the guidelines set out by SKR, the umbrella association for Sweden's regions and municipalities.
The association has recommended that regions offer free vaccination against Covid-19 "to people from other countries who are here for studying, for example", but it does note that the vaccine is considered as 'planned care' which means people from outside the EU/EEA or Switzerland are generally not entitled to it free of charge, and it states that individual regions are in charge of deciding on fees.
SKR has also said that it "recommends that regions offer free vaccination to everyone who lives or is permanently staying in Sweden" including asylum seekers, but did not specify whether a certain type of document should be required as proof of residence.
Few regions were able to give specific information about how the booking process would work, including alerting authorities to your risk group status if relevant, because work was still under way in preparing for later phases of vaccination. The most common advice was to keep updated via the 1177.se site, your region's website and social media accounts, and to contact your local doctor's office (vårdcentral) if you belong to a risk group.
Can you confirm who will be offered the vaccine in Sweden, and for those who do not have a personnummer, how do they access the vaccine?
"It is difficult to give specific answers to question 1 and 2 currently. The stance in Blekinge is that as many people as possible shall be offered the vaccine. Generally, personnummer, coordination number and BankID are not a requirement to be vaccinated. E-legitimation [BankID] will not be needed to book a vaccine slot in Blekinge."
Is the vaccine free even for people without a personnummer, and those who usually need to pay for healthcare in Sweden, or is any documentation required?
"Currently I can refer to the attached document [SKR guidelines]. Any fee levels for certain groups regarding vaccination against Covid-19 are not fixed in region Blekinge."
If you belong to a risk group, do you need to take any action to get the vaccine at the right time?
"The region is working to continually update its information, including on social media and at 1177.se, in other languages too. The challenge is making people outside 'the ordinary system' aware of our vaccination centres. Continual dialogue is happening within the region to find ways to ensure that the target group gets the opportunity to get vaccinated. There isn't a big problem when it comes to students, since we have good checks on the level of need, since the region is collaborating with universities."
"We will offer the vaccine against Covid-19 to all who are staying in Sweden for a longer time, for example those who are temporarily working or studying here. We are currently working with planning and can therefore not respond to detailed questions yet. We will give information in due course. The vaccination will be free."
Can you confirm who will be offered the vaccine in Sweden, and for those who do not have a personnummer, how do they access the vaccine?
"Everyone will be offered the vaccine. The practicalities of handling this group are not yet solved."
Is the vaccine free even for people without a personnummer, and those who usually need to pay for healthcare in Sweden, or is any documentation required?
"Free for everyone."
If you belong to a risk group, do you need to take any action to get the vaccine at the right time?
"You need to follow societal information and info from the region."
Can you confirm who will be offered the vaccine in Sweden, and for those who do not have a personnummer, how do they access the vaccine?
"Free vaccination applies also to people from other countries who are temporarily staying in Kronoberg, who work or study here. Planning for how this group will be reached is ongoing at the moment, so we cannot currently answer this question."
Is the vaccine free even for people without a personnummer, and those who usually need to pay for healthcare in Sweden, or is any documentation required?
"The vaccination will be free of cost for all."
If you belong to a risk group, do you need to take any action to get the vaccine at the right time?
"People from other countries will be vaccinated according to the same phases as other residents. Planning is ongoing at the moment, so we cannot answer the question of what people should do."
Can you confirm who will be offered the vaccine in Sweden, and for those who do not have a personnummer, how do they access the vaccine?
"Everyone who lives in Sörmland has the right to get vaccinated here. You can book a time for vaccination by calling our booking service on the number 016-10 40 44. The phone line is open Monday-Thursday 8-17 and Fridays 8-15. From the second half of March, we will have additional languages as well as Swedish; I cannot say which at the moment since we are working on this currently. Note that the phone line is a booking service for those being offered the vaccine in the current phase, not a general question line. This is to so we can offer the right help at the right time."
Is the vaccine free even for people without a personnummer, and those who usually need to pay for healthcare in Sweden, or is any documentation required?
"Yes, the vaccine is free for everyone."
If you belong to a risk group, do you need to take any action to get the vaccine at the right time?
"We are still planning and do not currently have an answer to this."
Can you confirm who will be offered the vaccine in Sweden, and for those who do not have a personnummer, how do they access the vaccine?
"Vaccination against Covid-19 is offered to people who are 18 and older. You do not have to be a Swedish citizen to get the vaccine and everyone who lives or is permanently staying in Sweden will be offered the vaccine. Exactly how it will work for people lacking a personnummer is not clear yet and is something that is part of the planning that is currently going on."
Is the vaccine free even for people without a personnummer, and those who usually need to pay for healthcare in Sweden, or is any documentation required?
"The vaccination against Covid-19 is free of cost for everyone who wants to get vaccinated against the disease and you do not need to be a Swedish citizen to get the vaccine. Exactly how it will work for people lacking a personnummer is not clear yet and is something that is part of the planning that is currently going on."
If you belong to a risk group, do you need to take any action to get the vaccine at the right time?
"Planning is ongoing for phases 2, 3 and 4. Here is what applies at the moment. From the middle of March:
People born in 1956 or earlier will receive a letter to their home with information on how you book a time for vaccination at the doctor's surgery you are registered with, but this booking is not open yet. People who have had a bone marrow or organ transplant, or live with someone who has. Those receiving treatment with dialysis or who live with someone who does. How the vaccination will be carried out is not yet decided.
People who work in healthcare other than the groups currently being vaccinated will get an offer of vaccination from their employer.
From April:
People who are 18-64 who belong to a risk group will book a time for vaccination at the doctor's surgery you are registered with, or through contacting healthcare. This booking is not yet open.
People who are 60-64 will book a time for vaccination at the doctor's surgery you are registered with. This booking is not yet open.
People who for certain reasons have difficulty following the rules to protect themselves and others against Covid-19. How the vaccination will be carried out is not yet decided.
From April-May:
People who are 18 or older but don't belong to one of the other groups. It is not possible to book a time or join a queue for the vaccine at the moment."
Can you confirm who will be offered the vaccine in Sweden, and for those who do not have a personnummer, how do they access the vaccine?
"Those without e-identification (BankID) will be able to book a time for a vaccination in Norrbotten by ringing a special phone number. This applies regardless of the reason for not having a BankID. People who can't book online for other reasons can also ring the number."
Is the vaccine free even for people without a personnummer, and those who usually need to pay for healthcare in Sweden, or is any documentation required?
"On these issues we are following decisions from the government, Public Health Agency and other authorities. So the same thing applies in Norrbotten as in the rest of the country when it comes to who will be vaccinated and what it costs."
If you belong to a risk group, do you need to take any action to get the vaccine at the right time?
"We urge all Norrbotten residents to keep updated via 1177.se and norrbotten.se around when the different phases of vaccination begin in our region. There will be information there on how to book a time. We recommend that everyone who is waiting for a vaccination be patient until we say that it is time for their group to get vaccinated."
Can you confirm who will be offered the vaccine in Sweden, and for those who do not have a personnummer, how do they access the vaccine?
"When it comes to how booking will work, it is not yet decided, but there will most likely be a solution in Phase 4 where you can ring and book, something which is already used for testing."
Is the vaccine free even for people without a personnummer, and those who usually need to pay for healthcare in Sweden, or is any documentation required?
"Region Uppsala follows SKR's guidelines. There it states, among other things, that: 'SKR recommends the regions to offer everyone who lives or is permanently staying in Sweden free vaccination against Covid-19, in line with the Public Health Agency's recommendations' and 'SKR also advises that the regions in the current situation offer vaccination against Covid-19 free of charge for people from other countries who are staying here for, for example, studies'."
If you belong to a risk group, do you need to take any action to get the vaccine at the right time?
"Planning is now under way when it comes to vaccination of risk groups. Therefore we cannot currently give information on how booking will be done in this phase."
Can you confirm who will be offered the vaccine in Sweden, and for those who do not have a personnummer, how do they access the vaccine?
"Yes, we can confirm that people can be vaccinated free of charge. People will get access to the vaccine by ringing the region's booking phone service and getting a time, when it is the right phase for them."
Is the vaccine free even for people without a personnummer, and those who usually need to pay for healthcare in Sweden, or is any documentation required?
"The vaccine will be free. No special documentation will be required."
If you belong to a risk group, do you need to take any action to get the vaccine at the right time?
"You need to keep informed via the channels that the region uses, primarily 1177.se where there is information in several languages."
Can you confirm who will be offered the vaccine in Sweden, and for those who do not have a personnummer, how do they access the vaccine?
"It is correct that everyone who lives or is permanently staying in Sweden will be offered free vaccination. People will be vaccinated according to the nationally determined priority order, ie if I am aged 18-59 and am otherwise healthy it is phase 4 which will likely begin in May.
If you don't have a personnummer or reserve nummer, or don't know if you have one, you will need to contact Råby Vårdcentral och asylhälsa for help to arrange this. For that, you need a valid passport or ID, a residence permit for five months or longer, and an address in Västmanland. After that, you contact the vaccine booking service by phone, 021-4818700. If you have a personnummer and BankID you can book a time yourself via 1177.se when it is time for the phase you belong to.
In the few cases that a reserve number is needed in order to book a vaccination, residents should contact Råby's health centre -- telephone 021-17 60 00. The health centre will help to look up if you have an existing reserve number and, if necessary, create a new one so that the resident can contact 1177 again and can book a vaccination time. If the reserve number is missing, the resident will have to go to Råby Vårcentral's premises in Västerås or Fagersta. The resident must have a valid passport or ID, a residence permit of five months or longer in Sweden and an address where the resident is registered in Västmanland."
Is the vaccine free even for people without a personnummer, and those who usually need to pay for healthcare in Sweden, or is any documentation required?
"Yes, it will be free."
If you belong to a risk group, do you need to take any action to get the vaccine at the right time?
"If you are not registered in our region with a personnummer (folkbokförd), we may have difficulties reaching people. In that case, keep an eye on the information at 1177.se in Region Västmanland. If you belong to the phase currently being vaccinated, you can get in touch with the vaccination booking service by phone for help with booking."
Can you confirm who will be offered the vaccine in Sweden, and for those who do not have a personnummer, how do they access the vaccine?
"Everyone who is over 18 years old will be offered the vaccine. You won't need a BankID. The planning for how different groups will be reached and how they will be able to book a slot is currently ongoing."
Is the vaccine free even for people without a personnummer, and those who usually need to pay for healthcare in Sweden, or is any documentation required?
"The vaccination will be free for all groups."
If you belong to a risk group, do you need to take any action to get the vaccine at the right time?
"Planning for the vaccination of these groups is still ongoing."
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