Good information for swedes like me, and yes, seems like this is kind of dumb even from the banks perspective and they should want to simplify it for students like you. Even more silly that it is just one month of visa away from really making it easier with the personnummer
That’s strange! I traveled to Sweden in 2011 and of course I had no problem paying hotel bills, renting bicycles, eating in restaurants, everything by my regular credit card or cash in convenient stores!!! From what you described someone may get stuck there without being able buying food and anything else. Unbelievable things have gone that crazy! Are you sure!!!
I moved to Sweden about a year ago, transferred by my company from another EU country to work in Sweden. My wife is Swedish. I thought I did my research, but evidently I failed identifying these hurdles beforehand. Otherwise, I would have never moved here, now I regret it and I'm looking to leave in the short/medium term. Check this out: 1) Migration procedures are absurdly contradictory and built to be hard or impossible to comply with. A typical migration process, despite having all funds and complying with all requirements will take none less than 6 months, except if you're sponsored by a company, which takes it down to 3+ months. 2) Swedish companies can, but the vast majority of them will refuse to pay their employees to any bank or through any means that is not a direct transfer to a swedish bank account... that means that your employer will simply not pay your salary until you get a swedish bank account. 3) While your migratory status is cleared and released, you have no access to essential services like healthcare or any social or civil services, etc. Non-life threatening medical conditions or emergencies will be dismissed and you will be refused health care, unless you pay USA-level exorbitant costs, in advance. 4) Tax authorities will tax you in full and from day 1, regardless of you being able to receive your salary or not, and regardless of you having or not the rights that you're supposedly paying for with those taxes (point 3 above) until the migration procedures are finalized. 5) Banks will outright lie to you to prevent you (as a foreigner) to open an account with them: the reason being that it forces them to do a lot of additional paperwork, due diligence, and what they call "increased risk of money laundering" for accepting foreign customers, regardless of them being EU citizens or non EU citizens. Avoid at all costs Danske Bank, SEB Bank, Nordea or ICA Bank. 6) Once you manage to convince a bank to open a bank account for you (I had to hire a lawyer), they will ask you about, and restrict you in terms like: the number of times a year you will withdraw cash, and how much of it, as well as the number of times and amounts you will transfer money to other banks, and the same but for banks outside sweden. Interests on savings will be around 0 but they will charge you upwards from 300 kr a year to simply keep the account open, some banks go up to 700 kr, for their most basic student accounts. OH THE TOP is that most swedish bank offices are "cashless" so you cannot even handle your money there, you'll have to go to the only or a few "cash-enabled" offices they may have in town to deposit or withdraw money. 7) Having a bank account and migratory status ready will not be enough: you will have to start another 10-16 weeks procedure to get a "Personal Number" issued by the tax authorities. Once you have it, you'll need to request an "Identity Card", which will cost you above 400 Kronor and will take 4-6 weeks. Oh, do you want it to be valid Europe wise? Request another "identity card" from the Police, pay another 200-400 kr and wait for another 4-10 weeks. 8) ONLY after receiving your Identity card, you can go back to your bank and get what they call "BankID", which is a digital identity certificate necessary to do everything in Sweden, surprisingly and outrageously, issued by private banking institutions, and not by the government or any official body of the country. 9) Once and only once you have Bank ID, you can register at the social and healthcare system on their website, which will take 2-8 weeks. Oh do you want your healthcare (that you are paying taxes for) to be valid Europe wide? Apply for the EU health card, which will take additional 8-12 weeks. 10) You'll pay around 36-40% taxes while working here, but you will anyway NOT have: - ...any useful or significant unemployment assistance or coverage. For that you'll have to pay private additional insurance. - ...free healthcare: it will NOT be free, it will only stop costing you money, after you surpass a threshold of around 1200 kr. a year in services, and around 2000 kr. a year in medication. Dental, functional and psychological care are not included, but merely subsidized, if you were born swedish. - ...access to the rental housing market unless you pay monthly fees for what they call "The Queue". - ...coverage or assistance by unions regarding employment and career related issues, unless you pay very high fees for membership. - ...good infrastructure: the largest "highway" in Sweden, called the E4, is a two-lane road (on each direction) on approximately 30% of it's span, the rest is an alternating and poorly maintained 2-1 lane road. Arlanda international airport is "cashless" and will only accept credit cards or exclusively swedish debit cards. Healthcare appointments' waiting time is measured in months (not hours or days or weeks). DO NOT COME HERE. IT IS A MISTAKE: IT'S JUST NOT WORTH TO BE LIVING IN WHAT THEY THEMSELVES CALL "THE PINNACLE OF CIVILIZATION", WHILE GOING THROUGH ALL THIS FRUSTRATION AND EXCLUSION- MEANWHILE MOST SWEDISH PEOPLE EXPECT YOU TO "BE HONORED AND GRATEFUL FOR BEING IN SWEDEN". I'M OUT.
I definitely feel your pain. It has not been easy at all . I wish you success in your future endeavors. For myself, I did not have a company sponsor me or a relationship with a Swedish person. I have invested too much to through in the towel. After exactly 2 years of being here, everything just about has finally fallen into place. It ironic because they need skill workers badly as many do not get paid well, change careers, or move to other countries that pay better. Then those of us who want to be here and fill in for those shortages are not facilitated. I do hope it will change . I heard there is a push for fast tracking certain skilled workers like certain fast track programs in some other countries but by then I will have already done everything on my own probably. I finally got my Swedish driver’s license which was a hot mess but now I can drive in all the EU. Next and last thing for me is passing the practice exam for my nurse license. Hopefully I pass this fall so I can be licensed and get paid better. Then just a matter of waiting 3 more years to apply for citizenship.
What kind of infrastructure do you expect? Also, you get the added wage thought kollektivavtal no matter if you are connected to the union or not. Several of the things you describe has to do with the EU. The European health care card is a sort of evidence. It will get easier to access healthcare in other European counties. But you’re still obliged to it if you are insured in Sweden.
I´m from Denmark and used to travel to Sweden regularly. When they started this North Korea surveillance society. Why do the government need to know what you buy and what you own in your private space ? Stopped going there 10 years ago when all this totalitarian Georg Orwell started. When going to Norway from Denmark i don´t stop and use 1 single Krone there. Horrible horrible country. And the Danes i talk to feel the same way. We are done with that shithole country.
My husband (non-eu) & I (eu at the time of moving) were able to open a bank account with Nordea reasonably easily when we first arrived. Handelsbanken were really awful to us though
@@MissyMuzo As a dane i consider Handelsbanken borderline criminal in their daily operations. Had to pay out my debt and leave because they illegally changed interest rates on my loan, i just didn´t have the time and energy to take em to court. Nordea is just a piece of shit greedy bank like all other banks on earth. The reason why Nordea is "better" is because they can print their own danish kroner, so they have to behave differently or the state will punish them.
Just one thing about cards... I hope you are not *swiping* the card in that 1970s magnetic slot. This should be the only path that triggers the outdated insanity of "signing". You need to either touch it contactless, or stick the card in the chip reader. Then you should be able to enter the PIN number.
😂 right I don’t swipe. However many machines will not let me use the contact method. There really is no science to it for some reason. So I usually have to insert the chip part and then sign. But today, a card I been using for two weeks with contactless method did not work. So I tried 3 other credit cards which none worked either. So I inserted the chip but all said I had to sign. The store owner said they don’t allow signing anymore, which I had been doing up till two weeks ago with my chase visa sapphire card till I switched to this new card. My chase sapphire card contactless method only worked two times that I been in Sweden. I have pin codes for all my cards. I really am not sure what the problem is. What I ended up doing is I literally just got a Revolut card in the mail I had applied for and it worked, but it’s basically a card that you have to wire money too from another credit card. Then pay that card off with my bank since my American bank won’t allow me to wire directly to my Revolut card. Such a pain… then don’t get me started on paying the electric bill or rent… I have to wire the money direct to the company and I pay about 40 dollars in fees every wired transaction.
@@becurious2000 weird.... I have many friends that had come to Sweden and as long as their card works also as a VISA or MasterCard, they have had zero issues. Anything that is only from your country.... might be more trouble.
Sorry for you problems. Yes, Swedish banks are not service minded. They don't even take cash ,you have to deposit it is a special ATM that takes deposits, which are rare. Friends on work visas , couldn't get paid until they got their person number, and the tax office has very limited times to go get a person number. Even with a spousal visa the bank did not want to give me my own account until I got permanent status. There aren't the prepaid Visa cards like in the US. On the other hand using a foreign card in the US can be a pain too. Can't book tickets on line since they forms don't allow for foreign phone numbers and addresses. Couldn't use the bike share in Chicago or Cincinnati.
Oh don't get me started on the US-based web forms that insist that a) every country has states and b) think (xxx) xxx - xxxx is the only valid phone number format....
I had no idea that it is so hard for people to join us in society! I feel ashamed as a Swede XD How hard can it be. Give people a real chance to start a life here.
@@Jonsson474 It has nothing to do with that, is about security, at the 90s with all bankrobberys and hi-jacking money transports the banks goverment and money transport compamys had a meeting where they agreed to move over to digital technology couse the ppeople who got robbed suffered to much
varför skulle du skämmas för att en jänkare inte gjort grundläggande research och inte har en bank som han kan betala i sverige med? lol Bokstavligen alla problem grabben har är för att HANS hemland är ett jävla uland när det kommer till betalningar. Man kan inte påstå en bank och kort är bra om det itne har chip + pin, eller Contactless..
I'm Swedish living abroad. The most difficult country to travel is Sweden because of this maniac of have cashless society. I avoid to travel to Sweden.
I´m from Denmark and i refuse to spend 1 kroner in Sweden. Stopped going there or buying anything Swedish. If they want to know everything i buy or own like North Korea they are dead to me. Other Danish people i know feel the same way. Sweden is a shit hole country
For Swedes it is like: Who would want to tourist in Sweden? - As a huge chunk of the population disperse all over the world for a whole month in summer.
It is Illegal by law in Sweden for stores to refuse cash pay if there isn't a legitimate risk of robbery and the store in question has proven this risk or has actually been exposed to robbery frequently. I really think you should stand your ground and next time they refuse your cash pay if it is cash in Swedish currency and ask to see their manager or someone who is in charge. I would not stand for it if someone refused me paying cash as a native Swedish unless i knew beforehand that that particular store has a no cash policy. "The retailer must not refuse to accept cash unless both parties have agreed on another method of payment. It is not enough to put up a note saying that cash payments, or payments made with certain denominations, are not accepted."
Very interesting. Is this applicable in all cities? I know here in Skåne the only places that have taken cash from me is my barber and the grocery store. For example when I asked H and M and the coffee shops and restaurants about it they said they stopped taking cash a long time ago because it was too dangerous. Oh and there is also a pizza shop below my apartment that can take cash but they have been robbed twice since I moved here because they take cash. It was pretty scary for us in the apartment because they broke the glass window in the early morning to steal the money.
I am mystified, is this specific to Americans, or has regulation changed since 2018(when I was there last)? I come from Australia and have visited Sweden on many occasions and always use my Australian credit and debit cards without a problem.
I think it is a problem with credit cards without PIN at some shops. When I have visited, some of my credit cards that don't have PIN, don't work, others with a PIN have no issues. I'm guessing American credit cards, often don't have a PIN?
Yea its so strange. Maybe has to do with me being American? Dunno 🤷♂️ but I finally have a bank account with nordea but I still have limitations . For example I am not allowed to use swish or Mobil bank id with my coordination number. I have to have a personnummer
This is very embarrassing. I'm sorry you've had these problems. Technology should make our lives better and smoother, and yet it seems to makes our lives more complicated. We become dependent on technology because we are forced to in order to function in society, not because of our own will. It's slowly morphing into a corporate technocracy. How hard can it be to buy groceries in the store? It really shouldn't be that complicated. Swedes are unfortunately tend to be very complacent and trustful of the government which means they can be easily persuaded into things that would be out of the question in other parts of the world, like removing cash for instance. Most of them don't want to "rock the boat" on these issues. They just kind of go along with it. Thank you for bringing this up.
Sometimes. Depends where you go. I know the barbers for example I been to only take cash or swish. Another issue is linking the Swedish bank card with Apple Pay. I was not able to do that until I got a Swedish personnummer , bank ID, and a Swedish ID card. Which took almost 2 years to get.
Yea, I have heard this before. It is ok as long as you are a tourist here. But if you live here you really need a "personnummer" to get a bank account etc!
Yea, I just got my application for the ICA bank today. They said they cannot guarantee anything and to just fill it out and see what happens. So wish me success lol.
Have you tried talking to Swedbank in Sweden about taking out a credit card at Swedbank in New York or the same with a partner to a Swedish bank in the states?
Swedbank was unwilling to facilitate the process as long as I have no personal identification number, however I did not know any Swedish banks have a partnership in the USA so I may give that a try. Thanks for the nice suggestion!
I can understand there might be some problems here and there regarding this. We're so cashless now and so used to it, and now that I spend most of my time in Germany I can notice the difference and sort of the opposite of your problem, I CAN'T use my card everywhere. That problem was enhanced by the EU "blip" limit of €250 a month. For some reason their machines wouldn't ask me for the pincode so it never reset and thus I couldn't use my normal card at all. I don't think it's a problem with going cashless though, it's a problem when everyone else isn't keeping up hehehe...
Oh wow! I did not know about the blip limit. That is very interesting. Yea I am realizing in talking to people that it seems there are a lot of issues in many modern lands when it comes to paying for things. I don't understand why it has to be so complicated lol
I disagree, I think the problem is the going cashless in the first place! I think there is a lot of clever marketing to make us view cashlessness as inevitable but it really isn't.
I am so sorry you experienced/experience these difficulties and hassles. I hate it when countries put up roadblocks like these for people, and especially for people like yourself whose only wish is to build a new life in Sweden and contribute to society. The problem you address in this video is also something which upsets me about West-European countries. I usually call it a form of backward thinking, or an unwillingness to develop and make it easier for newcomers and tourists to navigate and/or get settled in our countries. It's a form a conservatism and protectionism, I feel, and I can't stand it. And, let me tell you that it's even difficult for me as a Swede to get around in Sweden. As you know, I have a vacation home in Småland but live in the Netherlands. In 2020, during my first summer back in Sweden, I wanted to get Internet access through Telia, but it didn't work cuz my Swedish person number had been deactivated because I live abroad. My husband and I wanted to put up solar panels on our vacation house in the spring of 2021, but I wasn't eligible for the government discount since, again, my person number has been deactivated. For the same reason, I can't get a Bank ID. And, I am a citizen of the Kingdom of Sweden. And, just take Vaxjö. If you want to park your car in downtown Växjö, you need to download an app which is only available in Swedish. So, basically, if you come there as a tourist from another country, don’t speak Swedish, but want to park your car in the town center, it’s impossible. I find this so unfriendly to tourists. Like you said, it just doesn’t make any sense. Thanks for another great video. And, I’m sorry for complaining, because I was most certainly complaining 😊. Don’t get me wrong, though. I still love Sweden, but some things in Sweden are aggravating.
@@becurious2000 Before I answer your question, I just also wanted to tell you that if I move back to Sweden, my person number can be reactivated without a problem. And, I was luckily able to open up a Swedish bank account last spring, using my Swedish passport. On a different note, I know more EU countries treat non-EU citizens the same way, which is a shame. In Holland, for instance, non-EU citizens can't easily open up a bank account, either. I know Ukrainians struggle with this here. As to your question: when I moved to the Netherlands, I could easily open up a bank account and get a Dutch social security number. I think that was because I was already an EU citizen with a Swedish passport. Do you have your person number now?
In my opinion, this seems to ne kind of a problem with your bank. I mean, I'm from the EU, but I never had trouble paying in other currencies (with a debit card, not a credit card)
If all power goes out for so long that cash would be the problem most people would be dead. Its like toilett paper stupidity of early corona pandemic. if society comes to such a crashing halt that you run out of things to wipe your butt with.... well i can tell you that the immediate problem would be to figure out where to actually dump all your shit at that point. Point being. if a disaster should strike to the magnitutde that we are without power for months or even forever there are systems in place to fix that. On your municipality or "länsstyrelese" sites there should be information where to go and what to do if such a thing happens. As in where water, food and necessities will be handed out. You can also read that disaster booklet thing that was sent out awhile back. Having a decent supply of water and canned food as well as batteries, candles a field stove and the like at home is very smart.
I am really sorry to hear that's happening with you. Were you able to resolve the issue?? I have heard transfer wise cards' work just fine over there. I don't know if you gave that a try.
Thanks. I have a bank account here now and a bank card with Nordea in Sweden which helped, but it comes with limitations like I can not Swish and cannot have mobile bank ID. I am waiting for a response from the migration agency so I can apply for a personnummer through the tax agency. That should fix everything as long as the migration agency says I can stay here.
Have you checked at Forex? I know they have cards you can use abroad and then I hope it can be used here but I don't know if you have to have personnummer to get it. But they maybe have some tips how to do?
I say get a swedish bank account. Yes some fees but should be possible. Then get a swedish card, probably debit but still more easy than cash. Lund uni should really be able to help especially since you pay them. I had multiple friends studying in Lund and Malmö being non citizens, however they are EU citizens which might help.... US citizens are real foreigneers (joke) and they all could get personnummer, however the special types. And it is not a law that they dont signature, its a policy from the bussiness to not accept easy fradauble methods like signing. PIN are normally the lowest level of security accepted. Set up a meeting with a swedish bank.
Thanks. A bit of time has elapsed since this video was made. I actually have a bank account and personnummer . I finally got my Swedish ID after waiting almost two years. Now I can apply for mobile bank ID and swish
Were you born here or did you have to come into the system from another land? I know for those outside of the EU it’s very difficult. I am not sure about those born here or moving here from the EU.
@@Riiludragon 👍🏻 I like it now but I have concerns. My biggest concerns are related to hacking with artificial intelligence and system shutdowns. We had a system shut down over a year ago here and the grocery stores I heard lost a lot of money. But this is how it is with electronic systems, always a risk of system failures. I think it’s good to save a little cash for emergencies.
You seem to have really gotten the absolute worst possible of everything... Have you tried using a Visa card? And oh yeah, i completely agree with you that it's a problem, and its getting BIGGER. All in the name of "fighting terrorism". No kidding. I was aware that it was bad, but not that it was THIS terrible. Horribly anti-tourist-y and anti-everything almost...
Yea it has been hit or miss for me. A lot of people use swish here which I cannot get if I do not have a bank ID here in Sweden. My barber only takes swish and cash for example. I hate getting cash because we only have a couple ATMs here in the downtown area where it is really shady and people get robbed around there. Plus, many people do not have change for the cash and most the bills are large bills. I am working on a lead a TH-cam subscriber gave me with ICA, a grocery store here. They have a bank system for students and I am going to see if I can call the person referred to me to see if they can set me up with something, even if it is super basic.
To get the equivalent to a “personnummer” you simply buy and sell a cheap car. This will enable you to get a temporary “personnummer” from Trafikverket that you can use to get a bank account. This might be some what harder these day because the system was abused too commit fraud.
Yes. I had the equivalent- the samordningnummer. It was helpful however limited on certain things. For example, one cannot get access to healthcare unless it’s an emergency and acute, bank access is limited to only a few features and one cannot have swish or Mobil bank ID, and one has difficulties getting a month to month cell phone plan. However it’s a good start and better than nothing.👍🏻
Which city do you live? This has not been mine or my classmates experience. I have had my cash refused many times and we even were taught about this in my Swedish class at my university.
Check out this link… goal is for Sweden to be completely cashless by 2023. interestingengineering.com/sweden-how-to-live-in-the-worlds-first-cashless-society
@@TheJonasbz I live in Helsingborg. Maybe that’s the difference? I did mention in my video that I did find a place that takes my cash- which just happens to be willys as you mentioned.
@@becurious2000 The reason it all has gone digital is about security, at the 90s with all bankrobberys and hi-jacking money transports whith now has more or vless stopped, the banks goverment and money transport compamys had a meeting where they agreed to move over to digital technology couse the people who got robbed suffered to much
I am still working through the problem. Thanks to a random stranger here in Sweden who follows me on TH-cam, we have been trying to resolve the situation. He has found it to be quite complicated as well. What we are running into is every person we talk to says something different, I think it is difficult for a Swedish person to understand as they are born into the system, but for someone born outside of Europe coming here to start a new life, it is very difficult to get started here. Thankfully I finally got a samordningnummer a week ago. I think what I am realizing is an issue here in Sweden is a break down in communication especially if you do not speak Swedish. I have sent off my application to ICA bank yesterday and am now waiting for a response. Once, and if, I am granted the ability to get a bank account, I will post a video on the process so others who come here can understand the proper way to do it. I wish my university had helped us navigate through this very complicated task.
@@perthyren601 thanks! Yea I had a little more drama today 😢 I went to buy my ticket from the machine at 0615 to go on oresundtag from Helsingborg to Copenhagen airport. The machine asked me to sign but there was no way to sign. It never asked for a pin, and there was no way to cancel the transaction. I saw a cancel button but it did nothing. I stood there waiting and the screen was froze on the screen saying to sign. There of course were no personal standing around so I went to the machine next to it to try with another card… same problem. So I went to a third machine while those two were frozen. As I was looking at tickets to buy, the first machine printed my ticket despite waiting several minutes and being froze with out me signing. So I grabbed that ticket. Next thing I know, the second machine printed another ticket. So now I am charged for two tickets. I am so glad I was able to cancel the third machine. I asked the train personnel for help and they said I have to call the number on the back of the ticket but of course when I did, they are closed and all options are in Swedish 😭…. Ugh I don’t know what to do.
Sometimes it takes a foreigner to see a problem. I have not met a grocery store where you can't pay but the issue with cash is serious still. There need to be cash possibilities otherwise it is not democratic. The personal numer though... there should be a way for you to get one immediately, specially since you are a foreign student with no social security...
Yea… my thoughts are if you are contributing to society here like paying taxes, paying for school, adding to the economy, it only seems reasonable to have a personnummer or at least a more accommodating process
Yeah, more and more stores don't take cash but they are still a minority and grocery stores might be the last ones that will require card payments. I have never heard of a swedish grocery store not taking cash despite living here all my life of 53 years.
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Yeah the whole issue really comes down to why not all people living here can get a personnummer. I really don't know why that is. Good thing you got Revolut, thought about giving you that tip throughout the video. Since they support regular bank transfers (SEPA for instance) you should be able to do most things, provided your electricity company, landlord etc can give you an IBAN instead of the swedish Bankgiro-number (which only works with Swedish banks). In the same way your friends won't have to sign up to Revolut, just as long as they have an IBAN number to their account, you can send them a regular bank tranfer from Revolut instead.
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In the grocery store you are always able to pay cash.
This is the frightening reality of living in a cashless society.
Good information for swedes like me, and yes, seems like this is kind of dumb even from the banks perspective and they should want to simplify it for students like you. Even more silly that it is just one month of visa away from really making it easier with the personnummer
Yea it’s so bizarre
Wow..! There should be some kind of edvisor or counsellor at the university to guide students from abroad through this marshland.
I agree
That’s strange! I traveled to Sweden in 2011 and of course I had no problem paying hotel bills, renting bicycles, eating in restaurants, everything by my regular credit card or cash in convenient stores!!! From what you described someone may get stuck there without being able buying food and anything else. Unbelievable things have gone that crazy! Are you sure!!!
Yup. Several of my friends from outside the EU that are studying here have had the same problems.
A lot has changed since 2011 and nowadays it's mostly card or something we call swish. A lot of places refuse to take cash at all.
I moved to Sweden about a year ago, transferred by my company from another EU country to work in Sweden. My wife is Swedish. I thought I did my research, but evidently I failed identifying these hurdles beforehand. Otherwise, I would have never moved here, now I regret it and I'm looking to leave in the short/medium term. Check this out:
1) Migration procedures are absurdly contradictory and built to be hard or impossible to comply with. A typical migration process, despite having all funds and complying with all requirements will take none less than 6 months, except if you're sponsored by a company, which takes it down to 3+ months.
2) Swedish companies can, but the vast majority of them will refuse to pay their employees to any bank or through any means that is not a direct transfer to a swedish bank account... that means that your employer will simply not pay your salary until you get a swedish bank account.
3) While your migratory status is cleared and released, you have no access to essential services like healthcare or any social or civil services, etc. Non-life threatening medical conditions or emergencies will be dismissed and you will be refused health care, unless you pay USA-level exorbitant costs, in advance.
4) Tax authorities will tax you in full and from day 1, regardless of you being able to receive your salary or not, and regardless of you having or not the rights that you're supposedly paying for with those taxes (point 3 above) until the migration procedures are finalized.
5) Banks will outright lie to you to prevent you (as a foreigner) to open an account with them: the reason being that it forces them to do a lot of additional paperwork, due diligence, and what they call "increased risk of money laundering" for accepting foreign customers, regardless of them being EU citizens or non EU citizens. Avoid at all costs Danske Bank, SEB Bank, Nordea or ICA Bank.
6) Once you manage to convince a bank to open a bank account for you (I had to hire a lawyer), they will ask you about, and restrict you in terms like: the number of times a year you will withdraw cash, and how much of it, as well as the number of times and amounts you will transfer money to other banks, and the same but for banks outside sweden. Interests on savings will be around 0 but they will charge you upwards from 300 kr a year to simply keep the account open, some banks go up to 700 kr, for their most basic student accounts. OH THE TOP is that most swedish bank offices are "cashless" so you cannot even handle your money there, you'll have to go to the only or a few "cash-enabled" offices they may have in town to deposit or withdraw money.
7) Having a bank account and migratory status ready will not be enough: you will have to start another 10-16 weeks procedure to get a "Personal Number" issued by the tax authorities. Once you have it, you'll need to request an "Identity Card", which will cost you above 400 Kronor and will take 4-6 weeks. Oh, do you want it to be valid Europe wise? Request another "identity card" from the Police, pay another 200-400 kr and wait for another 4-10 weeks.
8) ONLY after receiving your Identity card, you can go back to your bank and get what they call "BankID", which is a digital identity certificate necessary to do everything in Sweden, surprisingly and outrageously, issued by private banking institutions, and not by the government or any official body of the country.
9) Once and only once you have Bank ID, you can register at the social and healthcare system on their website, which will take 2-8 weeks. Oh do you want your healthcare (that you are paying taxes for) to be valid Europe wide? Apply for the EU health card, which will take additional 8-12 weeks.
10) You'll pay around 36-40% taxes while working here, but you will anyway NOT have:
- ...any useful or significant unemployment assistance or coverage. For that you'll have to pay private additional insurance.
- ...free healthcare: it will NOT be free, it will only stop costing you money, after you surpass a threshold of around 1200 kr. a year in services, and around 2000 kr. a year in medication. Dental, functional and psychological care are not included, but merely subsidized, if you were born swedish.
- ...access to the rental housing market unless you pay monthly fees for what they call "The Queue".
- ...coverage or assistance by unions regarding employment and career related issues, unless you pay very high fees for membership.
- ...good infrastructure: the largest "highway" in Sweden, called the E4, is a two-lane road (on each direction) on approximately 30% of it's span, the rest is an alternating and poorly maintained 2-1 lane road. Arlanda international airport is "cashless" and will only accept credit cards or exclusively swedish debit cards. Healthcare appointments' waiting time is measured in months (not hours or days or weeks).
DO NOT COME HERE. IT IS A MISTAKE: IT'S JUST NOT WORTH TO BE LIVING IN WHAT THEY THEMSELVES CALL "THE PINNACLE OF CIVILIZATION", WHILE GOING THROUGH ALL THIS FRUSTRATION AND EXCLUSION- MEANWHILE MOST SWEDISH PEOPLE EXPECT YOU TO "BE HONORED AND GRATEFUL FOR BEING IN SWEDEN". I'M OUT.
I definitely feel your pain. It has not been easy at all . I wish you success in your future endeavors. For myself, I did not have a company sponsor me or a relationship with a Swedish person. I have invested too much to through in the towel. After exactly 2 years of being here, everything just about has finally fallen into place. It ironic because they need skill workers badly as many do not get paid well, change careers, or move to other countries that pay better. Then those of us who want to be here and fill in for those shortages are not facilitated. I do hope it will change . I heard there is a push for fast tracking certain skilled workers like certain fast track programs in some other countries but by then I will have already done everything on my own probably. I finally got my Swedish driver’s license which was a hot mess but now I can drive in all the EU. Next and last thing for me is passing the practice exam for my nurse license. Hopefully I pass this fall so I can be licensed and get paid better. Then just a matter of waiting 3 more years to apply for citizenship.
What kind of infrastructure do you expect? Also, you get the added wage thought kollektivavtal no matter if you are connected to the union or not. Several of the things you describe has to do with the EU. The European health care card is a sort of evidence. It will get easier to access healthcare in other European counties. But you’re still obliged to it if you are insured in Sweden.
I´m from Denmark and used to travel to Sweden regularly. When they started this North Korea surveillance society. Why do the government need to know what you buy and what you own in your private space ? Stopped going there 10 years ago when all this totalitarian Georg Orwell started. When going to Norway from Denmark i don´t stop and use 1 single Krone there. Horrible horrible country. And the Danes i talk to feel the same way. We are done with that shithole country.
My husband (non-eu) & I (eu at the time of moving) were able to open a bank account with Nordea reasonably easily when we first arrived. Handelsbanken were really awful to us though
@@MissyMuzo As a dane i consider Handelsbanken borderline criminal in their daily operations. Had to pay out my debt and leave because they illegally changed interest rates on my loan, i just didn´t have the time and energy to take em to court. Nordea is just a piece of shit greedy bank like all other banks on earth. The reason why Nordea is "better" is because they can print their own danish kroner, so they have to behave differently or the state will punish them.
Just one thing about cards... I hope you are not *swiping* the card in that 1970s magnetic slot. This should be the only path that triggers the outdated insanity of "signing". You need to either touch it contactless, or stick the card in the chip reader. Then you should be able to enter the PIN number.
😂 right I don’t swipe. However many machines will not let me use the contact method. There really is no science to it for some reason. So I usually have to insert the chip part and then sign. But today, a card I been using for two weeks with contactless method did not work. So I tried 3 other credit cards which none worked either. So I inserted the chip but all said I had to sign. The store owner said they don’t allow signing anymore, which I had been doing up till two weeks ago with my chase visa sapphire card till I switched to this new card. My chase sapphire card contactless method only worked two times that I been in Sweden. I have pin codes for all my cards. I really am not sure what the problem is. What I ended up doing is I literally just got a Revolut card in the mail I had applied for and it worked, but it’s basically a card that you have to wire money too from another credit card. Then pay that card off with my bank since my American bank won’t allow me to wire directly to my Revolut card. Such a pain… then don’t get me started on paying the electric bill or rent… I have to wire the money direct to the company and I pay about 40 dollars in fees every wired transaction.
@@becurious2000 weird.... I have many friends that had come to Sweden and as long as their card works also as a VISA or MasterCard, they have had zero issues. Anything that is only from your country.... might be more trouble.
I ran into the same problem! Swedish bureaucracy at its finest
😆
Sorry for you problems.
Yes, Swedish banks are not service minded. They don't even take cash ,you have to deposit it is a special ATM that takes deposits, which are rare. Friends on work visas , couldn't get paid until they got their person number, and the tax office has very limited times to go get a person number. Even with a spousal visa the bank did not want to give me my own account until I got permanent status. There aren't the prepaid Visa cards like in the US.
On the other hand using a foreign card in the US can be a pain too. Can't book tickets on line since they forms don't allow for foreign phone numbers and addresses. Couldn't use the bike share in Chicago or Cincinnati.
That’s crazy… maybe cryptocurrency is the future then for a global currency 🤷♂️ 😆
Oh don't get me started on the US-based web forms that insist that a) every country has states and b) think (xxx) xxx - xxxx is the only valid phone number format....
@@ZapAndersson 😂 what a mess
I had no idea that it is so hard for people to join us in society!
I feel ashamed as a Swede XD
How hard can it be. Give people a real chance to start a life here.
Yea so hard to wrap my head around
It’s not so strange if you think of it. There has for years been an opinion from certain political parties to stop immigration.
@@Jonsson474 It has nothing to do with that, is about security, at the 90s with all bankrobberys and hi-jacking money transports the banks goverment and money transport compamys had a meeting where they agreed to move over to digital technology couse the ppeople who got robbed suffered to much
varför skulle du skämmas för att en jänkare inte gjort grundläggande research och inte har en bank som han kan betala i sverige med? lol
Bokstavligen alla problem grabben har är för att HANS hemland är ett jävla uland när det kommer till betalningar. Man kan inte påstå en bank och kort är bra om det itne har chip + pin, eller Contactless..
I'm Swedish living abroad. The most difficult country to travel is Sweden because of this maniac of have cashless society. I avoid to travel to Sweden.
I´m from Denmark and i refuse to spend 1 kroner in Sweden. Stopped going there or buying anything Swedish. If they want to know everything i buy or own like North Korea they are dead to me. Other Danish people i know feel the same way. Sweden is a shit hole country
Sweden need to fix this its not very friendly to tourist I also miss paying with money.
Absolut!
We already fixed it - we got rid of the cash
For Swedes it is like: Who would want to tourist in Sweden?
- As a huge chunk of the population disperse all over the world for a whole month in summer.
It is Illegal by law in Sweden for stores to refuse cash pay if there isn't a legitimate risk of robbery and the store in question has proven this risk or has actually been exposed to robbery frequently.
I really think you should stand your ground and next time they refuse your cash pay if it is cash in Swedish currency and ask to see their manager or someone who is in charge.
I would not stand for it if someone refused me paying cash as a native Swedish unless i knew beforehand that that particular store has a no cash policy.
"The retailer must not refuse to accept cash unless both parties have agreed on another method of payment. It is not enough to put up a note saying that cash payments, or payments made with certain denominations, are not accepted."
Very interesting. Is this applicable in all cities? I know here in Skåne the only places that have taken cash from me is my barber and the grocery store. For example when I asked H and M and the coffee shops and restaurants about it they said they stopped taking cash a long time ago because it was too dangerous. Oh and there is also a pizza shop below my apartment that can take cash but they have been robbed twice since I moved here because they take cash. It was pretty scary for us in the apartment because they broke the glass window in the early morning to steal the money.
I am mystified, is this specific to Americans, or has regulation changed since 2018(when I was there last)? I come from Australia and have visited Sweden on many occasions and always use my Australian credit and debit cards without a problem.
I think it is a problem with credit cards without PIN at some shops. When I have visited, some of my credit cards that don't have PIN, don't work, others with a PIN have no issues. I'm guessing American credit cards, often don't have a PIN?
Yea its so strange. Maybe has to do with me being American? Dunno 🤷♂️ but I finally have a bank account with nordea but I still have limitations . For example I am not allowed to use swish or Mobil bank id with my coordination number. I have to have a personnummer
This is very embarrassing. I'm sorry you've had these problems. Technology should make our lives better and smoother, and yet it seems to makes our lives more complicated. We become dependent on technology because we are forced to in order to function in society, not because of our own will. It's slowly morphing into a corporate technocracy. How hard can it be to buy groceries in the store? It really shouldn't be that complicated. Swedes are unfortunately tend to be very complacent and trustful of the government which means they can be easily persuaded into things that would be out of the question in other parts of the world, like removing cash for instance. Most of them don't want to "rock the boat" on these issues. They just kind of go along with it. Thank you for bringing this up.
thanks for watching and for your support!
Does Applepay not work?
Sometimes. Depends where you go. I know the barbers for example I been to only take cash or swish. Another issue is linking the Swedish bank card with Apple Pay. I was not able to do that until I got a Swedish personnummer , bank ID, and a Swedish ID card. Which took almost 2 years to get.
Yea, I have heard this before. It is ok as long as you are a tourist here. But if you live here you really need a "personnummer" to get a bank account etc!
Yea, I just got my application for the ICA bank today. They said they cannot guarantee anything and to just fill it out and see what happens. So wish me success lol.
Have you tried talking to Swedbank in Sweden about taking out a credit card at Swedbank in New York or the same with a partner to a Swedish bank in the states?
Swedbank was unwilling to facilitate the process as long as I have no personal identification number, however I did not know any Swedish banks have a partnership in the USA so I may give that a try. Thanks for the nice suggestion!
Det är okej att gnälla när saker inte fungerar. Jag förstår att du blir frustrerad!
🤗 tack för din förståelse!
I can understand there might be some problems here and there regarding this. We're so cashless now and so used to it, and now that I spend most of my time in Germany I can notice the difference and sort of the opposite of your problem, I CAN'T use my card everywhere. That problem was enhanced by the EU "blip" limit of €250 a month. For some reason their machines wouldn't ask me for the pincode so it never reset and thus I couldn't use my normal card at all. I don't think it's a problem with going cashless though, it's a problem when everyone else isn't keeping up hehehe...
Oh wow! I did not know about the blip limit. That is very interesting. Yea I am realizing in talking to people that it seems there are a lot of issues in many modern lands when it comes to paying for things. I don't understand why it has to be so complicated lol
@@becurious2000 It's not, it's just that you're comming from a 3rd world payment system.
@@JohanHultin 😆
I disagree, I think the problem is the going cashless in the first place! I think there is a lot of clever marketing to make us view cashlessness as inevitable but it really isn't.
I am so sorry you experienced/experience these difficulties and hassles. I hate it when countries put up roadblocks like these for people, and especially for people like yourself whose only wish is to build a new life in Sweden and contribute to society.
The problem you address in this video is also something which upsets me about West-European countries. I usually call it a form of backward thinking, or an unwillingness to develop and make it easier for newcomers and tourists to navigate and/or get settled in our countries. It's a form a conservatism and protectionism, I feel, and I can't stand it.
And, let me tell you that it's even difficult for me as a Swede to get around in Sweden. As you know, I have a vacation home in Småland but live in the Netherlands. In 2020, during my first summer back in Sweden, I wanted to get Internet access through Telia, but it didn't work cuz my Swedish person number had been deactivated because I live abroad. My husband and I wanted to put up solar panels on our vacation house in the spring of 2021, but I wasn't eligible for the government discount since, again, my person number has been deactivated. For the same reason, I can't get a Bank ID. And, I am a citizen of the Kingdom of Sweden.
And, just take Vaxjö. If you want to park your car in downtown Växjö, you need to download an app which is only available in Swedish. So, basically, if you come there as a tourist from another country, don’t speak Swedish, but want to park your car in the town center, it’s impossible. I find this so unfriendly to tourists. Like you said, it just doesn’t make any sense. Thanks for another great video. And, I’m sorry for complaining, because I was most certainly complaining 😊. Don’t get me wrong, though. I still love Sweden, but some things in Sweden are aggravating.
Thanks for the feedback. Interesting to hear you have the same problems even as a Swede. Was it like that for you moving to the Netherlands?
@@becurious2000 Before I answer your question, I just also wanted to tell you that if I move back to Sweden, my person number can be reactivated without a problem. And, I was luckily able to open up a Swedish bank account last spring, using my Swedish passport. On a different note, I know more EU countries treat non-EU citizens the same way, which is a shame. In Holland, for instance, non-EU citizens can't easily open up a bank account, either. I know Ukrainians struggle with this here.
As to your question: when I moved to the Netherlands, I could easily open up a bank account and get a Dutch social security number. I think that was because I was already an EU citizen with a Swedish passport.
Do you have your person number now?
@@EdvinPalmer still no personnummer… been 17 months. 😔
@@becurious2000 I'm so sorry it's taking so long; too long. Let's hope you'll get it soon.
Would a Coordination number/Samordningsnummer help? It works like a Personnummer in general.
I have one now but am still trying to get a bank account. I am working with ICA bank but it is still a very long and complicated process.
I think there are some banks that will let you set up an account without a personal number. Just ask around.
I will keep trying. I heard about a thing at ICA and was so excited thinking I would qualify.. nope... I will not give up.
In my opinion, this seems to ne kind of a problem with your bank. I mean, I'm from the EU, but I never had trouble paying in other currencies (with a debit card, not a credit card)
Possibly. I had two different swedish banks and had issues. Last April I finally got a Swedish personal number and seems to have resolved the issues.
If all power goes out, how would you even get cash?
I know right! It is a global problem really in many first world nations I am concerned about.
If all power goes out for so long that cash would be the problem most people would be dead. Its like toilett paper stupidity of early corona pandemic. if society comes to such a crashing halt that you run out of things to wipe your butt with.... well i can tell you that the immediate problem would be to figure out where to actually dump all your shit at that point.
Point being. if a disaster should strike to the magnitutde that we are without power for months or even forever there are systems in place to fix that. On your municipality or "länsstyrelese" sites there should be information where to go and what to do if such a thing happens. As in where water, food and necessities will be handed out. You can also read that disaster booklet thing that was sent out awhile back. Having a decent supply of water and canned food as well as batteries, candles a field stove and the like at home is very smart.
Great video bro! Call me next time if you’re stuck in the grocery store…. Or shop with us 😘
I am not going to Sweden pity because I was once there and I wanted to go back.
Hi there 😊 I am not sure if I understand your statement.
I just subscribed! Keep on doing your best! Great content. If one-day you want to come to ESA let me know that would be a pleasure to meet u!
Thanks! Maybe I’ll take you up on that one day!
I am really sorry to hear that's happening with you. Were you able to resolve the issue?? I have heard transfer wise cards' work just fine over there. I don't know if you gave that a try.
Thanks. I have a bank account here now and a bank card with Nordea in Sweden which helped, but it comes with limitations like I can not Swish and cannot have mobile bank ID. I am waiting for a response from the migration agency so I can apply for a personnummer through the tax agency. That should fix everything as long as the migration agency says I can stay here.
Rooting for you!! Hope everything works out soon for you.:)
@@sehreenJafry thanks 🙏🏻
Have you checked at Forex? I know they have cards you can use abroad and then I hope it can be used here but I don't know if you have to have personnummer to get it. But they maybe have some tips how to do?
Thanks! I’ll ask them.
I say get a swedish bank account. Yes some fees but should be possible. Then get a swedish card, probably debit but still more easy than cash.
Lund uni should really be able to help especially since you pay them. I had multiple friends studying in Lund and Malmö being non citizens, however they are EU citizens which might help.... US citizens are real foreigneers (joke) and they all could get personnummer, however the special types.
And it is not a law that they dont signature, its a policy from the bussiness to not accept easy fradauble methods like signing. PIN are normally the lowest level of security accepted.
Set up a meeting with a swedish bank.
Thanks. A bit of time has elapsed since this video was made. I actually have a bank account and personnummer . I finally got my Swedish ID after waiting almost two years. Now I can apply for mobile bank ID and swish
I live in Sweden, i hate the cashless society, it's such a pain in the ass.
Were you born here or did you have to come into the system from another land? I know for those outside of the EU it’s very difficult. I am not sure about those born here or moving here from the EU.
@@becurious2000 i was born here, i still dont like cashless society, its inconvenient
@@Riiludragon 👍🏻 I like it now but I have concerns. My biggest concerns are related to hacking with artificial intelligence and system shutdowns. We had a system shut down over a year ago here and the grocery stores I heard lost a lot of money. But this is how it is with electronic systems, always a risk of system failures. I think it’s good to save a little cash for emergencies.
You seem to have really gotten the absolute worst possible of everything... Have you tried using a Visa card?
And oh yeah, i completely agree with you that it's a problem, and its getting BIGGER. All in the name of "fighting terrorism". No kidding.
I was aware that it was bad, but not that it was THIS terrible. Horribly anti-tourist-y and anti-everything almost...
Yea it has not been easy. After more than a year and a half I finally can apply for a personnummer. I did that this week. We will hope for the best.
Hi Brandon, I know you are living in Sweden but, I hear that Apple Pay works well there,
Yea it has been hit or miss for me. A lot of people use swish here which I cannot get if I do not have a bank ID here in Sweden. My barber only takes swish and cash for example. I hate getting cash because we only have a couple ATMs here in the downtown area where it is really shady and people get robbed around there. Plus, many people do not have change for the cash and most the bills are large bills. I am working on a lead a TH-cam subscriber gave me with ICA, a grocery store here. They have a bank system for students and I am going to see if I can call the person referred to me to see if they can set me up with something, even if it is super basic.
It is okay to complain.
:)
Your money is no good here my friend.....but not in a good way. I imagine bank robbers and muggers etc are finding it difficult there too....
Well said 😂
I want to go there 🔜
😊
To get the equivalent to a “personnummer” you simply buy and sell a cheap car. This will enable you to get a temporary “personnummer” from Trafikverket that you can use to get a bank account. This might be some what harder these day because the system was abused too commit fraud.
Yes. I had the equivalent- the samordningnummer. It was helpful however limited on certain things. For example, one cannot get access to healthcare unless it’s an emergency and acute, bank access is limited to only a few features and one cannot have swish or Mobil bank ID, and one has difficulties getting a month to month cell phone plan. However it’s a good start and better than nothing.👍🏻
Swedish dollars, yo!
This is bullshit, most stores accept cash, not all but most of them
Which city do you live? This has not been mine or my classmates experience. I have had my cash refused many times and we even were taught about this in my Swedish class at my university.
Check out this link… goal is for Sweden to be completely cashless by 2023.
interestingengineering.com/sweden-how-to-live-in-the-worlds-first-cashless-society
@@becurious2000 Sthlm area, you can absoluyly paycash in Willys and other major stores
@@TheJonasbz I live in Helsingborg. Maybe that’s the difference? I did mention in my video that I did find a place that takes my cash- which just happens to be willys as you mentioned.
@@becurious2000 The reason it all has gone digital is about security, at the 90s with all bankrobberys and hi-jacking money transports whith now has more or vless stopped, the banks goverment and money transport compamys had a meeting where they agreed to move over to digital technology couse the people who got robbed suffered to much
I call the BS "Brandon"
I am still working through the problem. Thanks to a random stranger here in Sweden who follows me on TH-cam, we have been trying to resolve the situation. He has found it to be quite complicated as well. What we are running into is every person we talk to says something different, I think it is difficult for a Swedish person to understand as they are born into the system, but for someone born outside of Europe coming here to start a new life, it is very difficult to get started here. Thankfully I finally got a samordningnummer a week ago. I think what I am realizing is an issue here in Sweden is a break down in communication especially if you do not speak Swedish. I have sent off my application to ICA bank yesterday and am now waiting for a response. Once, and if, I am granted the ability to get a bank account, I will post a video on the process so others who come here can understand the proper way to do it. I wish my university had helped us navigate through this very complicated task.
@@becurious2000 good for you, hope all goes well for you!
@@perthyren601 thanks! Yea I had a little more drama today 😢 I went to buy my ticket from the machine at 0615 to go on oresundtag from Helsingborg to Copenhagen airport. The machine asked me to sign but there was no way to sign. It never asked for a pin, and there was no way to cancel the transaction. I saw a cancel button but it did nothing. I stood there waiting and the screen was froze on the screen saying to sign. There of course were no personal standing around so I went to the machine next to it to try with another card… same problem. So I went to a third machine while those two were frozen. As I was looking at tickets to buy, the first machine printed my ticket despite waiting several minutes and being froze with out me signing. So I grabbed that ticket. Next thing I know, the second machine printed another ticket. So now I am charged for two tickets. I am so glad I was able to cancel the third machine. I asked the train personnel for help and they said I have to call the number on the back of the ticket but of course when I did, they are closed and all options are in Swedish 😭…. Ugh I don’t know what to do.
Sometimes it takes a foreigner to see a problem. I have not met a grocery store where you can't pay but the issue with cash is serious still. There need to be cash possibilities otherwise it is not democratic. The personal numer though... there should be a way for you to get one immediately, specially since you are a foreign student with no social security...
Yea… my thoughts are if you are contributing to society here like paying taxes, paying for school, adding to the economy, it only seems reasonable to have a personnummer or at least a more accommodating process
Yeah, more and more stores don't take cash but they are still a minority and grocery stores might be the last ones that will require card payments. I have never heard of a swedish grocery store not taking cash despite living here all my life of 53 years.
Yeah the whole issue really comes down to why not all people living here can get a personnummer. I really don't know why that is.
Good thing you got Revolut, thought about giving you that tip throughout the video. Since they support regular bank transfers (SEPA for instance) you should be able to do most things, provided your electricity company, landlord etc can give you an IBAN instead of the swedish Bankgiro-number (which only works with Swedish banks). In the same way your friends won't have to sign up to Revolut, just as long as they have an IBAN number to their account, you can send them a regular bank tranfer from Revolut instead.
Yea :) I’ll let y’all know how that goes when I pay for those