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If you have been granted a residence permit in Sweden

Here, you can read about what Försäkringskassan is and what forms of compensation you may be entitled to when you have a permanent or temporary residence permit in Sweden.

What is Försäkringskassan?

Försäkringskassan is a government agency that pays out money to families with children, as well as individuals with a disability or illness. In general terms, the money is called compensation.

Video about social security and introduction benefit.

10 minutes

This video is for individuals who are new to Sweden and are receiving introduction benefit.

Who can receive compensation from Försäkringskassan?

To receive compensation from Försäkringskassan, you must be insured in Sweden. Information on who is insured in Sweden and that this means can be found here.

Insured in Sweden

What is the difference between Försäkringskassan and a private insurance company?

With a private insurance company, you must pay money to be insured. For example, you can pay to have insurance for your home or your car. With Försäkringskassan, you are insured by having a residence permit and living or working in Sweden.

How do I apply for compensation from Försäkringskassan?

To apply for compensation, you must:

  1. Send in an application for the compensation you want.
  2. Send in form 5456 about where you are insured.

 

 

If you have a child under the age of 16, we will contact you as soon as you have been entered into the population register. We will then investigate whether you are entitled to child allowance and other compensation for families with children.

If you have a child over the age of 16, you must report this to Försäkringskassan. We will then investigate whether you are entitled to extended child allowance and other compensation. You can report that the child has come to Sweden at one of our service offices.

If the child comes to live with you in Sweden, you must report this to Försäkringskassan. We will then investigate whether you are entitled to child allowance and other compensation for families with children. You can report that the child has come to Sweden at one of our service offices.

Find the address of a service office

 

Can I get help to apply for compensation?

Yes. There are different ways you can get help to find out what forms of compensation you are entitled to and how you apply.

1. Read about the different forms of compensation here on our website.

The information is available in Swedish and English.

If you have e-identification, you can register and apply via My pages (Mina sidor). Information on My pages (Mina sidor) is only available in Swedish.

My pages (Mina sidor)

2. Visit a Försäkringskassan service office

There, you can meet with staff from Försäkringskassan and get help in finding out what you are entitled to and how you apply.

Find a service office

3. Schedule a phone meeting in your language.

You can talk to an administrator in, for example, Arabic, Tigrinya, Somali, English, Turkish, French, Spanish or German. The administrator can help you apply for compensation.

Schedule a phone meeting in your language

4. Questions and answers in English in our customer forum

Here, you can ask general questions about different forms of compensation from Försäkringskassan and get answers in English, Spanish, Finnish, and Polish.

Customer forum in other languages

You can read about the most common forms of compensation here

Information on the different forms of compensation is available in Swedish and English.

 

If you have received an introduction plan from the Public Employment Service, you can receive introduction benefit from Försäkringskassan.

  • If you have children, you may also be eligible for supplementary introduction benefit.
  • If you do not have children and have your own home, you can receive introduction benefit for housing.

Introduction benefit

 

 

Everyone in Sweden with a child under the age of 16 receives child allowance. Once the child turns 16, the child allowance stops. But, you can receive extended child allowance if the child is still attending compulsory school.

You cannot receive child allowance if you are receiving daily benefit from the Swedish Migration Agency.

If you have a child under the age of 16 with you when you arrive to Sweden, we will contact you once you have been entered into the population register so that you will begin receiving child allowance.

If the child moves to Sweden to be with you at a later date, you must report to us that the child has moved here.

Child allowance

 

 

Parental benefit is money you receive to be on parental leave, in other words to be able to be at home with your child instead of working, seeking work or studying.

You cannot receive parental benefit if you are receiving daily benefit from the Swedish Migration Agency.

Parental benefit

 

 

If you have children, you can receive housing allowance if you need help to pay rent or monthly fees for your housing.

If can also receive housing allowance if you are younger than 29 years old and do not have children.

You can only receive housing allowance if own your home or have a rental contract and are renting as tenant or are subletting. You cannot receive housing allowance if you are a lodger or renting part of someone else’s home.

Housing allowance for families with children
Housing allowance for young people (ages 18–29)

 

 

If you are separated or divorced from the child’s other parent, the other parent must pay money for the child if the child lives with you. This is called child support. If the other parent is not paying child support, you can apply for maintenance support from Försäkringskassan.

For parents who do not live together

 

 

If you have a child with a disability, long-term illness, or special needs, you may be entitled to childcare allowance to take care of the child.

Childcare allowance

 

 

The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) entitles you to necessary medical and dental care when you travel from Sweden to another EU/EEA country or Switzerland.

European Health Insurance Card   

 

 

Dental care subsidy is financial support you are given for dental care.

Everyone who lives and is insured in Sweden is covered by national dental care subsidy starting at the age of 23. Dental care is free of charge for children and young people younger than this.

The national dental care subsidy consists of general dental care allowance, special dental care allowance, and high-cost protection.

Dental care subsidy

 

 

Visit the website for more information on other forms of compensation.

All forms of compensation A-Z

 

Frequently asked questions

The Swedish population register is a register of the people who live in Sweden. It is made up of names and addresses. The Swedish population register is maintained and administrated by the Swedish Tax Agency. Read about Swedish population registration on the Swedish Tax Agency's website.

Swedish Tax Agency (skatteverket.se) opens in a new window  

Yes. If you have been granted a temporary residence permit, you can receive compensation the same way as if you had a permanent residence permit.

You can only receive money from Försäkringskassan if you have a residence permit. If your residence permit expires, Försäkringskassan will stop paying out money to you.

If you apply for an extension to your residence permit, you will not receive money while you are waiting for the decision. But, if you have been granted a residence permit extension, you will begin receiving money again.

Once you have been granted a residence permit extension, you must call Försäkringskassan so we can begin paying out money to you again.

No, it is enough to be registered in the Population Register with the Swedish Tax Agency to receive medical care in Sweden.

To continue receiving compensation from Försäkringskassan, you must apply for a new residence permit before your current residence permit expires. If you do not do this, you will have to wait until you receive a new residence permit before you can start receiving compensation from Försäkringskassan again.