Sweden Passport Checklist — Documents & Rules
Sweden issues passports and national ID cards through the police passport offices, and everyone applying — including children and adolescents — must come to such an office in person, where the photograph is taken. This checklist collects what the Swedish Police (polisen.se) state: who must attend, what to bring, where you can apply, the guardian-consent rule for minors, and the national ID card rules. Verified against polisen.se, October 2026. For the photo itself, see the Sweden passport photo page.
How it works
- Apply in person. The application is made at a police passport office, not by post.
- The photo is taken there. You do not bring a photo — the office captures it.
- Children attend too. The in-person rule applies to everyone, including children and adolescents.
- Any office. You may apply at any passport office in the country, not only your local one.
What to bring
- Valid identification — a valid passport is one of several valid ID documents you can use
- Your old passport, if it is still valid
- For a minor, written consent from guardians (see below)
The Swedish Police put the attendance and photo rule plainly:
“Photographs will be taken at the passport office. All who apply for passports and national ID cards must personally come to the police passport office, including children and adolescents.”
On identification and the old passport:
“Valid identification (a valid passport is one of several valid ID documents)” · “Your old passport, if it is still valid”
Where you can apply
The police allow flexibility on location:
“You can apply for and obtain your new passport or ID card at any passport office in the country.”
So you are not tied to the office nearest your registered address — you can use whichever police passport office is convenient.
Applying for a child
For applicants under 18, the police require the guardian’s agreement:
- Written consent from guardians must be provided for a minor’s application
- The child must attend in person for the photograph, like every other applicant
The police also note that the validity period for national identity cards for the youngest children is shorter: the validity period for national identity cards for children under the age of twelve is reduced from five years to three years.
National ID card rules (from 2 August 2021)
Sweden’s national ID cards follow the EU regulation that took effect in 2021:
“From 2 August 2021, new requirements and validity periods for national identity cards apply…fingerprints need to be provided…For persons who, for temporary physical reasons, are unable to leave fingerprints, the period of validity is limited to a maximum of one year.”
So a national ID card application now includes fingerprints, and if you cannot give fingerprints for temporary physical reasons, the card’s validity is capped at one year.
What is not published
Because the photograph is taken at the office, there is no applicant-supplied photo format to meet: the police publish no size, background colour, head height or pixel/dpi figure for you to match. There is simply nothing to prepare on the photo side — you bring valid ID, not a photo.
60-second Sweden checklist
- ☐ Book and attend a police passport office in person
- ☐ Bring valid identification (a valid passport is one valid ID document)
- ☐ Bring your old passport if it is still valid
- ☐ The photo is taken at the office — there is no format to prepare
- ☐ Applying for a child? Bring the guardians’ written consent, and the child must attend
- ☐ National ID cards: fingerprints are provided; temporary inability to give them caps validity at one year
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to bring a passport photo in Sweden?
No. The Swedish Police state that photographs are taken at the passport office, so there is no applicant-supplied photo format.
Does everyone have to apply in person?
Yes. All who apply for passports and national ID cards must personally come to the police passport office, including children and adolescents.
What documents do I need?
Valid identification (a valid passport is one of several valid ID documents) and your old passport, if it is still valid. Minors also need written consent from guardians.
Can I apply at any passport office?
Yes. You can apply for and obtain your new passport or ID card at any passport office in the country.
What are the rules for a child’s application?
A minor needs written consent from guardians and must attend in person for the photograph. The validity period for national identity cards for children under twelve is reduced from five years to three years.
What changed for national ID cards in 2021?
From 2 August 2021, new requirements and validity periods apply and fingerprints must be provided; those unable to give fingerprints for temporary physical reasons have their card’s validity capped at one year.
Source note: the attendance-and-photo rule, the identification and old-passport requirements, the any-office rule, the guardians’ written-consent rule and the national ID card rules are from the Swedish Police, polisen.se (passport and national ID card page; evidence captured October 2026). No applicant-supplied photo size or background is published there. A re-check of polisen.se at publication time was blocked by connection errors, so this page rests on the earlier captured police text.
Related: the Sweden passport photo page, the full photo size chart, the photo validity guide, and the passport photo checker.