BankID in Sweden: getting started, changing phones and blocking access
BankID is an electronic identity used to log in and sign documents. You obtain it through a bank that issues BankID. You need a Swedish personal identity number, a relationship with the issuing bank and approved identification. A new phone requires a newly activated BankID. If your phone disappears or your identity may have been misused, contact the bank to block it.
Information checked on 13 November 2026.
Start with the bank's requirements
BankID lists a Swedish personal identity number as a basic requirement. A coordination number is therefore not equivalent for this process. Banks set their own age limits, and minors need their guardian's consent. There is no single application route that works for every customer.
Find out which identification your bank accepts before booking a visit or buying a phone. Write down three practical questions: must I attend a branch, which physical document should I bring, and how can I use banking services while the application is being handled? This makes it easier to obtain a useful answer.
Source: BankID, getting BankID.
| What you have | What it means | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| Personal identity number | A basic BankID requirement | Ask an issuing bank about identification |
| Bank account | Does not automatically include BankID | Separate the account application from the e-ID |
| Foreign passport | Some banks accept it for digital checks | Check the country, document and bank |
| New phone | BankID is not restored from a backup | Activate a new BankID through your bank |
Keep the account, card and electronic identity separate
A bank account, a payment card and an electronic identity perform different jobs. BankID identifies you and lets you sign; Swish is a separate payment service. Opening an account does not mean that every digital service has already been activated.
Start on the bank's own website or in its app. Read its application instructions and follow the stated sequence. Check that the request appearing in BankID matches the action you started. Logging in and signing can have different consequences even though both use the same app.
Our guide to bank accounts, cards and BankID explains the wider banking process. BankID describes the functions of electronic identification on its About BankID page.
Digital passport and identity-document checks
A digital check may require you to read a physical identity document using the phone's camera and NFC reader. BankID support explains that some banks also support documents from the EU, EEA and United Kingdom. This does not mean that every foreign passport works at every bank.
Check the document's validity and your phone's capabilities before starting. Place the document on a flat surface and follow the on-screen instructions. If verification fails, use your bank's support rather than assistance offered in an unexpected message or advertisement. Ask which alternative identification route is available.
The digital ID card inside BankID is a separate function from obtaining the electronic identity itself. SEB states that activating this card requires a valid Swedish passport or national identity card. A foreign passport, driving licence or Swedish Tax Agency ID card does not work for that particular function.
Sources: BankID, digital document checks, SEB, digital ID card.
Change phones while keeping access
For security reasons, BankID cannot simply be copied between phones. BankID recommends keeping the working identity on the old phone until a new one has been activated using the bank's instructions. Transferring ordinary apps is not enough.
Make the change when you have time to test it. Keep both devices available and check that you can access banking services on the new one. Before giving away the old phone, deal with its BankID according to the bank's instructions. If the device disappears before the transfer, blocking access becomes the immediate issue.
Keep a way to contact the bank without logging in. A number taken from its official contact page is more useful during an interruption than instructions stored only inside an inaccessible app.
Source: BankID, getting BankID and changing phones.
Read the request before approving
The Swedish Police warn about callers pretending to represent a bank or authority and asking you to log in. End such a call. Do not use BankID because an unknown caller says that money needs to be moved or protected.
Read who is requesting identification and what you are signing. If the details do not match your own task, cancel. Restarting through a contact route you selected yourself is preferable to trying to resolve an unclear request while someone pressures you on the phone.
Source: Swedish Police, telephone fraud.
| Situation | First action | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Unexpected call | Hang up and contact your bank independently | Signing to protect money |
| Missing phone | Block BankID through the bank | Only blocking the SIM |
| Unexpected request | Cancel and inspect the sender | Approving just to dismiss it |
| Digital ID card | Check document eligibility and acceptance | Assuming every organisation accepts it |
If the phone disappears or misuse is suspected
Handelsbanken explains that Mobile BankID can be blocked through its app or internet bank and that customers should call if they cannot log in. Your own bank provides its blocking procedure. Suspending a mobile subscription is a separate action and does not replace contacting the bank.
Contact the bank immediately if fraud is suspected. Keep details of times, messages and payments so that you can explain what happened. The Police also describe how to report identity fraud and which other identity documents may need to be blocked.
Sources: Handelsbanken, blocking BankID, Swedish Police, identity fraud.
Find help locally
BankID's website provides contact routes for participating banks. Use your own bank's details for issuance or blocking. For other practical errands, browse local businesses in the Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö directories.
If you need a compatible phone, the shopping section can help locate shops. Confirm technical requirements with the bank before buying; a directory listing does not establish that a particular device will work for your application.
Frequently asked questions
BankID lists a Swedish personal identity number as a requirement. Ask the bank about other ways to use its services.
No. You apply through a bank that issues the service.
No. The account and electronic identity are separate services.
Some banks support digital checks of foreign documents. The bank, country and document type determine the available route.
No. A new BankID needs activation according to your bank's instructions.
Do not use BankID at the request of someone who contacts you. End the call and contact the bank independently.
No. Contact the bank to block BankID on the missing phone.
No. The card is a separate function with its own document requirements and acceptance conditions.
Read also
Moving to Sweden from the EU: documents and first steps
Plan your move to Sweden from the EU: residence rights, registration, identity checks, housing, social insurance and customs.
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