Europe

Sweden

Still current at: 03 December 2008

Updated: 31 October 2008

Terrorism

There is an underlying threat from terrorism.  Attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.

 

For more general information see Terrorism Abroad.

Crime

Sweden is generally a risk free country to visit.  Petty crime occurs, but at much lower levels than in most European countries.  Pickpocketing is rife in the summer months in the major cities when tourists are heavily targeted for their passports and cash.

 

For more general information see Victims of Crime Abroad.

 

Political Situation

Sweden Country Profile.

Local Travel

Travelling within Sweden is easy.  Although you may need to cover large distances (especially in Northern Sweden), the country's road and rail networks are efficient and extensive.  Sweden's comfortable, modern trains are designed to deal with all kinds of weather.

Road Travel

In 2005 there were 440 road deaths in Sweden (source: DfT).  This equates to 4.9 road deaths per 100,000 of population and compares to the UK average of 5.5 road deaths per 100,000 of population in 2005.

If you are travelling by car you should note that driving conditions during the winter months of November to March can be extremely treacherous due to snow and ice.

From 1 December - 31 March (irrespective of weather conditions) Swedish registered cars are required by law to have either studded tyres or unstudded friction tyres bearing the following mark, M+S, M-s, M.S, M&S, MS or Mud and Snow.

Although foreign registered cars are exempt from this requirement, it would still be advisable to have winter tyres fitted.

 

For more general information see Driving Abroad.

Rail Travel

For rail travel see www.sj.se/sj/jsp/polopoly.

Air Travel

The revised EU-wide security measures that came into effect for all passengers departing from UK airports in November 2006 are also being implemented in Sweden.  For more details about this see Airline Security

Importation of illegal drugs, including khat, is heavily punished. 

 

For more general information for different types of travellers see Travel Advice Relevant to You.

Visas

Visas are not required to enter Sweden.  As a British passport holder you can stay as a visitor for up to three months.  If you intend to stay for a longer period you should contact a Migration Board office.

Passport validity

You should be in possession of a valid passport.  There is no minimum validity required but you should ensure that your passport is valid for your return journey.

Travelling with children

If you are travelling with children other than your own you should be in possession of a letter of consent from the child’s parent/guardian.

Health care facilities in Sweden are generally very good.  Almost all medical staff will speak English.  Pharmacies are not generally open outside normal working hours, which means they are closed on Sundays and observe limited hours on Saturdays.  Emergency prescriptions can be obtained at hospitals. .  If you are visiting remote areas, you should consider the relative inaccessibility of the emergency services.  The telephone number for emergencies in Sweden is 112.

The Form E111 is no longer valid.  You should obtain a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) before leaving the UK.  The EHIC is not a substitute for medical and travel insurance, but entitles you to emergency medical treatment on the same terms as Swedish nationals.  It also does not cover you for medical repatriation, on-going medical treatment or treatment of a non-urgent nature.  For more general information see EHIC.

Tick-borne encephalitis is common to Sweden, especially in the summer months around coastal areas, especially the Stockholm Archipelago.  

In the 2008 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic the UNAIDS/WHO Working Group estimated that around 6,200 adults aged 15 or over in Sweden were living with HIV; the prevalence rate was estimated at around 0.1% of the adult population. This compares to the prevalence rate in adults in the UK of around 0.2%.  You should exercise normal precautions to avoid exposure to HIV/AIDS. For more general information on how to do this see HIV and AIDS.

You should seek medical advice before travelling to Sweden and ensure that all appropriate vaccinations are up-to-date.  For further information on vaccination requirements, health outbreaks and general disease protection and prevention you should visit the websites of the  NaTHNaC and NHS Scotland’s Fit for Travel or call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.

For more general health information see Travel Health.

 

Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)

The Swedish authorities have confirmed that there have been outbreaks of Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) in ducks and wild birds at various locations in Sweden.  No domestic birds have been identified as having the virus.  No human infections or deaths have been reported.

The risk to humans from Avian Influenza is believed to be very low. As a precaution, you should avoid visiting live animal markets, poultry farms and other places where you may come into close contact with domestic, caged or wild birds; and ensure poulty and egg dishes are thoroughly cooked. 

 

You should read this advice in conjunction with Avian and Pandemic Influenza, which gives more detailed advice and information.

Insurance

We strongly recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling.  You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for the activities you want to undertake.  For more general information see Travel Insurance.

If things do go wrong when you are oversees then this is How We Can Help.

Registration

Register with our LOCATE service to tell us when and where you are travelling abroad or where you live abroad so our consular and crisis staff can provide better assistance to you in an emergency.  More information about registering with LOCATE can be found here.

Extreme weather conditions

Sweden, and in particular the north of the country, does get affected by severe cold weather during the winter months.  Temperatures can be extremely low, and if you visit in winter you should be prepared for these harsh conditions.

Replacing your passport

If you lose your passport in Sweden, you should contact the British Embassy in Stockholm .  The British Embassy in Stockholm has a full passport issuing service, which operates on a 10-day service.

Money

Remember the currency for Sweden is Swedish Krona and not the Euro.

 

Since 15 June 2007 new legislation on the controls of cash entering or leaving the EU apply in all Member States.  Any person entering or leaving the EU will have to declare the cash that they are carrying if this amounts to 10,000 euros or more; this includes cheques, travellers' cheques, money orders, etc.  This will not apply to anyone travelling viathe EU to a non-EU country, as long as the original journey started outside of the EU nor to those travelling within the EU.