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Legitimation och intyg
Legitimation och intyg
Svenska

Doctor of Medicine educated within EU or EEA

På svenska
To be able to get a Swedish licence, you need to get your qualifications as a doctor of medicine recognised. You also need to have language skills in Swedish, Danish or Norwegian. This applies even if you are a citizen of Sweden, Denmark, Finland or Norway.

If you are unable to speak any of these languages, we recommend that you begin by learning Swedish if you would like to work in Sweden.

1. Apply for a licence

How to apply to us

You apply to us, either by using our web form or by filling in the application form and sending it to us by post. Select one way, and follow the instructions under each tab.

The application must contain

  • an account statement or an image that shows that you have paid the application fee
  • a copy of a valid ID document (e.g. a copy on the first page of your valid passport or a copy of a national ID card)
  • a copy and translation of a document showing name change if you have changed your name since you completed your education
  • a copy of your certificate or diploma attesting to your language skills.

Please also send copies and translations of

  • your diploma
  • a certificate which is not older than three months to show that you are not prohibited from pursuing your profession, such as a Certificate of Good Standing or Certificate of Current Professional Status
  • a certificate which confirms that you meet the requirements in one of the following articles of EU directive 2005/36/EC (pdf)
    • 24
    • 23
  • documents from the school or college where you were trained which describes the courses you completed, their content and duration.

If you want to apply for proof of specialist competence at the same time you also need to attach

  • an account statement or an image that shows that you have paid the application fee (If you apply for both license and proof of specialist competence at the same time, you will need to pay one application fee for licence and one application fee per specialist competence.)
  • a certified copy and translation of your specialist qualification
  • certified copies and translations of a certificate which confirms that you meet one of the following articles of EU directive 2005/36/EC (pdf):
    • 23
    • 25
    • 27
    • 28.

If you cannot get any certificates from the competent authority, you may instead submit certified copies and translations of

  • documents from your specialist training which describe the courses you completed, their content and duration.
Requesting a certificate from an authority

Contact the competent authority of the EU or EEA country where you were educated or last worked in your profession to request the certificates showing that you

  • meet the requirements of the EU directive
  • have not been prohibited from pursuing your profession.

If you do not know which authority to contact, search the EU Regulated professions database.

What rules apply to translation of documents?

Documents which are written in Swedish, Norwegian, Danish or English do not need to be translated. The translation can be performed in any country. Translation means that a certified translator translates your documents to Swedish or English. Kammarkollegiet (The Legal, Financial and Administrative Services Agency) has a register of authorized translators.

Pay the application fee when you send in your application

The fee for applying for a licence is SEK 2 900 if you have done internship (AT) in Sweden. The application fee is SEK 870 if you have not done internship (AT) in Sweden. Please send your payment to Bankgiro 790-3750 when you send in your application. Write your personal identity number (personnummer) in the message box in the format YYYYMMDDXXXX, without hyphens, dashes or spaces.

What if I do not have a Swedish personal identity number?

If you do not have a Swedish personal identity number please enter your date of birth in the format YYYYMMDD, and your name in the format firstnamesurname. Please note that if someone else is making the payment, they need to enter your personal identity number.
It is important that you notify us when you have received a Swedish social security number so that we can update the information in the register for Healthcare professionals, HOSP.

Payment in foreign currency or from foreign account

If you use another currency, make sure that you pay the exact amount in SEK. Keep in mind that exchange rates vary from day to day. If you send your payment from abroad, please send it to IBAN: SE3612000000012810104980, SWIFT: DABASESX.

Fill in your e-mail address

We will send the decision to you by e-mail, so you need to fill in your email address in the application form. If you have not filled in your e-mail address, the decision will be sent via regular mail.

 


Licence application web form

 

 

2. You need to be able to speak Swedish, Danish or Norwegian

To be able to get a Swedish licence, you need to have language skills in Swedish, Danish or Norwegian. This applies even if you are a citizen of Sweden, Denmark, Finland or Norway. Send a certified copy of your diploma or other certificate showing your language skills with your licence application.

If you do not speak any of these languages we recommend that you begin learning Swedish as soon as you decide that you want to work in Sweden.

How to prove your skills in Swedish

For example, you can prove your language skills by submitting a passing grade or approved results from

You can also prove your language skills by letting a health care provider assess if you have the language skills that are needed in order to work in your profession. The health care provider should fill in the form and describe how the assessment has been made.

How to prove your skills in Danish or Norwegian

Instead of Swedish you can have equivalent skills in Danish or Norwegian.

For example, you can prove your language skills by submitting a passing grade or approved results from

You can also prove your language skills by letting a health care provider assess if you have the language skills that are needed in order to work in your profession. The health care provider should fill in the form and describe how the assessment has been made. Another alternative is to send a certificate showing that you have attended a university education in Danish or Norwegian.

Form for assessment of language skills (in Swedish)

3. Frequently asked questions

What happens after I submit my application?

Once we have received your application you will receive an automatic confirmation, if you have filled in your email address on the application form.

We examine your application in date order and it can take varying amounts of time for the different applications. If your application is not complete, we will primarily request that you complete your application. In some cases we may contact the competent authority in your country of qualification to get additional information.

If you are eligible to receive a licence we always search the Swedish police records as a last step. We do this because you cannot obtain a licence if you have committed a serious crime. In such cases we will contact you.

How long does it take to receive notification of the decision from Socialstyrelsen?

Our goal is to start handling a case within four weeks of the application coming to us. In order for you to receive your decision as soon as possible, it is important that you send all of the documents from the beginning when you apply.

Under the Professional Qualifications Directive, a decision regarding the application for a certificate must in any case be made within three to four months of the application being complete.

What is a complete application?

A complete application means that we have received all the necessary documents, including additional information if we have requested it.

We can also take statements from experts or from Universitets- och högskolerådet, UHR, so that we can make a decision on the matter.

How do I receive the decision?

When we have made our decision you will receive information about it via e-mail. Keep in mind that a decision does not always mean that you are awarded the licence or recognition of a specialist qualification or permission to use the title of your profession. Since you may not work in your profession before you have received a licence to practice or recognition of a specialist qualification or permission to use the title of your profession it is a good idea to wait for the decision before you accept a job.

If you receive a licence or recognition of a specialist qualification this will be registered in The National Board of Health and Welfare's (Socialstyrelsens) register of licenced healthcare professionals, HOSP.

What do I do If I have received a decision with compensatory measures?

If you have received a decision with compensatory measures you should perform an aptitude test or an adaptation period to have your professional qualifications recognized by the National Board of Health and Welfare. A license to practise your profession will be granted when you have submitted documentation to the National Board of Health and Welfare proving that you have successfully completed the compensatory measure. When submitting documents from the compensatory measure no fee is charged.

How do I apply for a temporary licence?

If you plan to work in Sweden for a shorter period of time, you can apply for a temporary license to practice. You need to specify the time period you want to work (from date – to date) when you are applying. In order to obtain a temporary license to practice you must be able to prove that you are only planning to work temporarily, that you fulfil all the requirements to work in your profession and that you are currently working in your profession.

Please contact us if you wish to apply for a temporary license to practice, or if you are unsure about which license to apply for.

Which countries are included in the EU and the EEA?

EU

The countries included in the EU are Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.

The UK no longer belongs to the EU/EEA but until 31 December 2020 you still apply according to the rules for the EU/EEA area and the decisions that are made then apply even after 31 December 2020.

EEA

The EEA includes the EU countries and also Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.

Switzerland

Switzerland is neither an EU nor EEA member. If you qualified or have worked in Switzerland you can apply in the same way as those who qualified or have worked in an EU or EEA country.

Do I, as a Nordic citizen, need to show that I have the necessary language skills in Swedish, Danish or Norwegian?

Yes. You must show that you have the necessary language skills, even if you are a citizen of Sweden, Denmark, Finland or Norway.

How do I apply for recognition of my specialist qualification?

You need to have a Swedish licence first, then you can apply for recognition of your specialist qualification

If you want to work as a specialist in Sweden you need to have a Swedish licence to practice in your  and recognition of your specialist qualification. This professional title is protected. This means that only those who have proof of a specialist qualification may call themselves a specialist in their specialist area.

You can apply for both a licence and recognition of your specialist qualification at the same time.

Can I appeal a decision from the National Board of Health and Welfare?

If you disagree with a decision from the National Board of Health and Welfare, you can appeal it. The appeal must be in writing and it must reach the National Board of Health and Welfare within three weeks of you taking part of the decision. If the appeal is received later, it cannot be considered.

Follow these steps:

  • Write at the top of the page in the letter: "To Förvaltningsrätten in Stockholm".
  • Indicate in the letter which decision you want to appeal (case number or record number) and which change you want.
  • Send the letter to:
    Socialstyrelsen
    Enheten för behörighet
    106 30 Stockholm
What applies about delay in action?

Delay in action

Have you have applied for recognition of professional qualifications or European professional card? If you have not received a decision in your case from us within a certain time limit, you can from the 1 June 2021 turn to the Administrative Court in Stockholm with an action of delay.

Which deadlines apply?

  • A decision on the recognition of professional qualifications must be made by the National Board of Health and Welfare within 3 months of your complete application. The time limit can, under certain conditions, be extended by one month.
  • A decision on the issuance of a European professional card must be made by the National Board of Health and Welfare within 3 weeks of your complete application. If we do not request a supplement to your case, a decision must be made within 4 weeks of your application being received.
  • The application for a European professional card to another state must be made by the National Board of Health and Welfare within one month of your complete application. If we do not request a supplement in your case, the transfer must take place within 5 weeks.

How to file a complaint concerning delay in action?

To bring an action for delay, you must send a written "Request for a declaration of delay" to the Administrative Court in Stockholm. If the National Board of Health and Welfare has not complied with the deadlines stated above, the Administrative Court shall order us to decide the matter as soon as possible.

Contact information to the Administrative Court in Stockholm

forvaltningsrattenistockholm@dom.se

Visiting address
Tegeluddsvägen 1, 115 41 Stockholm

Postal address
115 76 Stockholm

Do you have further questions about this step?

Contact us at the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare. You can send an e-mail at socialstyrelsen@socialstyrelsen.se or call us at 075-247 30 00.

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