Sweden

Terrorism is a threat worldwide. There's a threat of terrorist attack in Sweden. This includes by people motivated by conflict in Iraq and Syria. 

The Swedish Government has assessed the risk of terrorism as 'elevated', this is equivalent to a threat level of 3 of 5.

In April 2017, there was a vehicle attack in central Stockholm which killed and injured people.

Terrorists are likely to plan further attacks in Sweden.

​In recent years terrorist have attacked in some European cities. Targets have included:

• airports
• public transport and transport hubs
• places of worship
• sporting venues

European security services have also stopped several planned attacks.

Areas attracting large groups of people are also targets. These include places popular with foreigners, such as Christmas markets. 

To protect yourself from terrorism:

• avoid places that could be terrorist targets
• consider the level of security at places you plan to visit
• avoid visiting at peak times
• have a clear exit plan if there's a security incident
• report any suspect actions or items to police
• monitor the media for new threats
• take official warnings seriously
• follow the advice of local authorities

If there's an attack, leave the area as soon as it's safe. Avoid the affected area in case of secondary attacks.

More information:

• Terrorism

Demonstrations and protests

You might encounter protests or demonstrations.

Monitor the media and other sources for possible unrest.

Public protests and events that draw large groups of people can turn violent.

To protect yourself in periods of unrest:

• avoid crowds, protests and demonstrations
• follow the advice of local authorities

More information:

• Demonstrations and civil unrest

Violent and other serious crime is rare. However, gang and organised crime-related violence does occur, mainly in the three largest cities:

• Stockholm
• Gothenburg
• Malmö

While violent incidents have not typically occurred in areas frequented by tourists, there is a risk of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Always be vigilant and aware of your surroundings. In Gothenburg and Malmö gang-related violence does occur more frequently in the city centre, especially at night. 

Pickpocketing and bag-snatching are common and on the rise in Stockholm. 

Criminals may work in teams. One distracts the victim while the other carries out the theft.

Take care of your belongings in hotels and restaurants. Thieves may blend in and steal bags and purses when you're distracted.

Winter can be extremely cold depending on where in the country you are located. There's heavy snowfall, including in major cities. There can be severe transport delays and temporary closures of infrastructure, including roads, train and air services.

Sweden experiences severe weather, including:

• rockslides
• floods
• forest fires
• storms

If conditions are extreme or there's a natural disaster:

• check the media, Emergency information from Swedish Authorities and other local sources for updates
• follow the advice of local authorities

Register with the Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System to receive alerts on major disasters.

More information:

• Floods and fires
• Swedish Government National Emergency Website (Swedish)

This advice predates COVID-19 and the Australian Government's travel ban for all Australians.

Get comprehensive travel insurance before you leave. Your policy needs to cover all overseas medical costs, including medical evacuation. The Australian Government won't pay for these costs.

If you can't afford travel insurance, you can't afford to travel. This applies to everyone, no matter how healthy and fit you are.

If you're not insured, you may have to pay many 1000s of dollars up-front for medical care.

Confirm:

• what activities and care your policy covers
• that your insurance covers you for the whole time you'll be away

Consider your physical and mental health before you travel, especially if you have an existing medical condition.

See your doctor or travel clinic to:

• have a basic health check-up
• ask if your travel plans may affect your health
• plan any vaccinations you need

Do this at least 8 weeks before you leave.

More information:

• General health advice
• Healthy holiday tips (Healthdirect Australia)
• COVID-19 vaccines (Department of Health)

Not all medication available over the counter or by prescription in Australia is available in other countries. Some may even be considered illegal or a controlled substance, even if prescribed by an Australian doctor.

Check the status of your medicine with the Swedish Medical Products Agency.

You can bring a 3-month supply of medicine for personal use into Sweden.

Carry a copy of your prescription or a letter from your doctor stating:

• what the medicine is
• how much you'll take
• that it's for personal use

More information:

• Medication

COVID-19

COVID-19 remains a risk in Sweden. Public health measures are in place to help protect you and others.

Several regions across Sweden have introduced stricter restrictions for responding to local outbreaks of COVID-19. Check the advice of the regional and local health authorities, as well as the national Public Health Agency.

To protect yourself and others from illness:

• practice good hygiene
• stay home if you’re unwell
• self-quarantine as soon as you can if you think you have symptoms of COVID-19. Call the health hotline on 1177 or 113 13 for further instructions.

More Information:

• Coronavirus Q&A (Public Health Agency of Sweden in English)
• COVID-19 (European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control)
• Coronavirus (COVID-19) (Australian Department of Health)
• Coronavirus (COVID-19) 

Insect-borne diseases

Tick-borne encephalitis and Lyme disease are risks. Ticks are very common in country areas, especially in some coastal regions and around major lakes. They're active from March to November.

To protect yourself from disease:

• make sure your accommodation is insect-proof
• always use insect repellent
• wear long, loose, light-coloured clothing

To reduce your risk of tick-borne disease:

• check your body for ticks during and after visiting forests 
• remove ticks as soon as possible, making sure to remove the whole tick
• monitor the tick bite for any signs of infection

More information:

• Infectious diseases

Medical facilities

Swedish medical facilities have standards similar to Australia.

Emergency services are limited in remote areas.

The main hospitals are located in the Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö regions. English is widely spoken.

Australia has a healthcare agreement with Sweden. It's called the Reciprocal Health Care Agreement (RHCA). If you're in Sweden for less than 90 days, you can access emergency medical services for free.

It doesn't give you the same amount of cover as Medicare in Australia. It doesn’t cover:

• ongoing treatment of pre-existing health conditions
• medical evacuation
• prescription medicines
• elective surgery

Medical evacuation can be very expensive.

To get emergency treatment, you need to present an Australian passport and a valid Medicare card. You may also need to refer to the RHCA.

If you can't show your passport and Medicare card, you may need to pay the same costs that apply to non-residents.

The RHCA does not replace the need for private travel health insurance.

More information:

• Medicare Australia

You're subject to all local laws and penalties, including those that appear harsh by Australian standards. Research local laws before travelling.

If you're arrested or jailed, the Australian Government will do what it can to help you under our Consular Services Charter, but we can't get you out of trouble or out of jail.

Children

You can't use physical punishment against children in Sweden. It's illegal. This includes threatening a child with physical punishment.

If you use or threaten physical punishment against your child, local authorities can take custody of your child and prosecute you.

Drugs

Penalties for drug offences, even possession of small amounts, include heavy fines and jail.

More information:

• Carrying or using drugs
• Partying safely

Some Australian criminal laws still apply when you're overseas. If you break these laws, you may face prosecution in Australia.

More information:

• Staying within the law and respecting customs

Sweden recognises dual nationality.

The Swedish Government has reinstated compulsory military service for citizens who are 18 years of age. This starts with those born between 1999 and 2000.

If you're a dual Australian-Swedish national, check your military service obligations with the Swedish Defence Recruitment Agency (Swedish).

More information:

• Dual nationals

Sweden is part of the European Union (EU) and the Schengen area and has abolished passport and border controls within the Schengen area.

Entry and exit conditions can change at short notice. Contact the nearest embassy of Sweden for details about visas, currency, customs and quarantine rules.

Global travel has been impacted by COVID-19 and remains unpredictable. Your plans may be disrupted at short notice. Be aware of the risks of travelling at this time and make informed decisions about your travel. See the COVID-19 Information for Australian Travellers.

Refer to the relevant travel advisory of neighbouring countries for departure and entry information for that country, including possible public health measures in place.

Entry into Sweden

The Swedish Government has extended its temporary ban on foreigners entering Sweden until 31 March 2021. 

The ban applies to all foreign nationals except those travelling from EEA countries, or Switzerland and  residents of several other countries assessed to be low-risk for COVID-19, including Australia. Further details are available here. This means foreigners who can document that they reside in any of the countries specified will be allowed entry into Sweden. The list of countries will be regularly updated and could change at any time. However, you can’t leave Australia unless you seek an exemption from Home Affairs. 

If you’re an Australian already overseas and travelling from another country with a higher COVID-19 risk, you may be denied entry.

A ban on entry to Sweden from the UK and Denmark is in place until at least 21 January 2021. Some exemptions apply, see the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs for details.

Departure from Sweden

If you’re in Sweden and wish to return to Australia, flight options are changing regularly. Check your route with your airline as a number of key transit hubs may be restricted.

If you’re travelling from outside of EEA countries, Switzerland or the low-risk countries specified by Sweden, you can still transit through Stockholm Airport, but you can't leave the transit area.

Staying in Sweden

If you’re remaining in Sweden, find out about visa regulations in place and follow the advice of local authorities. For more information about visa requirements, please refer to the Swedish Migration Agency.

Several regions across Sweden have introduced stricter restrictions for responding to local outbreaks of COVID-19. Check the advice of the regional and local health authorities in your travel destination, as well as the national Public Health Agency. 

The Swedish Public Health Agency recommends the use of face masks on public transport.

COVID-19 measures may change overtime, but strict compliance with hygiene and social distancing rules remains essential at all times:

• Follow the advice of local authorities.
• Take care to protect yourself from exposure to COVID-19 – see Health
• Ensure you have arrangements in place for an extended stay.
• Keep in contact with family and friends so they know you're safe and well.

More information:

• Travel to Sweden (Swedish Police)
• Swedish Migration Agency
• Arlanda Airport departures
• Swedish Police 

Since 2015 border controls have been in place between Sweden and Denmark due to the refugee crisis.

Carry a valid passport to enter or leave Sweden. Do this even if you're travelling from another Schengen country.

Get an entry stamp in your passport from border control when you first enter the Schengen area.

Always carry your passport. If you have one, carry your Swedish residency permit. Authorities may ask for proof of identity.

Validity

Some countries won't let you enter unless your passport is valid for 6 months after you plan to leave that country. This can apply even if you're just transiting or stopping over.

Some foreign governments and airlines apply the rule inconsistently. Travellers can receive conflicting advice from different sources.

You can end up stranded if your passport is not valid for more than 6 months.

The Australian Government does not set these rules. Check your passport's expiry date before you travel. If you're not sure it'll be valid for long enough, consider getting a new passport.

Lost or stolen passport

Your passport is a valuable document. It's attractive to people who may try to use your identity to commit crimes.

Some people may try to trick you into giving them your passport. Always keep it in a safe place.

If your passport is lost or stolen, tell the Australian Government as soon as possible:

• In Australia, contact the Australian Passport Information Service.
• If you're overseas, contact the nearest Australian embassy or consulate.

Sweden's official currency is the Swedish Krona (SEK).

Declare amounts over 10,000 euros or equivalent if you're travelling between Sweden and any non-European Union (EU) country. This includes all forms of currency, not just cash.

If you don't declare it or you give wrong information on entry or exit, you'll be fined.

You don't need to declare currency if you're travelling to or from another EU country.

Road travel

Sweden's roads are usually in very good condition.

Roads can be dangerous in winter due to ice. Long periods of darkness can make it hard to see. Every year approximately 60,000 wildlife road accidents are reported in Sweden.

Get details on road conditions from the Swedish Transport Administration (Swedish).

Vehicle headlights must always be on.

Winter tyres must be fitted:

• from 1 December or when it first snows
• until 31 March or later if roads are still icy

The legal blood alcohol limit for drivers is 0.02%. Penalties for drink driving are severe and can lead to a prison sentence. Note that the police may give you a fine even if the alcohol limit in your blood is lower than 0.02% depending on your capability to control your vehicle.

More information:

• Driving or riding

Motorcycles

Check if your travel insurance policy covers you when riding a motorbike or quad bike.

Always wear a helmet.

Public transport

Public transport, including buses and trains, is generally reliable and safe.

Use officially marked taxis.

More information:

• Transport and getting around safely

Air travel

DFAT doesn't provide information on the safety of individual commercial airlines or flight paths.

Check Sweden's air safety profile with the Aviation Safety Network .

More information:

• Air travel

Depending on what you need, contact your:

• family and friends
• travel agent
• insurance provider
• employer
• airline

Fire and rescue services

Call 112.

Medical emergencies

Call 112.

Police

Call 112.

Always get a police report when reporting a crime.

Your insurer should have a 24-hour emergency number.

Contact your provider with any complaints about tourist services or products.

Read the Consular Services Charter for what the Australian Government can and can't do to help you overseas.

For consular assistance, contact:

Australian Embassy, Stockholm

Klarabergsviadukten 63, 8th Floor
111 64 Stockholm, Sweden
Phone: (+460) 8613 2900
Email: reception.stockholm@dfat.gov.au
Website: sweden.embassy.gov.au
Facebook: Sweden Embassy Facebook
Twitter: @AusAmbSE

Check the Embassy website or its Facebook page for details about opening hours and any temporary closures.

24-hour Consular Emergency Centre

In a consular emergency, if you can't contact an embassy, call the 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre on:

• +61 2 6261 3305 from overseas
• 1300 555 135 in Australia