Swedish passport
Encyclopedia
Swedish passports are issued to nationals of Sweden
for the purpose of international travel. Besides serving as proof of Swedish citizenship, they facilitate the process of securing assistance from Swedish consular officials abroad or other European Union
members in case a Swedish consular is absent, if needed. For travel into and staying in countries that have implemented the Schengen Agreement
, a passport is not required if one has a Swedish national identity card
.
The passports are issued by the Swedish Police
and applications are filed at police stations which have a passport office. Passports issued since October 1, 2005 are of a biometric variety
, and valid for five years. Earlier passports are valid for ten years (adults) or five years (children). The blue cover passports issued up until 1998 (and not valid after 2008) are not valid as identity documents in Sweden due to insufficient security features which resulted in widespread forgery.
, with the words (EUROPEAN UNION), (SWEDEN) and (PASSPORT) inscribed at the top of the front cover, and the Swedish lesser coat of arms emblazoned on the bottom of the front cover. The Swedish passport has the standard biometric symbol emblazoned bellow the coat of arms and uses the standard European Union
design. Diplomatic passports are dark blue, with the words (DIPLOMATIC PASSPORT) and (SWEDEN)
The information page ends with the Machine Readable Zone starting with P>SWE.
format along with a digital key to verify the that the data contained is authentic and hasn't been tampered with. The data in the chip can only be accessed after using the printed codes on the lower part of the passport's person page. The European Union
requires fingerprint
data to be stored on the member state's passports at latest in June 2009. Sweden started storing fingerprint
data when applying for a new passport on 28 June 2009.
, English
and French
, with translation in other official languages of the European Union
elsewhere in the document. The page containing the guide to check the security features of the data page is printed only in English.
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
for the purpose of international travel. Besides serving as proof of Swedish citizenship, they facilitate the process of securing assistance from Swedish consular officials abroad or other European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
members in case a Swedish consular is absent, if needed. For travel into and staying in countries that have implemented the Schengen Agreement
Schengen Agreement
The Schengen Agreement is a treaty signed on 14 June 1985 near the town of Schengen in Luxembourg, between five of the ten member states of the European Economic Community. It was supplemented by the Convention implementing the Schengen Agreement 5 years later...
, a passport is not required if one has a Swedish national identity card
Swedish national identity card
The national identity card is a non-compulsory identity document issued in Sweden by the Swedish Police since October 1, 2005. The card can be used for traveling to and staying in countries that have implemented the Schengen Agreement without the need for a passport, but not to EU countries...
.
The passports are issued by the Swedish Police
Swedish Police Service
The Swedish Police Service is a collection of Government agencies concerned with police matters in Sweden. The Swedish Police Service consists of 28,500 employees of which 39 per cent are women. The staff consists of 20,000 police officers of which 25 per cent are women and 8,500 civilian staff of...
and applications are filed at police stations which have a passport office. Passports issued since October 1, 2005 are of a biometric variety
Biometric passport
A biometric passport, also known as an e-passport or ePassport, is a combined paper and electronic passport that contains biometric information that can be used to authenticate the identity of travelers...
, and valid for five years. Earlier passports are valid for ten years (adults) or five years (children). The blue cover passports issued up until 1998 (and not valid after 2008) are not valid as identity documents in Sweden due to insufficient security features which resulted in widespread forgery.
Physical appearance and data contained
The Swedish passports issued since October 1, 2005 are burgundyBurgundy (color)
Burgundy is a shade of purplish red associated with the Burgundy wine of the same name, which in turn is named after the Burgundy region of France. The color burgundy is similar to other shades of dark red such as maroon...
, with the words (EUROPEAN UNION), (SWEDEN) and (PASSPORT) inscribed at the top of the front cover, and the Swedish lesser coat of arms emblazoned on the bottom of the front cover. The Swedish passport has the standard biometric symbol emblazoned bellow the coat of arms and uses the standard European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
design. Diplomatic passports are dark blue, with the words (DIPLOMATIC PASSPORT) and (SWEDEN)
Identity information page
The Swedish Passport includes the following data:- Photo of Passport Holder
- Type (P)
- Code (SWE)
- Passport No.
- 1 Surname
- 2 Given Names
- 3 Nationality (SVENSK SWEDISH SUEDOISE)
- 3a. Height
- 4 Date of Birth
- 4a. Personal Id. No.
- 5 Sex
- 6 Place of Birth
- 7 Authority
- 8 Date of Issue
- 9 Date of Expiry
- 10 Holder's Signature
The information page ends with the Machine Readable Zone starting with P>SWE.
Biometric data
The biometric passports contain an RFID chip containing the passport's printed data in a digital format along with the photograph in a JPEGJPEG
In computing, JPEG . The degree of compression can be adjusted, allowing a selectable tradeoff between storage size and image quality. JPEG typically achieves 10:1 compression with little perceptible loss in image quality....
format along with a digital key to verify the that the data contained is authentic and hasn't been tampered with. The data in the chip can only be accessed after using the printed codes on the lower part of the passport's person page. The European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
requires fingerprint
Fingerprint
A fingerprint in its narrow sense is an impression left by the friction ridges of a human finger. In a wider use of the term, fingerprints are the traces of an impression from the friction ridges of any part of a human hand. A print from the foot can also leave an impression of friction ridges...
data to be stored on the member state's passports at latest in June 2009. Sweden started storing fingerprint
Fingerprint
A fingerprint in its narrow sense is an impression left by the friction ridges of a human finger. In a wider use of the term, fingerprints are the traces of an impression from the friction ridges of any part of a human hand. A print from the foot can also leave an impression of friction ridges...
data when applying for a new passport on 28 June 2009.
Languages
The data page/information page is printed in SwedishSwedish language
Swedish is a North Germanic language, spoken by approximately 10 million people, predominantly in Sweden and parts of Finland, especially along its coast and on the Åland islands. It is largely mutually intelligible with Norwegian and Danish...
, English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, with translation in other official languages of the European Union
Languages of the European Union
The languages of the European Union are languages used by people within the member states of the European Union. They include the twenty-three official languages of the European Union along with a range of others...
elsewhere in the document. The page containing the guide to check the security features of the data page is printed only in English.
See also
- Visa requirements for Swedish citizensVisa requirements for Swedish citizensLast update: August 16, 2011According to the "Henley Visa Restrictions Index 2011," Swedish citizens can travel to 173 countries visa-free / with visa on arrival, ranking 1st together with Denmark and Finland in travel freedom according to the Index....
- Visa policy of Sweden
- Passports of the European Union
- Swedish nationality lawSwedish nationality lawSwedish nationality law determines entitlement to Swedish citizenship. Citizenship of Sweden is based primarily on the principle of jus sanguinis...
External links
- Swedish passport info from PRADO
- Images of a 1921 Swedish passport from www.PassportLand.com