Swedish coordination number i South Africa

Newborn children and people who have never had a Swedish passport, national identity card or been registered in Sweden must receive an identity designation in the form of a coordination number before it is possible to apply for a Swedish passport or national ID card. For people who are abroad, it is the passport authority, i.e. the embassy in the country you are in, that orders a coordination number, not you as a private individual.

About coordination numbers

A coordination number is an identifier for people who are not or have not been registered in Sweden. The purpose of coordination numbers is for authorities and other societal functions to be able to identify people even if they are not registered in Sweden.

The embassy acts as a passport authority abroad and is the one that orders coordination numbers for Swedish citizens.

In order to apply for a passport for your child abroad, they first need to get a coordination number.

Name registration

The following is required in order for a coordination number to be ordered

The child must come to the passport authority embassy in Pretoria together with at least one of the Parent / legal guardians.

Original birth certificate must be presented. The birth certificate must be issued by a competent authority in the country of birth and contain information about the child's name, date of birth, place of birth and parents with an apostil from DIRCO legalisation section.

DIRCO Legalization Section.

Please note that there are forgeries of apostil, we recommend not to use external actors but only to obtain apostil through DIRCO.

The parents' marriage certificate, if married when the child was born.

Confirmation or court order on parenthood (if you parents are not married to each other at the time of the child's birth).

Passports, for parents and for the child (if the child has a passport).

Proof of birth or pregnancy certificate from the hospital.

If only one parent submits the application, he/she should bring the other's passport or valid photo ID (original or certified copy).

More information about coordination numbers can be found on the Swedish Tax Agency's website

Book an appointment for a visit to the Swedish Embassy in Pretoria
 (Booking is made via the Swedish Migration Agency's website).