We use some essential cookies to make this website work.
We’d like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK, remember your settings and improve government services.
We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services.
You can change your cookie settings at any time.
Departments, agencies and public bodies
News stories, speeches, letters and notices
Detailed guidance, regulations and rules
Reports, analysis and official statistics
Data, Freedom of Information releases and corporate reports
This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk.
Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.
This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sweden-prisoner-pack/information-pack-for-british-nationals-arrested-or-detained-in-sweden
If you are a British national, and are arrested or detained in another country, consular staff will do what they can to help you. However, we cannot interfere with the local justice system, get you out of jail, or pay for services such as a lawyer. Information about who we can help, including the circumstances in which we can assist dual nationals, is available at: Support for British nationals abroad.
This information pack aims to give you, and your family and friends, information about the local system in Sweden and who can help. Consular staff can provide a printed copy to those in prison or in custody. We welcome feedback to help us improve the information we can provide to others.
If you are arrested or detained in another country:
In some countries, the authorities might notify the British embassy, high commission or consulate even if you do not want anyone to know that you have been arrested. This is because there may be an agreement in place with the British government which requires a mandatory notification to be made.
Consular staff work in the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office in the UK, and in British embassies, high commissions and consulates overseas.
The British Embassy in Sweden is located in Stockholm at the following address: Skarpögatan 6-8, 115 93 Stockholm
You can also contact us by phone 24/7 for help or advice from anywhere in the world by calling the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office on +44 (0)20 7008 5000.
The FCDO can offer you impartial and non-judgemental help. When we are notified of your arrest or detention, we will aim to contact you as soon as possible, so that we can assess how we can help you. We then aim to provide assistance according to your individual circumstances and local conditions. Our priority is to provide assistance to those British nationals overseas that need our help the most.
In Sweden, notification by the authorities to the consulate normally takes place within 24 hours, but sometimes it takes longer.
Once we are notified, we aim to contact you as soon as possible.
If you want us to, we can tell your family or friends that you have been detained and provide them with information about how to contact you. With your consent, we can also keep them updated on your wellbeing.
If you are not sure about informing your family, we can help you consider what the impact of not doing so might be. For example, it may cause them distress if they do not know where you are, or cannot contact you. It can also be a disadvantage to you if you need someone to act on your behalf while you are detained.
If you are accused of certain serious offences, such as sexual assault or drugs trafficking, we are obliged to share information about your arrest with UK police. Information about this may appear if a Criminal Records Bureau check were carried out by a prospective employer. There may be other circumstances when information about you may need to be shared with authorities in Sweden.
We cannot give legal advice, start legal proceedings, or investigate a crime. However, we can provide information about the local legal system, including whether a legal aid scheme is available. We can also give you a list of local interpreters and a list of local English-speaking lawyers. You should consider the benefits of local legal representation and discuss all the costs beforehand with the legal representative. We cannot pay your legal or interpretation costs in any circumstance.
We cannot get you out of prison or detention, or get you special treatment because you are British. If you are not treated in line with internationally accepted standards, we will consider whether to approach the local authorities. This may include if your trial does not follow internationally recognised standards or is unreasonably delayed compared to local cases.
We can put you, or your family, in touch with Prisoners Abroad, a UK charity which supports British citizens detained overseas and their families.
A prisoner who is in detention on suspicion of a crime may be subjected to curtailments of his or her contact with the outside world if a risk exists that he or she will remove evidence or otherwise impede the investigation of the matter at issue. This is called restrictions. Being on restrictions means that you might not be able to:
You might have restrictions in all or some of the above areas, but you can still contact your lawyer and a member of consular staff from the British Embassy.
If you have no restrictions you may make telephone calls to specific people after the prosecutor and the prison authorities have given their consent.
Security checks will be carried out on those you wish to call. You will have to put in a request for a telephone permit, and forms will be sent to the person you wish to call. He/she then gives his/her consent by completing the forms and returning them to the prison authorities. The prosecutor will then decide to grant or deny the application. The person you wish to call may be requested to supply a landline phone bill and a certificate from the UK police giving details of any criminal record. Prison staff can tell you how to buy a phone card and how to apply for a phone permit.
Each prison or remand prison have set visiting times and visits will need to be pre booked by phone. Contact numbers for the prisons are listed on https://www.kriminalvarden.se/kontakt/hitta-till-oss/.
Each prisoner will undergo an individual evaluation, taking in to account their circumstances and the current situation at the prison/remand prison. The number of visits/frequency of visits will also be determined at the evaluation.
Visitors need to bring their photo ID to the visit and they will undergo an airport style search with a metal detector before the visit. Shoes and any metal items have to be removed. Detection dogs may be used if necessary.
You can ask for refreshments during the visit, this is free of charge. The door will be locked during the visit, but you can call for the staff at any time by pressing a button.
You should ask in advance what you can bring to the visits. Money, food and drink is not allowed.
We will visit you if you want. We can visit once after the arrest, and once after sentencing. Staffing or distance might make it difficult for us to visit as soon as you would like.
You can write to us at any time on matters that concern you to:
If it is urgent it may be quicker to ask prison authorities to contact us on your behalf.
During the time you are under arrest the prosecutor may decide that you will not be allowed to contact friends and family. However, you are allowed to request to see a doctor or to call the British Embassy.
You are also entitled to contact your lawyer and to meet him or her without anyone else being present. You do not have to pay for calls to your embassy or your lawyer.
You will normally be held in a police cell during the period of arrest and until your remand hearing.
During the time you are under arrest you will be questioned by the police. One or more police officers may carry out the questioning. If necessary, you are entitled to have an interpreter present. The police will pay the interpreter’s costs.
You may wait until you have a lawyer present before answering questions. The prosecutor or police will decide who else is entitled to be present at questioning.
You will appear at court (häktesförhandling) within 96 hours of being arrested.
If the prosecutor decides at the remand hearing that you will have to stay on remand, you will be taken to a remand prison (häkte).
The staff will ask you questions about your mental health status, your family and social situation so that the staff can provide you with the support you need.
You will be appointed a contact person at the remand prison who will inform you about the daily routines and your rights and obligations during your detention.
Shortly after your arrival you will meet with a nurse. It’s important that you inform them of any health issues, injuries or medication.
The detention centre will store your personal belongings during your stay. You and a member of staff will sign a list of the belongings to be stored when you first arrive.
More information about the Swedish judicial system can be found in Chapter 3.
Prison conditions are generally good in Sweden. The following information refers to a remand prison:
Sentenced prisoners and those on remand are held in separate facilities. Sentenced prisoners often find that prisons are of higher standard than remand prisons.
Persons on remand are suspected (but not sentenced) of having committed a crime. He/she is not yet sentenced and should be considered as innocent until proven guilty. They will be held on remand in a remand prison (häkte)
Prisoners might have to share cells with another inmate during busy periods. Cells are approximately 10 square meters, and most have a private toilet. Bedlinen and towels are provided.
Cooked meals are served every day. If you are a vegetarian, allergic or unable to eat certain foods due to religious beliefs you have the right to ask for food that you can eat. You can drink the tap water in Sweden.
You will receive bedclothes, towels and hygiene products. The detention centre’s staff can also offer you clothes and shoes. Laundry is to be changed regularly. You are responsible for keeping your room in order.
You might be able to work while on remand. What kind of work you can do depends on whether you are allowed contact with other prisoners, and whether you are on restrictions.
Sentenced prisoners have the possibility to study while in prison.
The prison guards usually speak good English.
Contact with other inmates will be allowed unless the Prosecutor has decided otherwise (restrictions). You are allowed to listen to the radio, watch TV and read daily newspapers at the detention centre unless the prosecutor has decided otherwise. You can buy newspapers at the kiosk and borrow books from the book trolley or the library.
You can request local language materials through the post from Prisoners Abroad (including language textbooks and dictionaries).
You have the right to spend time in the detention centre’s exercise yard for at least one hour every day if there are no special reasons against you doing so
In central and southern Sweden the winters are short and quite cold, and summer temperatures are similar to those in southern England.
In the north the winters are severe, while the summers can be surprisingly warm.
Approximately 170 priests, pastors, deacons and imams work for the Swedish Prison authorities around Sweden. They are able to facilitate religious services and can visit you in detention.
Prison rules and regulations are explained to prisoners when they arrive.
You must supply a sample for drug testing if the staff suspects that you are under the influence of alcohol or drugs. A “positive” drug test, as well as refusal to take a drug test, may result in your release date being postponed.
You are not allowed to receive money from anyone including family and friends while you are detained or serving a prison sentence in Sweden.
You might be eligible for a detention centre allowance (häktesbidrag) of a maximum of 90 SEK per week. Prisoners who work or study can earn 13 SEK per hour. Prisoners on remand can also earn 11 SEK per hour
The UK government does not provide financial assistance to prisoners.
While you are detained, Sweden is responsible for ensuring your basic medical needs are met. All prisons have a medical centre, and the staff can help you contact a nurse or a doctor. Healthcare is free of charge in prison.
Prisoners will have to pay for dental treatment, unless it is a genuine emergency.
You are not allowed to keep medication in your cell, a nurse will bring it to you.
With your permission, we can make sure that any medical or dental problems you might have are brought to the attention of any police or prison doctor. We can also contact your GP in the UK, if the police or prison doctor requests previous medical records.
You can send as many letters as you like. Stamps can be bought from the prison kiosk.
If you are on restrictions any letters you send will (with your consent) be forwarded to the prosecutor who will decide whether the letter may be sent or not. Any letters sent to you will be dealt with in the same way. If you are not on restrictions, sealed letters will only be opened if they appear suspicious.
It is permitted to receive parcels. The sender is advised to contact the prison before they send the parcel, to ask which items are permitted.
Family and friends who would like to write a letter to a person in prison can use the following address:
Kriminalvården Journalarkivet 601 80 Norrköping Sweden
The letter will be forwarded to the relevant prison. If you know the name of the prison, write this on the envelope:
Prisoners are not allowed to have their own phone and can only use a prison phone to call, and only to numbers pre-approved by the prison management. Phone cards can be bought from the prison kiosk.
If you have been mistreated, you should inform consular staff as soon as it is safe for you to do so. We will then do our best to visit you, to check on your welfare, discuss the allegations, and explain any local complaints procedures and supportive organisations that you may wish to consider. With your permission, and where appropriate, we will consider approaching the local authorities if you have not been treated in line with internationally-accepted standards. If you have been mistreated, try to see a doctor, obtain a medical report and if possible take photos of your injuries.
You can also complain directly to JO-the Parliamentary Ombudsmen if you feel that you have been treated wrongly or unjustly by a public authority.
The Parliamentary Ombudsmen (Riksdagens Ombudsmän) - JO Box 16327 SE-103 26 Stockholm Telephone: +46 8 786 51 00 Text phone: +46 20 600 600
The judicial system in Sweden is similar to that seen in the UK. A key difference is that as a non permanent resident you will be held in detention during the investigation into your case and court case. There is no option of bail.
The FCDO cannot interfere with the judicial system. We cannot ask for your case to be judged more quickly just because you are British, or ask the authorities to waive any penalties.
If you’re arrested, you’ll usually be taken to a police station, held in custody in a cell and then questioned. The police can hold you for 96 hours before they release or remand you on suspicion of having committed a crime. Being on remand means that you are suspected of having committed a crime, but you are not convicted, and should according to law be considered innocent until proven guilty.
The British Embassy should automatically be informed of your arrest.
The following is a general description of the sequence of events in Sweden from detention to imprisonment, but more detail can be found on the next page;
If you have any questions on the legal aspects of your arrest, contact your lawyer. See our list of local English-speaking lawyers.
There is no limit as to how long you are allowed to remain on remand. If you are remanded the prosecutor has up to 14 days to present his/her case to the judge. If the investigation is not complete within 14 days, the prosecutor can apply for an extension of a further 14 days – this process can be repeated indefinitely. In other words there is no pre-set “maximum time” you can stay on remand and this can vary from case to case.
Sentenced prisoners and those on remand are held in separate facilities. Sentenced prisoners often find that prisons are of higher standard than remand prisons.
Persons on remand are suspected (but not sentenced) of having committed a crime. He/she should be considered as innocent until proven guilty. They will be held on remand in a remand prison (häkte)
Being charged is a term used in the UK and doesn’t directly translate into Swedish.
In Sweden, when the police apprehends someone who is suspected of committing a crime, a report is submitted to the prosecutor. The prosecutor may then decide that the police should interview the suspect. Once this interview has been completed, the prosecutor decides whether the individual should be arrested (anhållen) or released from custody.
Having arrested a suspect, the prosecutor must submit an application for a remand order to the court no later than 12 o’clock on the third day after the arrest decision. From the time the suspect is apprehended, the court has 96 hours to hold a remand hearing.
If the prosecutor does not apply for a remand order before the stated deadline, the suspect must be released from custody.
The process explained in detail: https://www.aklagare.se/en/from-crime-to-sentence/
Under normal circumstances, a decision to remand someone requires that there is probable cause to suspect the individual of an offence that carries a penalty of at least one year’s imprisonment. The prosecutor may decide to detain someone if there is a risk that the person will:
If there is a reasonable risk that the suspect, having been apprehended, arrested and remanded in custody, will impede the inquiry by contacting the victims of crime or witnesses, it is possible for the prosecutor to impose restrictions on the suspect’s contacts with the outside world while they are on remand.
It is not possible to be released on bail in Sweden.
You have the right to a court–appointed lawyer.
If you dissatisfied with your appointed lawyer, you can request a new one to the courts (prison staff can help you with the request). A change of lawyer is not granted automatically, so you need a good reason.
If a change of lawyer representation is granted the State pays for the representation in most cases. If the court does not grant a change you can always hire a lawyer privately at your own cost.
If you wish to hire a private lawyer, see for a list of English-speaking lawyers. Prisoners Abroad can also supply information on legal aid, court proceedings and can advise on appointing a lawyer.
The judge and the lay judges will decide in the main hearing whether you are guilty or not, and the length of the sentence.
Sometimes the verdict is announced at the trial, but the sentence at a later date. The presiding judge will then inform you of the date and time when this will take place.
If necessary you have the right to an interpreter free of charge at the main hearing.
Once the sentence has been announced, you will be asked to accept the sentence. If you do not accept it, your lawyer can help you appeal the verdict.
If you are not satisfied with the verdict, your lawyer can help you appeal to the court of appeal (hovrätten). The verdict will contain information about when this must be done at the latest. If the prosecutor also appeals there is a risk that the sentence is increased.
If you are found not guilty, you might be entitled to compensation. Please see the website of Justitiekanslern (www.jk.se) for further information.
You would normally serve two thirds of the sentence subject to good behaviour. This is called parole (villkorlig frigivning) and only applies to sentences longer than one month.
Under the Instrument of Government, one of Sweden’s fundamental laws, the Government may, by exercising clemency, pardon a person or reduce their sentence. Clemency is for use in exceptional situations. It is for the Government to decide whether or not to grant clemency in each individual case. Clemency is therefore not a right.
Clemency can only apply to a criminal judgment that has become final and non-appealable. Foreign judgments can also fall within the scope of clemency if the enforcement of the sentence has been transferred to Sweden.
Fines may be levied in different amounts and ways dependent upon the nature and seriousness of the offence. The most common form of fine is “day fines” – a certain amount per day multiplied by a certain number of days.
Fines may also be set at a certain sum dependent on the offender’s financial status. In certain cases, fines can be imposed together with another penalty, e.g. conditional sentence or probation.
If the offender does not pay the fines, the court may under certain circumstances transform the fine into a prison sentence of not more than three months.
Which prison you are sent to depend on for example which type of security level is required and if there is a treatment plan in place. The prison authorities can impose transfers between prisons in Sweden for security or other reasons. This is the policy of the Swedish authorities, and the Embassy cannot intervene on your behalf.
Prisoners may (if there are specific reasons such as medical/safety issues) apply to the prison for a transfer to a different prison. It is the Head office of the Prison authorities that takes the final decision about the transfer.
There is a Prisoner Transfer Agreement between the UK and Sweden. The staff at the prison can help you submit a request for a transfer.
To transfer to the UK, you must:
The offence you were convicted for must also be a criminal offence in the part of the UK you wish to be transferred to: England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland.
The authorities in the sentencing country may refuse your request. Even if the sentencing country agrees to your transfer, the UK authorities may also refuse your request. Reasons for this might include if you have not lived in the UK for a number of years and you have no close family living there.
Release: the institution will determine the day on which you are released. Usually it is early in the morning. If you are unable to arrange any clothing yourself, the institution must help you with clothes suitable for the time of year, and in some circumstances a release allowance and possibly money for the journey home.
Deportation: if deportation is part of your sentence, the most common procedure is that you are transferred from the prison, sometimes via a temporary remand centre, to the airport by the Prison and Probation Service Transport Company. You will be escorted by them until you reach the airport in your home country.
Sometimes people find that they face difficulties adjusting to life in the UK once they have left prison. You may find yourself ready for life on the outside but not prepared for living in the UK. You may not have lived in the UK before and have no connections there, or perhaps you have lost touch with friends and family. You may want to talk to another person who understands what you have been through, to help you consider what to do next.
If you are registered with Prisoners Abroad, you can visit Prisoners Abroad when you first arrive back in UK for advice, to take a shower, use their temporary luggage store, make essential phone calls or use a computer. If you have no belongings Prisoners Abroad may be able to help with basic toiletries and finding suitable clothing. If you know your release date in advance you should tell your consular caseworker when you are likely to arrive and what help you think you might need. If you have no money and nowhere to go, Prisoners Abroad’s Aftercare Service can help with:
Later on you may want advice on housing, looking for work, applying for training or getting counselling. Prisoners Abroad can refer you to the right agency.
Other sources of practical help back in the UK are:
Monday to Friday 8am to 4pm, or contact your local Salvation Army branch
UK Helpline +44 (0)20 7799 2500 Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm
We will not normally pass on information about your case to a third party without your consent. However, if you’re arrested for certain serious offences, such as child sex abuse or drugs crimes, our staff must tell other relevant UK authorities. It is possible that information about this may appear if a Criminal Records Bureau check were carried out by a prospective employer.
Since 1978 the charity Prisoners Abroad has offered practical support and advice to British citizens imprisoned abroad. It is the only UK charity providing this service. It is available to all, whether guilty or innocent, convicted or awaiting charge or trial. Prisoners Abroad supports your health and welfare during your imprisonment. It can also provide support on your return to the UK, through their resettlement service (if you have registered whilst in prison). They can also provide support and advice to your family when you are in prison. To access any services, you must first register with Prisoners Abroad by signing and returning their authorisation form.
Once you seek help from Prisoners Abroad, the Prisoner & Family Support Service will be your point of contact for advice and information. The type of assistance they can offer varies from country to country, but generally they can provide you with information, in English, on:
Mondays and Tuesdays 9:30am to 6pm (UK time)
Wednesdays to Fridays 9:30am to 4:30pm (UK time)
Key phrases – English into Swedish
FCDO guidance: Support for British nationals abroad
FCDO guidance: Arrested abroad: advice for British nationals
FCDO guidance: Instruction for money transfer through the FCDO
Don’t include personal or financial information like your National Insurance number or credit card details.
To help us improve GOV.UK, we’d like to know more about your visit today. We’ll send you a link to a feedback form. It will take only 2 minutes to fill in. Don’t worry we won’t send you spam or share your email address with anyone.