Swedish Bureaucracy Expressions
Handläggningstid, ärendenummer, Mina sidor — the machinery you have to learn.
The four great verken and how to survive them: handläggare roulette, komplettering deadlines, Mina sidor — systemet belönar uthållighet.
- 1
Skatteverket
the Tax Agency
Tip: lit. 'the tax authority' — where everything starts.
- 2
Försäkringskassan
the Social Insurance Agency
Tip: lit. 'the insurance fund' — parental pay, sick pay, child benefit.
- 3
Migrationsverket
the Migration Agency
Tip: lit. the same.
- 4
Arbetsförmedlingen
the Employment Service
Tip: lit. 'the work mediation'.
- 5
ett ärende
a case
Tip: lit. 'an errand' — everything is one.
- 6
ett ärendenummer
a case number
Tip: lit. the same — quote it every time.
- 7
en handläggare
a caseworker
Tip: lit. 'a handler'.
- 8
handläggningstid
processing time
Tip: lit. the same — and it is long.
- 9
just nu åtta månader
currently eight months
Tip: lit. the same.
- 10
vara under utredning
to be under review
Tip: lit. the same.
- 11
beslut har fattats
a decision has been made
Tip: lit. the same.
- 12
ett avslag
a rejection
Tip: lit. the same.
- 13
överklaga
to appeal
Tip: lit. the same — within three weeks, usually.
- 14
en komplettering
a supplementary request
Tip: lit. the same — they always want one more document.
- 15
handlingen måste vidimeras
the document must be certified
Tip: lit. the same — signed by two witnesses.
- 16
lämna in via Mina sidor
to submit via My Pages
Tip: lit. the same.
- 17
logga in med BankID
to log in with BankID
Tip: lit. the same — and if you don't have one, good luck.
- 18
ta en kölapp
to take a queue ticket
Tip: lit. the same.
- 19
nummer fyrtiotvå
now serving number forty-two
Tip: lit. 'number forty-two'.
- 20
kassan är stängd för lunch
the counter is closed for lunch
Tip: lit. the same.
- 21
du måste boka tid
you need an appointment
Tip: lit. the same.
- 22
nästa lediga tid är i juni
the next available slot is in June
Tip: lit. the same.
- 23
bli skickad fram och tillbaka
to be sent from pillar to post
Tip: lit. 'be sent back and forth'.
- 24
ingen kan ge ett rakt svar
nobody can give a straight answer
Tip: lit. the same.
- 25
det står på hemsidan
it says so on the website
Tip: lit. the same — the universal reply.
- 26
det funkar, till slut
it works, eventually
Tip: lit. the same — and it usually does.
- 27
tålamod är enda strategin
patience is the only strategy
Tip: lit. the same.
- 28
ett ärende öppnas
a case is opened
Tip: lit. the same.
- 29
få en handläggare tilldelad
to be assigned a case officer
Tip: lit. the same.
- 30
som byts ut tre gånger
who changes three times
Tip: lit. the same.
- 31
få börja om med förklaringen
to start explaining again
Tip: lit. the same.
- 32
en begäran om komplettering
a request for further information
Tip: lit. the same.
- 33
inom två veckor, annars avskrivs det
within two weeks, or it's closed
Tip: lit. the same.
- 34
bli avskrivet
to be written off
Tip: lit. the same — the case, not the debt.
- 35
ansöka på nytt från början
to reapply from scratch
Tip: lit. the same.
- 36
offentlighetsprincipen
the principle of public access
Tip: lit. the same — you may read almost anything.
- 37
begära ut en handling
to request a document
Tip: lit. the same — and they must supply it promptly.
- 38
serviceskyldigheten
the duty to provide service
Tip: lit. the same — authorities must help you.
- 39
de ska vägleda dig
they must guide you
Tip: lit. the same — it's in the law.
- 40
be om det skriftligt
to ask for that in writing
Tip: lit. the same.
- 41
överklaga inom tre veckor
to appeal within three weeks
Tip: lit. the same — the standard window.
- 42
till förvaltningsrätten
to the administrative court
Tip: lit. the same.
- 43
kostnadsfritt att överklaga
free of charge to appeal
Tip: lit. the same.
- 44
och man kan vinna
and you may win
Tip: lit. the same — people often do.
- 45
få hjälp av facket eller en förening
to get help from a union or NGO
Tip: lit. the same.
- 46
aldrig ge upp vid första nej
never to give up at the first no
Tip: lit. the same.
- 47
systemet belönar uthållighet
the system rewards persistence
Tip: lit. the same.