Quick answer: If you are handling a Swedish estate from abroad — or a foreign estate from Sweden — you will usually need some combination of the estate inventory (bouppteckning), a death certificate, the will and a power of attorney. Within the EU, a European Certificate of Succession from Skatteverket is accepted without an Apostille. Outside the EU, most Swedish inheritance documents need notarisation and an Apostille, and often a certified translation.
Inheriting across borders means paperwork from two legal systems at once. This guide explains which Swedish inheritance documents foreign banks, courts and land registries typically ask for — and which ones need an Apostille, notarisation or certified translation before they are accepted.
Which Swedish inheritance documents are needed abroad?
When an estate has assets or heirs outside Sweden, four documents come up again and again.
The estate inventory (bouppteckning). The official record of the deceased’s assets, debts and heirs, registered by the Swedish Tax Agency (Skatteverket).
A death certificate. Confirms the death, often together with a family record showing the surviving relatives.
The will (testamente). Usually needed as a certified true copy rather than the original.
A power of attorney (fullmakt). Lets one person act for the estate without collecting every heir’s signature on every document.
Which of these you need — and how they must be certified — depends on the receiving country.
The European Certificate of Succession: no Apostille within the EU
For estates inside the EU, the simplest route is the European Certificate of Succession (europeiskt arvsintyg). In Sweden it is issued by Skatteverket.
The certificate proves your rights as heir, legatee or estate administrator directly in other EU countries. You can use it to access foreign bank accounts, transfer property and represent the estate before foreign authorities.
Thanks to EU Regulation 650/2012, the certificate is accepted without any Apostille or legalisation. It applies in all EU countries except Denmark and Ireland, and certified copies are valid for six months, after which they can be renewed.
Outside the EU — for example in the UK, the USA or Switzerland — the certificate has no legal standing. There you fall back on the underlying Swedish documents, legalised with an Apostille.
Estate inventory, will and death certificate: when an Apostille is required
For non-EU countries, and for Denmark and Ireland, the receiving bank or authority will normally ask for the Swedish source documents.
Estate inventory (bouppteckning). Foreign institutions usually accept a certified copy of the registered estate inventory. The copy is certified by a Notarius Publicus and then given an Apostille so it is valid under the Hague Convention.
Will (testamente). Originals should stay safe. Instead, a certified true copy of the will is notarised and apostilled for use abroad.
Death certificate. For international inheritance matters, insurance claims and property transfers, the death certificate normally needs an Apostille — and in many cases a certified translation into the receiving country’s language.
In Sweden, Apostilles are issued exclusively by a Notarius Publicus. One stamp is enough: once a document has an Apostille, no further legalisation is needed in any of the 120+ Hague Convention countries.
Power of attorney for a Swedish estate
When heirs live in different countries, a power of attorney for the estate (fullmakt för dödsbo) saves months of posting documents back and forth. One representative can then deal with banks, authorities and property sales on behalf of all beneficiaries.
For cross-border use, the power of attorney is signed before a Notarius Publicus, who verifies the signature, and then apostilled. If you are abroad, our power of attorney notarisation service handles the drafting, notarisation and Apostille remotely, with signature verification via BankID for Swedish citizens.
Do the documents need to be translated?
Often, yes. Foreign banks and courts rarely accept documents in Swedish.
The translation should be made by an authorised translator, and for many countries the translation itself is then notarised and apostilled together with the source document. Check the receiving institution’s requirements before ordering — some accept English extracts, others insist on the local language.
Outside the Hague Convention: embassy legalisation
If the receiving country is not a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, an Apostille is not enough. The document instead goes through consular legalisation: notarisation, then the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs (UD), then the receiving country’s embassy.
The chain takes longer, so start early. We manage the full legalisation chain for non-Hague countries as well.
How Apostille24 can help
We work with Swedish inheritance documents daily and can handle the entire process remotely.
Apostille. On estate inventories, wills, death certificates and powers of attorney — typically within 1–3 business days.
Notarisation and certified true copies. By a Notarius Publicus, with a drop-in office in Stockholm.
Certified translations. By authorised translators, ready to be apostilled together with the source document.
Consular legalisation. For countries outside the Hague Convention.
Upload your documents digitally, and we will confirm exactly what the receiving country requires before anything is stamped.
Frequently asked questions
Does a European Certificate of Succession need an Apostille?
No. Within the EU (except Denmark and Ireland), it is accepted without any Apostille or other legalisation under EU Regulation 650/2012.
Does a Swedish estate inventory (bouppteckning) need an Apostille abroad?
Usually, yes. Outside the EU, banks and authorities normally require a notarised, certified copy of the registered estate inventory with an Apostille, and often a certified translation.
Can I get an Apostille on a copy of a will?
Yes. A Notarius Publicus certifies the copy as a true copy of the original and issues the Apostille on the certified copy — the original never has to leave Sweden.
What if the country is not in the Hague Convention?
Then the document needs consular legalisation instead: notarisation, the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs (UD), and finally the receiving country’s embassy.
Can heirs abroad sign a Swedish estate power of attorney?
Yes. The power of attorney can be prepared and notarised remotely, with signature verification via BankID for Swedish citizens, and apostilled for international use.