Sweden Judicial Assistance

Party to Hague Service Convention? Yes
Party to Hague Evidence Convention? Yes
Party to Hague Apostille Convention? Yes
Party to Inter-American Convention? No
Service of Process by Mail? No

THE INFORMATION RELATING TO THE LEGAL REQUIREMENTS OF SPECIFIC FOREIGN COUNTRIES IS PROVIDED FOR GENERAL INFORMATION ONLY AND MAY NOT BE TOTALLY ACCURATE IN A PARTICULAR CASE. QUESTIONS INVOLVING INTERPRETATION OF SPECIFIC FOREIGN LAWS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO FOREIGN ATTORNEYS. THIS CIRCULAR SEEKS ONLY TO PROVIDE INFORMATION; IT IS NOT AN OPINION ON ANY ASPECT OF U.S., FOREIGN, OR INTERNATIONAL LAW. THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE DOES NOT INTEND BY THE CONTENTS OF THIS CIRCULAR TO TAKE A POSITION ON ANY ASPECT OF ANY PENDING LITIGATION.

Embassies and Consulates
U.S. Embassy Stockholm
Dag Hammarskjölds Väg 31
SE-115 89 Stockholm, Sweden
Telephone: (46) (8) 783-5300
Emergency Telephone: (46) (8) 783-5300
Fax: (46) (8) 783-5480s
tkacsinfo@state.gov
List of Attorneys
U.S. Embassy Stockholm
Helpful Links
http://www.sweden.gov.se/sb/d/2876/a/16348
http://ec.europa.eu/civiljustice/homepage/homepage_swe_en.htm
Service of Process

Sweden is a party to the Hague Convention on the Service Abroad of Judicial and Extra Judicial Documents in Civil and Commercial Matters.  Complete information on the operation of the Convention, including an interactive online request form are available on the Hague Conference website.  Requests should be completed in duplicate and submitted with two sets of the documents to be served, and translations, directly to Sweden’s Central Authority for the Hague Service Convention.  The person in the United States executing the request form should be either an attorney or clerk of court.  The applicant should include the titles attorney at law or clerk of court on the identity and address of applicant and signature/stamp fields.  Sweden does not permit service via postal channels.  For additional information see theHague Conference Service Convention web page and the Hague Conference Practical Handbook on the Operation of the Hague Service Convention.  See also Sweden’s response to the 2008 Hague Conference questionnaire on the practical operation of the Hague Service Convention.

Service on a Foreign State:  See also our Service Under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA) feature and FSIA Checklist for questions about service on a foreign state, agency or instrumentality.

Service of Documents from Sweden in the United States:  See information about service in the United States on the U.S. Central Authority for the Service Convention page of the Hague Conference on Private International Law Service Convention site.

Criminal Matters

Prosecution Requests:  U.S. federal or state prosecutors should also contact the Office of International Affairs, Criminal Division, Department of Justice for guidance.

Defense Requests in Criminal Matters:  Criminal defendants or their defense counsel seeking judicial assistance in obtaining evidence or in effecting service of documents abroad in connection with criminal matters may do so via the letters rogatory process.

Obtaining Evidence in Civil and Commercial Matters

Sweden is a party to the Hague Convention on the Taking of Evidence Abroad in Civil and Commercial Matters.  The Central Authority for Sweden for the Hague Evidence Conventiondesignated to receive letters of request for the taking of evidence is the Ministry of Justice.  See the Hague Evidence Convention Model Letters of Request for guidance on how to prepare a letter of request.  Requests under the Hague Evidence Convention are transmitted directly from the requesting court or person in the United States to the Swedish Central Authority and do not require transmittal via diplomatic channels.  Requests should be submitted in duplicate with Swedish translations.  See theSwedish Declarations and Reservations regarding the Hague Evidence Convention.  See also Sweden’s response to the 2008 Hague Conference questionnaire on the practical operation of the Hague Evidence Convention.

Requests from Sweden to Obtain Evidence in the United States:  The U.S. Central Authority for the Hague Evidence Convention is the Office of International Judicial Assistance, Civil Division, Department of Justice, 1100 L St., N.W., Room 11006, Washington, D.C. 20530.

Taking Voluntary Depositions of Willing Witnesses
Voluntary depositions of willing witnesses in civil and commercial matters are permitted regardless of the nationality of the witness.  However, prior permission from the Swedish Foreign Ministry is required.  In order to obtain this permission, contact the U.S. Embassy in Stockholm.  Oral depositions or depositions on written questions may be taken by U.S. consular officers or by private attorneys at the U.S. Embassy or at another location such as a hotel or office, either on notice or pursuant to a commission.  If the services of a U.S. consular officer are required to administer an oath to the witness, interpreter and stenographer, such arrangements must be made in advance with the U.S. Embassy directly.
Authentication of Documents
Sweden is a party to the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement for Legalization of Foreign Public Documents. Sweden’s competent authority for the Hague Apostille Conventionwill authenticate Swedish public documents with Apostilles.  For information about authenticating U.S. public documents for use in Sweden, see the list of U.S. Competent Authorities.  To obtain an Apostille for a U.S. Consular Report of Birth Abroad of a Citizen of the United States of America, contact the U.S. Department of State, Passport Services, Vital Records Office.