The question of where children should be registered can sometimes raise concerns when they have two homes. Here, we've gathered what you need to know about children's population registration and shared custody.
If the parents have joint custody, they decide together where the children should be registered. If the parents cannot agree, the Swedish Tax Agency conducts an investigation to determine the children's population registration. In the investigation, the Tax Agency considers where the children are deemed to have their "domicile." Domicile refers to where the children regularly spend their "night's rest," meaning where they sleep the most nights per month.
If one of the parents/guardians continues to live in the residence that was previously the family home, and the children live there half of the time, the children should maintain their registration at the same address as before.
If both parents have moved to new homes, the Tax Agency makes a comprehensive assessment of the circumstances surrounding the children's living situation. Factors that are considered include:
For many children and parents, the population registration address doesn’t make a practical difference when cooperation is going well and mail and other information is easily shared between the homes, such as appointments for dentists or doctors.
However, the registration address can affect the children’s rights to school, school transportation, or special support in various forms. This becomes apparent when choosing a school or applying for a preschool place. If the parents are registered in the same municipality but in different areas, the population registration generally determines where the children can attend school.
If the parents are registered in different municipalities, it can affect the right to services such as school transportation, which usually applies within the municipality where the child is registered.
The best approach is to try to live relatively close to each other, preferably in the same neighborhood or at least the same municipality. It's also important to work on stable communication and secure information sharing so both parents can easily and efficiently take responsibility and make everyday decisions regarding the children, together or individually.
In the Varannan Vecka app, you’ll find tools for stable communication, simple planning, and secure finances. It’s incredibly helpful to have everything concerning the children in one app. No more emails, text messages, or WhatsApp threads.
Elisabeth Scholander Family Law Attorney and Mediator, Specialized in Conflict Resolution for Families
22 August 2024
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