By the Numbers

We have completed our second week in Stockholm by the numbers. No, really. We took numbers to complete our business. It isn't that everything was as organized and predictable as a “paint-by-numbers” masterpiece; quite the contrary. But we have learned the custom of taking a queue  number when entering an establishment. We were aware of this “wait your turn to be served” custom as we walked down Kungsbron to the Handelsbanken to open our account.  

This trip was our second attempt to open an account. On our first try the previous day, we engaged a very pleasant teller, Karin, who in a most polite and professional manner explained that our personnummer, passports, residential visa stamps and offer of employment letter from Jay’s company was insufficient documentation to open an account. This time we carried Jay’s deputation letter, as his Indian-centric company calls his employment contract.  That document sealed the deal.

Despite the need for a second trip, we were pleased with the ease of opening a bank account in Sweden.  Our Indian experience in 2005 was quite different.  India, ranked 134 of 183 countries by the World Bank on the ease of doing business, required us to have infinite patience, join a crowd waving bank slips in teller faces to gain recognition and phone calls to the branch manager.  Sweden is ranked 18^th, the US 5^th with Singapore, Hong Kong, New Zealand and the United Kingdom leading the scoring.  With the bank account opened, Jay’s check can be directly deposited and we now have local Visa cards.  When in Rome . . . 

The next stop was at a Skatteverket in Sodermalm to apply for our National ID cards.  The card was not a necessity, but they did give us a common way to identify ourselves.  The card was also needed to access online banking at Handelsbanken.

Two tries were again needed.  We arrived with a completed short application form, but were advised that we needed to have obtained a receipt (400 SEK/~$64 per card) to start the process. We followed directions to a Western Union Exchange shop, paid our fee via our US Visa card, paid the 35 SEK charge per transaction and headed back to the Skatterverket.

We took numbers, waited, handed in our receipts and were given another set of numbers to await the attention of another agent. 

Once in the small office of a youthful and pleasant agent, we slid our payment receipts, passports with residential visa stamps across his desk.  He started  processing Jay’s application first, but something was not computing.  In Jay’s computer record, Helen's photo appeared. Not to worry.  Helen’s application was processed without mishap. In two weeks she will receive notification in the mail to retrieve her ID card. Jay was instructed to come in tow . . . Helen would then be Jay’s validator and his card issued.

Everything done by the numbers . . . piece o’ cake.