Sweden has several offices called “ombudsman”, and they do very different jobs. Here is which one to use, what each can and cannot do for you as a visitor, student or newcomer, and how to write a complaint that gets read.
When you need this
An authority, a police officer, a court office or a municipality treated you badly and you want someone independent to look at it. Migrationsverket, Skatteverket or a school authority hasn’t answered your letters for months. A shop, club, landlord or employer treated you worse because of who you are. Or a Swedish friend told you to “go to JO” or “report it to DO”, and you have no idea what that does.
What JO is
Justitieombudsmannen (JO, the Parliamentary Ombudsmen) is Sweden’s oldest complaints office. It was set up in 1809, in connection with the Instrument of Government of that year, and the first ombudsman was elected in 1810. Today the constitution says the Riksdag elects ombudsmen to supervise how laws are applied in public activity. Courts, agencies and state and municipal employees must give an ombudsman the information and statements it asks for, and JO may see their records.
There are four ombudsmen: a chief ombudsman and three others. They answer to parliament, not to the government. That is the whole point: an office ministers cannot instruct, watching how agencies, courts, municipalities and police treat individuals.
What changed recently: JO’s governing act was rewritten in 2023. Lag (2023:499) replaced the 1986 instruction on 1 September 2023, so older English summaries cite repealed section numbers. The new act tells JO to watch especially that public bodies respect objectivity, impartiality and people’s fundamental rights.
JO is also busier than ever. It registered 15,429 supervision cases in 2025, about 3,700 more than in 2024, and closed 15,187.
Who JO can and cannot examine
| Under JO’s supervision | Outside JO’s supervision |
|---|---|
| State and municipal authorities and their staff | The government and individual ministers |
| Courts, as authorities | Members of the Riksdag |
| Others exercising public authority, for that part of their work | Members of municipal and regional councils |
| Staff of certain state enterprises | The Chancellor of Justice (JK) |
| State- or municipally-owned companies when they exercise public authority or handle requests for public documents | Private businesses, banks, insurers, media, and lawyers and doctors in private practice |
Courts are a special case. JO supervises them as authorities, for example their handling of a case, but the constitution says no authority, not even the Riksdag, may decide how a court rules in an individual case. A judgment you disagree with goes to a higher court, not to JO.
What JO can do, and what it can’t
JO’s tools are stronger than many people think, but they are not the ones most complainants expect.
| JO can | JO cannot |
|---|---|
| State that an action was unlawful, wrong or unsuitable | Change a decision or a judgment |
| Prosecute an official for misconduct, as special prosecutor | Examine claims for compensation |
| Report an official for disciplinary action, dismissal or suspension | Investigate anonymous complaints |
| Propose changes in the law to the Riksdag or government | Take up matters over two years old, without special reasons |
| Order an authority to answer under a fine of up to SEK 10,000 | Examine private businesses |
Many complaints end without a full investigation: JO closes those outside its remit, over two years old, about a lawful judgment call, or already being fixed by the authority. JO says a closed complaint does not mean it was unjustified. Complaints about slow handling, unanswered letters and rude treatment are classic JO territory; disagreeing with a lawful assessment is not.
How to complain to JO
JO is open to non-Swedes. Anyone who believes they or someone else was treated wrongly may complain, and neither citizenship nor age matters. Neither JO nor its governing act mentions any fee.
- Appeal first if there is a decision. A written decision states how and by when to appeal. Do that: JO cannot change the decision, and a JO complaint does not pause the deadline.
- Pick the right office. Authority or official: JO. Discrimination: DO. Healthcare: the provider, then the region’s patient board. Business dispute: ARN. Money from the state: JK.
- Check the two-year limit. JO normally does not take up matters more than two years old.
- Write it down. Use JO’s web form or PDF form. Name the authority or official, what they did, when, and why you think it was wrong.
- Give your name and address. JO does not investigate anonymous complaints.
- Attach documents. Copies of letters, decisions and e-mails that show what happened.
- Wait for a decision. A legal adviser reviews each complaint, and many are closed without investigation.
Two further rules are worth knowing. People deprived of their liberty may write to JO despite any restrictions on their post. And anywhere in Sweden, written contact with JO in Finnish, Meänkieli or Sámi is allowed.
JK: the government’s ombudsman
Justitiekanslern (JK, the Chancellor of Justice) is easy to confuse with JO. JK is the government’s ombudsman: it also supervises authorities and civil servants, but its practical importance for individuals is money. JK represents the state in damages actions and can settle claims, so you can send JK a written application for compensation directly. If JK says no, you can still go to court. Since JO does not examine compensation claims, this is the route when a wrong decision cost you money.
DO: the Equality Ombudsman
Diskrimineringsombudsmannen (DO) supervises the Discrimination Act. The act protects visitors as much as residents: it bans discrimination by anyone providing goods, services or housing to the public, in healthcare and social services, and in public employees’ contacts with the public. There are seven grounds:
| Ground | Swedish term |
|---|---|
| Sex | kön |
| Transgender identity or expression | könsöverskridande identitet eller uttryck |
| Ethnicity | etnisk tillhörighet |
| Religion or other belief | religion eller annan trosuppfattning |
| Disability | funktionsnedsättning |
| Sexual orientation | sexuell läggning |
| Age | ålder |
You report with DO’s online form, which is in Swedish but can be filled in in any language, or you call 08-120 20 700. DO first checks whether the act applies. It receives over 3,500 complaints a year and selects which to investigate, seeking voluntary compliance first. With your consent DO, or a qualifying non-profit association, may take the case to court for you. A business that breaks the ban pays diskrimineringsersättning (discrimination compensation) to the person wronged.
Watch the deadlines. Claims outside working life must reach court within two years of the act; for a child, the two years run from the 18th birthday. Workplace deadlines can be far shorter: DO says some are four months and some only two weeks. Union members should go to their union first. Note also that a DO complaint becomes a public document, which anyone may request after a secrecy check, so stick to the facts you need. See how public records work in Sweden.
BO: the Ombudsman for Children
Barnombudsmannen (BO) represents children’s and young people’s rights under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which has been Swedish law since 1 January 2020. BO pushes authorities to apply the convention and reports to the government every year by 1 April. What it does not do surprises many parents: BO may not intervene in individual cases. It must, however, report to social services if it learns or suspects that a child is being harmed. A complaint about how a school or authority treated your child goes to that body or to JO.
Other complaint routes
| Problem | Where it goes |
|---|---|
| Healthcare | The clinic first, then the region’s patient board (patientnämnd), which acts as a link to the provider; then IVO for serious events, within two years |
| A business that won’t put things right | ARN, the National Board for Consumer Disputes, once the business has said no; within one year of your first complaint |
| A lawyer (advokat) | JO may pass the complaint to the Swedish Bar Association |
| A crime | The police, not DO or JO |
JO, JK, DO and BO are national offices based in Stockholm. Patient boards are run by each region, so contact details differ.
Practical information
| Office | Handles | Deadline | Cost | Contact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JO | Authorities, courts’ handling, officials | Normally two years | No fee stated (checked 2026-10-14) | jo.se web or PDF form |
| JK | Damages claims against the state | Not covered here | No fee stated (checked 2026-10-14) | Written application |
| DO | Discrimination | Two years outside work; work can be weeks | No fee stated (checked 2026-10-14) | Online form, 08-120 20 700 |
| BO | Children’s rights in general | No individual cases | Not applicable | 08-692 29 50 |
| ARN | Consumer disputes | One year from first complaint | Filing fee; check ARN (checked 2026-10-14) | arn.se |
FAQ
What is JO in Sweden?
JO, Justitieombudsmannen, is the Parliamentary Ombudsmen: four ombudsmen elected by the Riksdag to supervise how authorities, courts, municipalities and their staff apply the law. Founded in 1809, it is independent of the government. It examines complaints from the public, inspects authorities on its own initiative and can criticise or prosecute officials who break the rules.
Can a foreigner or tourist complain to JO?
Yes. JO says anyone who believes they or someone else has been treated wrongly by an authority may complain, and that Swedish citizenship and a minimum age are not required. Use the web or PDF form, give your name and address, and describe what happened. Anonymous complaints are not investigated. Complaining costs nothing.
What can JO actually do?
JO can state that an authority acted unlawfully or wrongly, prosecute an official for misconduct in office, report an official for disciplinary action or dismissal, and propose law changes. It cannot change a decision or judgment and does not examine compensation claims. Its main decisions go to the Riksdag in an annual report.
Will JO investigate my complaint?
Not necessarily. A legal adviser reviews each complaint, and many are closed without investigation, for example when the matter is over two years old, belongs to another body or concerns a lawful judgment call. JO says a closed complaint is not necessarily unjustified. JO registered 15,429 cases in 2025.
What is the difference between JO and JK?
JO is elected by the Riksdag and supervises authorities on parliament’s behalf. JK, the Chancellor of Justice, is the government’s ombudsman: it also supervises authorities, represents the state in lawsuits and handles claims for damages against the state. JO itself does not examine compensation claims, so money claims go to JK.
How do I report discrimination in Sweden?
Report it to DO, the Equality Ombudsman, with the online form in any language, or call 08-120 20 700. DO checks whether the Discrimination Act applies and selects cases to investigate. It may sue for you with your consent. Claims outside working life must reach court within two years.
Does the Children’s Ombudsman help with individual cases?
No. Barnombudsmannen promotes children’s rights under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which is Swedish law, but it may not intervene in individual cases. It must report to social services if it learns a child is being harmed. Complaints about a school or authority go to that body or to JO.
Related guides
- How Sweden is governed — why an office under the Riksdag can criticise the government’s agencies
- Offentlighetsprincipen and public records — why complaints and decisions can be read by anyone
- The Swedish police explained — reporting crimes, which neither JO nor DO handles
- LGBTQ+ travel in Sweden — reporting discrimination to DO in practice
- Children’s rights in Sweden — where concerns about a child go, since BO takes no cases
- ARN and consumer disputes — the route when a business is the problem
Facts verified 2026-10-14. Sources: Sveriges riksdag (Regeringsformen, Lag 2023:499, Diskrimineringslag 2008:567, Lag 2008:568, Lag 1993:335, Lag 2018:1197, Lag 2009:724, KU betänkande 2025/26:KU11), Riksdagens ombudsmän (JO), Justitiekanslern, Diskrimineringsombudsmannen, Barnombudsmannen, Socialstyrelsen and ARN — full register in this topic’s source file. This is general information, not legal advice. Found something outdated? Tell us and we’ll fix it.