Shipping your belongings to Finland: customs and household goods

Moving from the United States to Finland means your household goods cross an EU external border, so they pass through Finnish Customs (Tulli). The good news, in the words of the official Suomi.fi service page for Finnish Customs, is that removal goods are in general exempt from customs duty and tax. The exemption depends on paperwork and timing, though, so plan the shipment around the rules rather than around the moving company's calendar.

Removal goods: the basics

Removal goods are the personal belongings you bring when you move your home to Finland: furniture, clothes, kitchenware, books and similar items. InfoFinland's moving checklist sets out two key points for people moving from outside the EU:

• you must submit a customs declaration for your removal goods to Finnish Customs;
• removal goods must be brought to Finland within 12 months of the move.

Moving from within the EU customs territory needs no declaration, but a move from the US always does.

### Conditions for duty-free treatment

Finnish Customs sets conditions on the duty- and tax-free import of removal goods, including how long you lived outside the EU and how long you have owned and used the goods. Read the Customs instructions on moving to Finland before you decide what to ship. Goods that do not qualify, such as new items bought just before the move, can be subject to duty and VAT.

The documents Customs wants

The Suomi.fi page lists what to send for customs clearance.

Always send:

• a list of removal goods, for example "bed, TV, clothes 3 kg";
• a copy of your passport;
• a report on living abroad, such as an employment certificate.

If necessary, also send:

• your residence permit, unless it was granted for study purposes or based on a family member's studies;
• any other certificate or declaration, such as an exceptional permit or import permit.

Customs may ask for other documents and information.

### Restricted and dutiable items

Goods subject to import restrictions, or goods subject to duty and taxes, such as alcohol, must be reported to Customs separately. Do not bury them in the household inventory.

How to declare

How you declare depends on how the goods arrive. When a transport company delivers them, you can usually declare in Customs' Import Declaration Service for private persons. Customs also has customer service points, including at Helsinki Airport, the Olympia Terminal in Helsinki and border crossings, and the clearance service itself is free of charge.

Practical tips:

1. Write the inventory as you pack, room by room, with weights or counts.
2. Keep proof of your US residence and employment ready to upload.
3. Ask your mover who will file the declaration and who will receive Customs' queries.
4. Keep copies of everything until the goods are released.

Timing the shipment

The 12-month window runs from your move. Sea freight from the US takes weeks, so it often makes sense to ship before you leave and bring essentials in suitcases. Customs also has rules for bringing removal goods in before you move; read them if your shipment will land before you do.

Insuring and tracking the shipment

Ask your mover what its standard liability covers and buy transit insurance for the full replacement value if it does not. Photograph valuable items before packing and keep the photos with your inventory. Get the bill of lading or air waybill number and the name of the Finnish agent who will handle delivery, so that when Customs asks a question you can answer it quickly. Delays at clearance usually come from missing documents rather than from the goods themselves.

What you carry in your luggage

Your suitcases are subject to the EU's traveler allowances. Coming from a non-EU country, Your Europe, the EU's official information site, says you may bring goods free of VAT and excise duties if they are not for resale and within limits. Examples:

| Category | EU allowance from outside the EU | |---|---| | Other goods, air and sea travelers | Up to EUR 430 per traveler | | Other goods, other travelers | Up to EUR 300 per traveler | | Wine and beer | For example 4 liters of still wine and 16 liters of beer | | Under 17 | No duty-free allowance for alcohol or tobacco |

Countries may apply a lower limit of EUR 150 for travelers under 15. Anything above the allowances must be declared.

Bringing a car

Shipping a US car to Finland involves three authorities. Traficom's guidance on importing a vehicle explains:

• Customs: check clearance rules if you bring the vehicle as removal goods from outside the EU.
• Car tax: payable on passenger cars, vans, motorcycles and quadricycles registered or used for the first time in Finland, handled by the Tax Administration. If you start using the vehicle before registration, submit a declaration of use, then a car tax return within five days of the start date of use you notified.
• Registration: the vehicle needs a registration inspection; with an approved inspection certificate you complete the first registration. A Certificate of Conformity from the manufacturer makes tax, inspection and registration easier.

Many Americans find that tax, inspection and conversion costs make selling the car in the US the simpler choice. Run the numbers with the Tax Administration's guidance before you book shipping.

Bringing pets

Pets travel under separate animal health rules. For non-commercial movements, the Finnish Food Authority says Finnish Customs checks the pet and its documents at the red line, and pets must arrive through a permitted entry point such as Helsinki-Vantaa Airport. Dogs need tapeworm treatment 24 to 120 hours before arrival.

What to leave behind

• Appliances: check each label for the voltage range before packing; anything that only runs on US household power is usually better sold.
• Bulky low-value furniture: InfoFinland notes that buying second-hand is commonplace in Finland and good-quality used goods are easy to find.
• Items that could be restricted: declare medicines, weapons, plants and food separately and check the rules first.

Documents to legalize before you go

Unrelated to the shipment but on the same timeline, InfoFinland advises legalizing and, if needed, translating birth, marriage and divorce certificates and diplomas before moving. Finnish authorities accept Finnish, Swedish and English documents.

A shipping timeline

| When | Task | |---|---| | 3 months before | Get mover quotes; decide car and appliances | | 2 months before | Collect employment certificate and residence permit | | Packing day | Write the inventory with weights | | Arrival | Declare removal goods; report restricted items separately | | Within 12 months | All removal goods in Finland |

Common questions

Do I pay duty on household goods moved from the US to Finland? In general, removal goods are exempt from customs duty and tax, provided you meet Finnish Customs' conditions and declare them.

What documents do I need to clear removal goods in Finland? A list of goods, a copy of your passport and a report on living abroad, plus a residence permit or other permits if needed.

How long do I have to bring removal goods to Finland? Removal goods must be brought to Finland within 12 months of the move.

How much can I bring in my luggage duty-free when flying to Finland? Goods worth up to EUR 430 per air traveler, plus alcohol and tobacco within EU limits, provided they are not for resale.