Used Household Goods and Personal Effects

Documents Required

• Copy of passport
• Import declaration (Customs form 45) in Finnish, Swedish, or English
• Detailed inventory in Finnish, Swedish, or English (must include the exact number and description of each item)

Specific Information

• For shipments originating outside of the European Union (EU), household goods and personal effects can be imported free of duty if:
  • The goods have been used by the owner of the goods or the owner of the goods’ family abroad for at least 6 months.
  • The owner of the goods has lived in a primary residence abroad for at least 12 months.
• The owner of the goods must have a primary residence in Finland to begin the Customs clearance process.
• Personal property imported from the EU is admitted free of Customs duty, tax, and other restrictions, except prohibitions referred to Article 36 of the Treaty of Rome.
• Diplomats may import household goods and personal effects duty-free provided a detailed inventory has been completed and an obligation for the privilege granted by the Foreign Ministry.

Motor Vehicles

Documents Required

• Certification of title / registration

Specific Information

• All vehicles subject to taxes; however, the car tax on one taxable private vehicle imported by the owner of the goods at the transfer of the normal place of residence is reduced by a maximum of Euro 13,450 if the following three conditions are met:
• • The owner of the goods has stayed abroad continuously for at least 12 months immediately before moving to Finland.
  • The vehicle has been in the ownership, or in the possession leading to ownership, of the owner of the goods or a spouse and in the owner of the goods’ use abroad for at least six months immediately before the move to Finland.
  • If the owner of the goods has previously brought in a vehicle free of tax, it is required that the time limit within which that vehicle may not be transferred without payment of tax has expired before his moving to Finland.
• A tax reduction will not be granted to a person under the age of 18 nor a person who has previously lived in Finland and stayed abroad mainly for educational or study purposes.
• Vehicles imported duty-free by a foreigner are subject to a prohibition on the sale, hire, and transfer of the vehicle for 3 years, one of which must be in Finland.
• Motor vehicles imported from within the EU are subject to the Finnish Value Added Tax (VAT) Act and Car Tax Act.
• • As a rule, VAT is not collected in Finland on vehicles imported as removal goods from within the EU.

Pets

Documents Required

• Vaccination record
• Veterinary health certificate

Specific Information

• Pets are subject to examination upon arrival to Finland and quarantine; contact the destination agent to confirm the duration.
• Pets without the vaccination record will be returned to the port of origin.
• Pets may be imported duty-free with proof of ownership.

Wedding Trousseau / Gifts

• Wedding trousseaux (may be imported duty-free as part of the household goods shipment)
• Inheritances (may be imported duty-free if the owner of the goods’ primary residence is in Finland; a detailed inventory and a certified copy of the will).

Restricted/Dutiable Items

• Alcoholic products, narcotics, tobacco (are subject to duty and VAT and incitements require special permits)
• Firearms and ammunition (a special permit by police authorities is required)
• Live animals and animal products (a special permit is required)
• Plants and plant parts (a special permit is required)
• New items (are subject to VAT and duty and must be declared separately on Customs form 45; a commercial invoice is also required)
• Art, antiques, and precious metal objects (are duty-free as part of the household goods shipment; otherwise subject to VAT and duty; a detailed inventory is required)

Prohibited Items

• Narcotics / illegal drugs of any kind
• Pornography and subversive material
• Explosives, ammunition, and weapons including knives, swords, and fireworks
• Feathers, furs, tusks, skins etc. of animals included on the Endangered Species List and those protected under the CITES Convention

Consignment Instructions

Recommended: Contact the destination agent to ensure all requirements have been met prior to import, especially for differences regarding air/sea shipments.

Cultural and Other Information

CIA World Factbook Entry for FinlandWikipedia Entry for Finland