Stockholm - Importing your goods

General information

General procedure for importing household and personal effects:
A customs waiver, or release, may be obtained for used household goods, furniture, clothing etc for the personal use of the family. A request for customs release is made by completing the form 'Declaration for Household Goods Customs Release' (Forsiikran for flyttsakstullfrihet). This form must be signed and witnessed in Sweden and be accompanied by a detailed inventory in duplicate in English, French, German or Spanish. Items covered by the declaration may be imported as unaccompanied baggage. Goods arriving before the owner's immigration can be stored at a Swedish free port or in a customs-bonded warehouse to avoid duty.If your goods are coming from tropical countries you need to submit  documentation regarding the fumigation process. If your goods have not been fumigated this can be done in Sweden and clearance will take three days.
The following is an example of an invoice description:

• Furniture: Tables, chairs, sofas, bedroom, home/office and living room furniture,desks, lamps, mirrors etc.
• Kitchenware: Silverware, glassware, chinaware, pots, pans, utensils, electrical kitchen appliances etc.
  Household goods: Linens, towels, rugs, toiletries, cleaning products, decorativearticles, art, framed pictures, toys, strollers, crafts, holiday decorations, fans, washers,dryers, VCR's, TV's, stereos, records, collectibles etc.
• Sport equipment: (NO FIREARMS!) Bicycles, weights, stationary equipment, skis,skates, surfboards etc.
  Clothes: For women, men, boys, girls, and infants
• Books/printed materials: Books, calendars, personal records, photo albums etc.
• Home/office equipment/tools of trade: Computers (CPU, monitor, printer, software etc.), filing cabinets, shredders, fax machines, telephone equipment, calculators,books etc.
• Other personal effects: Item(s) not covered by previous categories should be individually described

Household effects are furniture, dishes, linens, libraries, artwork and similar household furnishings for your personal use. The articles must have either been available for your use or used in a household    where you were a resident for at least one year, and are not intended for any other person or for sale

Household effects 

Personal effects are items that belong to - and are used by - one person, such as wearing apparel, jewelry, photographic equipment and tape recorders. They cannot be entered as household effects.
Household and personal effects are for personal use so they are entitled to duty free.

Personal effects

Your shipment of personal and/or household goods must be cleared through Customs at their first port of arrival unless you have made arrangements with a foreign freight forwarder to have your effects sent in Customs custody in-bond from the port of arrival to a more convenient port of entry for clearance (ask your moving company if it offers this service). Customs will not notify you that your goods have arrived. It is the responsibility of the shipper to notify you of the arrival of your goods. After receiving this notification, you must enter the merchandise.

If your goods are coming from tropical countries you need to submit documentation regarding the fumigation process. If your goods have not been fumigated this can be done in Sweden and clearance will take three days. 

Note that the inclusion of alcohol in the shipment will delay clearance and result in extra customs charges.

Expatriates may import one vehicle per family member and must be present for customs clearance. Those qualifying for duty-free import of household goods may also bring in a vehicle free of duty provided they can prove the vehicle was owned and used abroad for more than 12 months; the vehicle may not be sold for at least 12 months following importation. Customs authorities will provide information on environmental regulations in effect for catalytic converters.

Importing an automobile or other vehicle
The following documents will be required: vehicle registration certificate, home country insurance documentation, purchase invoice, customs form (separate from household goods), and proof of interim insurance with Swedish insurer.

General rules for liquor and tobacco

When you enter Sweden you can carry 1 litre of spirits or three litres of strong wine and 26 litres of wine and 32 litres of beer (for those aged 20 years or older).As for tobacco you can carry 300 cigarettes or 150 cigarillos or 75 cigars or 400g tobacco (for those aged 18 years or older).
There are severe limitations on the duty-free entry of goods carried by travellers on the short sea routes between Norway and Sweden, and Denmark and Sweden.

Prohibited is the import of:
Switch-blade knives
Mobile telephones
Most meat, dairy products and eggs
Endangered flora and fauna

Special permission is required for:
Firearms, ammunition and other explosives and radioactive substances.
Bulbs, plants etc must have a certificate of soundness.
Medicine/drugs for personal use only are allowed (up to 3 months' supply; prescription required).
Narcotics used as medicine may be brought in if intended for personal use for a period of not more than 5 days.
Those who need to import special food and or medicines should consult their nearest Swedish embassy, consulate or customs authorities.
Further information about customs regulations is available from Swedish embassies and consulates and from the

• Custom Release Bureau of the General
  Board of Customs (Generaltullstyrelsens tullfrihetsbyrå)
  Box 2267
  103 16
  Stockholm
  Tel: + 46 (0)8 24 00 00.

Firearms and ammunition

You need a special permission to import firearms, ammunition and other explosives and radioactive substances.

Food and dairy products

It is prohibited to import dairy products and eggs. Those who need to import special food should consult their nearest Swedish embassy, consulate or customs authorities.

It is prohibited to import most meats.

There is no limitation in terms of total amount of monetary instruments which may be brought into or taken out of Sweden.

Pets

Permission to import pets must be granted by the Department of Agriculture. A veterinary examination is required and an import permit issued by the National Board of Agriculture. A blood test must be taken from animals who come from rabies-free countries (at present: Finland, Norway, Australia, Republic of Ireland, Iceland, Malta, New Zealand and the UK) at the port of entry. Whilst waiting for the result animals may be kept by the owner, but they must be in isolation. Animals entering from other countries must be kept in public quarantine for four months and import must not take place before assurance is given that a quarantine place is available (the demand for quarantine places greatly exceeds the supply, so waiting times can be long).

Pirated copies will be seized and destroyed.

Items which are for personal use, are entitled to duty free. Goods shipped separately must be cleared through Customs at their first port of arrival unless you have made arrangements with a foreign freight forwarder to have your effects sent in Customs custody in-bond from the port of arrival to a more convenient port of entry for clearance. Customs will not notify you that your goods have arrived.  It is the responsibility of the shipper to notify you of the arrival of your goods. After receiving this  notification, you must enter the merchandise.

Part time residents

Further information about customs regulations is available from Swedish embassies and consulates and from the

• Custom Release Bureau of the General Board of Customs
  (Generaltullstyrelsens tullfrihetsbyrå)
  Box 2267
  103 16
  Stockholm
  Tel: + 46 (0)8 24 00 00.