moving my stuff to finland

[sokser]

What are the import duties rules when I move to finland. I know many european countries will let you move your stuff free of charge during the first 6 months. Can I do the same in Finland? I'm looking at moving my televisions, car, kitchen supplies, and some furniture from the United States.

[sinikettu]

televisions, car, from the United States.

TV will not work here you have NTSC we have one of the PAL variants..

Car will need to be Finnglised..I leave that for an expert to explain.

[sinikala]

televisions, car, from the United States.

TV will not work here you have NTSC we have one of the PAL variants..

Car will need to be Finnglised..I leave that for an expert to explain.

That has nothing to do with the question.

AFAIK, you can bring the stuff in as removal goods tax free, easier to explain it to Finnish customs (Tulli) if you bring it here soon after you move, as opposed to waiting 12 months (seems you have 12 months not 6).

Further details here http://www.tulli.fi/en/02_Publications/ ... 006_en.pdf

Now I feel obliged to comment on Siniketu's incomplete information about TVs - for older (CRT) TVs, then yes NTSC/PAL is likely to be an issue. But many of the modern LCD/Plasmas have more in common with PC monitors than older TVs and can cope with a range of different screen formats / frequencies. A check in the instruction book should tell quickly if it will work in Europe, though it is likely that the power supply will need changing.

[Hank W.]

kitchen supplies, and some furniture from the United States.

Forget those. 220v electricity, its cheaper to buy kitchen appliances than have transformers.... and *where* in the kitchen would you have those?
Also, you won't be able to fit you mansion furniture to a normal finnish flat... I mean you guys have beds that would have to be in the living room or then you have to rent a mansion.

Electronics - if it is dual system/dual voltage, then yes. If it is not, no use- like US VCR is useless, useless and did I tell you useless. Search for power converter and step down transformer prices and do this "think" bit again and have a yard sale.

Of course you can bring all your stuff over, but then you just paid a few grand to haul over useless junk nobody wants you cannot use and have to pay recycling fees for. Your call.

[Hank W.]

That has nothing to do with the question.

The question is not what he needs to ask.

[sinikala]

That has nothing to do with the question.

The question is not what he needs to ask.

Obviously, you Hank know far better. Perhaps easier to focus on what the guy was asking *import tax issue* than start bimbling on about 110/220/240 V.

As you have gone down that line (again) generally I agree, microwave, electric mixer, kettle, toaster... probably not worth bringing. To replace the kitchen appliances perhaps €200-300.

However, kitchen supplies also includes pots, pans, plates, glassware, pyrex ware, cutlery, tin opener, rolling pin, pie dishes blah, blah jne... to replace our kitchen supplies, I'm guessing would cost > €2k. We have perhaps €1k in Arabia stuff alone.

If he's sending a car over anyway he won't pay anything extra for transporting stuff which he packs into the car.

The question is how will Tulli treat it? My answer is they won't tax it, can you contribute anything?

[Hank W.]

Obviously, you Hank know far better. Perhaps easier to focus on what the guy was asking *import tax issue* than start bimbling on about 110/220/240 V.

Yeah, so you have the "Finnish Answer" syndrome then, eh?

Friday at a Nowheremäki train station.

- Does the train to Helsinki go from this station.
- Yes.
- Can I have one ticket, please?
- Yes.
...
- Excuse me, you said the train to Helsinki rund from this station and you sold me a ticket, I have waited for 4 hours and my nads just dropped off, so is there a train to Helsinki?
- Yes, Monday at 8.

As you have gone down that line (again) generally I agree, microwave, electric mixer, kettle, toaster... probably not worth bringing. To replace the kitchen appliances perhaps €200-300.

However, kitchen supplies also includes pots, pans, plates, glassware, pyrex ware, cutlery, tin opener, rolling pin, pie dishes blah, blah jne... to replace our kitchen supplies, I'm guessing would cost > €2k. We have perhaps €1k in Arabia stuff alone.

If he's sending a car over anyway he won't pay anything extra for transporting stuff which he packs into the car.

Well its still not worth hauling over the unnecessary crap, you know the size of flats here... a walk-in closet in the US is the size of my flat.

The question is how will Tulli treat it? My answer is they won't tax it, can you contribute anything?

The information is right there at http://www.tulli.fi to anyone who has the wit to read it. I just do not want anyone to haul their 110v stuff over and start whining about transformers or anything else foir that matter. Also the car needs to be "up to specs". One would think the US cars are, but lo and behold, as there was a bloke who not only bought all his 110v equipment but also shipped over a car that had to have airbags and whatnot installed so the bloke payed something like 5K for absolutely nothing...

[Hank W.]

Obviously, you Hank know far better.

For I have seen in the crystal orb the topics of next month:

- Why does blue smoke come out of my toaster?
- Where can I find a toaster repair shop?
- Problem with Finnish Prices?
- Where can I find a transformer?
- What is the number for Fire Brigade?
- How can I sue Home Insurance company?



It is not that I would regard Americans as extra idiotic than any other peoples with 110v systems, its just that some things people take for granted will cause far more headache than it is worth - as in being able to fit a king size bed, finding linens for such, or then someone expecting to find UK adapter plugs... there is no such thing as "for granted" when moving abroad. I have had such headache getting headlights for my car - a simple thing like that even pisses me off beyond human belief, so imagine someone with those American beds trying to fit them to a Finnish bedroom and not getting the closet doors open...

It is important the questions one asks - and that one asks the questions-, but we never know - if the person does not tell - if they are aware of the consequences of the questions they do not ask. So maybe the question they didn't ask was the first one they should have asked so then all the rest of the questions would have been unnecessary.

Like for that student that was asking for help finding a flat all the answers were useless and a waste of time as the student had not realised they needed to apply for a residence permit.

And nobody with any common sense would move to Finland in the first place, would they now...

[sinikala]

Well its still not worth hauling over the unnecessary crap, you know the size of flats here... a walk-in closet in the US is the size of my flat.

Um, I keep my unnecessary crap in the kitchen cupboard in my closet sized Finnish apartment.

I already own a lot of stuff, and would probably want to take it with me if I moved abroad for any length of time. I would prefer not to be taxed on it, I brought a carfull with me when I came. If I were coming from outdide the EU I would probably want to know if I would be hit for any taxes.

]The question is how will Tulli treat it? My answer is they won't tax it, can you contribute anything?

The information is right there at http://www.tulli.fi to anyone who has the wit to read it.

Which is why I posted a link to it.

For I have seen in the crystal orb the topics of next month:

- Why does blue smoke come out of my toaster?
- Where can I find a toaster repair shop?
- Problem with Finnish Prices?
- Where can I find a transformer?
- What is the number for Fire Brigade?
- How can I sue Home Insurance company?

Very public spirited of you. You might add a chapter about the dangers of leaving the pan on the cooker then passing out after coming back from the pub. Just incase any Americans might screw up and make such a mistake. Easily done I understand... this whole pan / cooker / heating food thing can be really tricky you know.

[raamv]

I brought lots of stuff from the US and some of them I use,. some I dont..
I do however have a xformer...
Since I had everything paid for including transportation using a container, I really did not care if it was US or not.
Hank is right though!!! If i had know before that some things were expensive, I would have ordered 2 containers instead of one and put things in storage.
But Hank is right in one thing about dealing with 110v. Cos xformers act like heaters in a house and your electric bill will increase with constant use.
So I advise that you dont bring electrical kitchen items like blenders etc as they consume lotsa power.
and If you can afford to bring in an LCD that will work here, do so as prices are double that you pay there but then be wise to choose a TV that takes in universal voltage, freq and PAL/NTSC :yes they do have them there in the US too).
The max of a bed that will fit apartments here will be a queen size bed.
King size will need a house with a LARGE bedroom that are hard to find here. but the problem will be the sheets and box frames if they break/tear, then replacement will have to be from the US.
Another thing : Try to load up on things from Sam's club if you can and if transportation is free.
I ve done some posts on what to being from the US if goin on a vacation there.so do a search.
As for Customs, As long as you declare that the items are used household items, then you could be scott free.
But then try to make a deal with the shipping company that they ship a container, clear everything and pay for items etc..and that you pay a flat fee for the container ( At least I did..and asked my co to pay for it ).