How customs clearance works
Why do goods need customs clearance?
Åland is one of the areas outside the EU VAT and excise area and is separated from the rest of the EU by what is known as the tax border. This means that all goods sent between Åland and mainland Finland or between Åland and other EU countries must go through customs clearance. The goods must be cleared through customs, and taxes (VAT and excise duty) must be paid on them.
Handle your customs matters in the Finnish Customs e-services
When you receive an item that needs customs clearance, you can do it yourself free of charge in the Finnish Customs e-service for import customs clearance. Please note that domestic items from online stores that have a tax border number do not need customs clearance.
The different roles of Åland Post and Finnish Customs
Åland Post and Finnish Customs have different roles when it comes to delivery and customs clearance of items. Åland Post is responsible for delivering your item and sending you notifications according to the guidelines of Finnish Customs. Finnish Customs handles questions about customs clearance, online shopping from abroad and customs clearance rules.
What Åland Post does
- Helps you track your item.
- Sends arrival notifications and reminders.
- Transports and stores items awaiting customs clearance in our temporary storage.
- Can answer questions about the contents of your item and, with your power of attorney, open the item.
- Delivers your item after it has been cleared through customs or when Finnish Customs has notified us that it has been released.
- Offers customs clearance services.
- Returns parcels when the storage time has expired.
What Finnish Customs does
- Monitors, inspects and can stop parcels arriving in Finland or being transported through Finland.
- Gives advice on how to clear your item through customs.
- Helps you with questions about online shopping from abroad.
- Sells certain customs clearance services.
- Releases items according to its established guidelines.
- Notifies Åland Post when customs clearance is complete.
- Refunds VAT when goods are returned.
