Travelling to Sweden

You must be at least 20 years of age to bring alcohol into Sweden.

Alcohol from another EU country 

Alcohol from a country outside the EU

There are different regulations in effect concerning how much tobacco you may carry with you depending on whether you are entering Sweden from another EU country or entering from a country outside the EU.

You must be at least 18 years of age to be bring tobacco into Sweden.

Tobacco from another EU country

Tobacco from a country outside the EU

The Swedish Board of Agriculture is the public authority responsible for regulations on importing animals into Sweden. Please contact them for further information.

Read more about the rules to import animals to Sweden, and about animal welfare rules at Swedish Board of Agriculture's website 

Report your pet to Swedish Customs

Report online – choose the green channel or lane

If you live in an EU country, you can report your dog or cat to Swedish Customs here on our website. When you arrive in Sweden you can then use the green channel or lane when going through Customs. If a customs official carries out a check, you must be able to produce the registration number you received when you reported your pet.

Report your pet online

Report at the border – choose the red channel or lane

When you arrive in Sweden, you should contact a customs officer by going to a so-called "red point". You find the red point in the red channel or lane in the passenger surveillance area.

If there is no customs officer there, contact Customs in one of the following ways:

1. Use the phone in the red channel or lane in the passenger surveillance area.
2. Call the phone number specified on the poster in the red channel or lane in the passenger surveillance area.
3. Go to the nearest customs clearance office.
4. If you cannot take the red channel or lane, such as when you are travelling on a direct train between Denmark and Sweden, contact a uniformed customs officer on the train. If you do not see a uniformed customs officer on the train, you must call the customs officer on duty on +46 40 661 32 25.

The word firearm means weapons with which bullets, buckshot, harpoons or other projectiles can be fired with the aid of gunpowder charges, CO2 charges, compressed air or similar firing agents.

Tear gas, pepper spray devices and crossbows are also counted as firearms, as are starting and signalling weapons that are loaded with cartridges. Ammunition means items such as cartridges, projectiles, and blasting caps.

Hunting and shooting competitions – temporary import of weapons to Sweden

If you plan to bring your weapon into Sweden temporarily, or are travelling through, certain rules apply. Keep in mind that the weapon you plan to bring into Sweden must be approved for hunting or shooting competitions in Sweden.

Read more about temporary import of weapons to Sweden at Swedish Police

When temporary importing weapons to Sweden, remember to declare your firearm and ammunition to Swedish Customs

Once you have received your import permit, all that remains is that you submit a declaration for the firearm and ammunition to Swedish Customs.

Firearms Declaration to Swedish Customs via the internet

If weapons declaration is made via the internet (only for citizen of an EU country or Norway) you do not need to notify customs in person upon arrival in Sweden.

A citizen of an EU country or Norway who has a valid firearms license (European or Norweigan Firearms Pass), a permanent possession permit and permission from the Swedish Police can register weapons and ammunition online.

You can register weapons and ammunition online when you intend:

• to hunt or compete in Sweden for a duration of less than three months
• to travel through Sweden in order to hunt or compete in Denmark, Norway or Finland
• to hunt or compete in other countries (applies to those who have a Swedish firearms license).
  

Weapons Declaration via internet

Silencers

Silencers is regulated in basically the same way as ammunition. Anyone who has the right to possess a certain weapon for shooting may possess silencers that fit the weapon.

This means that you do not need to apply for a temporary import of a silencer in Sweden if you in your home country hold a permit / license for a weapon that the silencer is suitable for. However, you can not apply for temporary import into Sweden for a silencer only, the accompanying weapon is required.

Declaration at the border crossing

Upon arrival in Sweden, a declaration must be made at the port of entry as well as a completion of the Customs form Declaration for Firearms and Ammunition. Persons declaring weapons must also show the weapon, the weapons passport and the import permit that has been issued by the Swedish police authority to customs officials.

Customs form Declaration for Firearms and Ammunition Pdf, 180.8 kB. 

If no customs official is available at the border crossing, declaration must take place in one of the following ways:

• Via the telephone at the border crossing which is provided for such purposes
• By calling the telephone number that is provided at the border crossing
• At the closest Customs clearance office

Air weapons, paintball guns, airsoft guns and other weapons

A permit is required for air weapons, airsoft guns and paintball guns (as a general rule, with some exceptions).
These types of weapons, which are typically powered by carbonic acid, air or springs and shoot off bullets, arrows or paint ampoules, can in some cases be regarded as being limited-power under the Swedish Weapons Act.

Read more about air weapons, paintball guns, airsoft guns and other weapons at Swedish Police website

Knives and other dangerous objects

The legislation in this area deals with knives, stabbing weapons, cutting weapons and other dangerous objects intended to be used as a weapon for a criminal threat against someone’s life or health.
It is prohibited for anyone to have a knife, stabbing weapon, cutting weapon or other dangerous object with them in a public place, in areas around schools, or in vehicles in a public place, unless having such a weapon may be considered justified or appropriate under the circumstances. The prohibition applies to items intended to be used as a weapon for a criminal threat against someone’s life or health.

Read more about knives and other dangerous objects at Swedish Police website

CITES import and export at Swedish Board of Agriculture's website

There is extensive illegal trade in endangered animals and plants, both living and dead. Tourists or consumers need to be vigilant to avoid contributing to this illegal activity both in Sweden and in other countries.

Trade in endangered species at Swedish Enviromental Protection Agency

Travelling to Sweden from another EU country

In principle, travellers may bring food and plants into Sweden from other EU countries without restriction.

Travelling to Sweden from countries outside the EU

Different rules apply for food and plants entering Sweden from countries outside the EU. A health certificate is generally required for meat, milk, and similar products. The food must also undergo a veterinary inspection at the border. Please note that you are not allowed to bring plants, fruits, vegetables, flowers or seeds into the European Union without a phytosanitary certificate.

Certain exceptions apply for powdered infant formula, baby food and special foods required for medical reasons. There are also some exceptions for food from Faeroe Islands, Greenland and Iceland.

Importation from Norway, Andorra, Liechtenstein, San Marino and Switzerland is subject to the same regulations as other EU countries, including the 4 700 SEK or 3 300 SEK value limit.

Read more about the rules if you bring or send plants and plant products across the Swedish border at Swedish Board of Agriculture's website

When traveling to Sweden, you need to be careful to not spread invasive alien species. Here you find information and tips on how to reduce the spread and how to report the presence of alien species in Sweden.

Avoid spreading invasive alien species

Generally, when bringing medicines into a country, you need to be able to show that the medicines you are carrying are for your personal use. This can be done for example by leaving the pharmacy sticker with your name on the medicine, by bringing a copy of your prescription or a certificate from your doctor.

In the same way you need to be able to show that medicines for your accompanying pet have been prescribed to your pet by a veterinary surgeon.

Read more about the rules travelling with medicines at Swedish Medical Products Agency

You have to give notification to Swedish Customs if you are carrying the equivalent of EUR 10,000 or more in cash or equivalent assets when travelling across an EU border.

The notification duty is one element in Sweden’s initiatives not only to prevent money laundering and organised crime, but also to combat terrorism.

Besides notes and coins, “cash and equivalent assets” here also means, for example, traveller’s cheques, cheques, promissory notes, debt instruments, debentures, shares, money orders and securities.

Declare cash online

The Right of Public Access is a unique right to roam freely in the countryside. But with this right come responsibilities – to take care of nature and wildlife and to show consideration for landowners and for other people enjoying the countryside.

The Right of Public Access at Swedish enviromental protection agency's website

Goods that you are using during your trip like clothes, cameras can be brought into Sweden duty-free. If you are arriving to Sweden from a non EU-country you can only bring goods with you (not alcohol or tobacco) for a maximum of 5 000 SEK if you travel with a commercial airline or ferryline or 3 500 SEK if you travel in any other way without paying any duty or tax.

This amount includes snuff and travel items purchased during the trip. It is not possible to split up the value of separate purchases.

Goods that travellers brings into Sweden for personal use during the trip and will be brought back abroad with the traveller are not included in the above mentioned value.