Moving To Sweden

The largest Nordic and the third largest European Union country, Sweden is located in Northern Europe. It is known for its rich history, stunning natural landscapes, and high standard of living.

The country is famous for its Scandinavian design and innovative culture. Sweden is home to famous companies like IKEA, H&M, and Spotify. The Swedish welfare model and high level of social equality have made the country popular across the globe.

Sweden is also known for its commitment to sustainability and renewable energy sources. Overall, being a beautiful and progressive country that offers a high quality of life for its residents, Sweden is coveted home for many expats to move and settle down.

The International Sea & Air Shipping Advantages

When you are planning to make a move between two continents that is no longer a relocation that can be done with packing a few boxes and wheeling your car away! This time you need a good moving company to help you. An international relocation can be a huge challenge. The documents you need to obtain, the distance to cover for your household goods, the time and cost involved, choosing containers and freight – it’s a huge list and a lot to process. But when you are engaging us, an experienced international shipper at International Sea & Air Shipping, we guarantee a hassle-free international relocation to Sweden from the USA.

As an international mover we have been operating since quite a few years and offering end-to-end relocation solutions for our clients for their move in different countries. Our team of relocation experts will handle A to Z of the move, from the origin country to the destination when you move to Sweden from the USA. We provide a wide range of international relocation services including packing household goods, providing the right freight and container choices, and also offering guidance in other aspects of the move.

With us by your side, look forward to professional assistance when you are moving to Sweden from the USA. We, at International Sea & Air Shipping will handle all your relocation requirements while you can focus on the post-move settling down in Sweden.

About Sweden

While the Scandinavian country of Sweden is most noted for being inhabited by early Germanic tribes known as the Vikings, this Northern European country is also recognized for its awe-inspiring natural beauty with vivid pictorial views. Visitors and natives alike can view the outdoor splendor of places like the Swedish Lapland (home of the last European wilderness), the island of Gotland, the Stockholm Archipelago, or Abisko National Park (a prime location for viewing the northern lights). They can even explore the heavily forested country at their leisure thanks to the Right of Public Access (Allemansrätten).

A federal semi-presidential republic, the President is considered the head of the state and the Prime Minster the head of the government.

With almost 10 million people inhabiting the country, Sweden is home to varying ethnicities including Swedes, Sweden Finns, the indigenous Sami people (known for their reindeer husbandry), and newer immigrants from the Middle East, specifically from Iraq, Iran, Turkey, Lebanon and Syria.

Sweden lies north of the Arctic Circle, west of the Baltic Sea and borders Finland and Norway. It is also connected to Denmark via a bridge-tunnel across the Oresund. It boasts the highest rate of innovation, particularly in sustainable energy, and the fastest economic growth among all other countries in the European Union.

Sweden has a Nordic social welfare system that provides universal healthcare, and continually ranks high in national performance ratings including health, quality of life, equality and civil liberties, education and economic competitiveness. The country’s major trading partners include: Norway, Germany, Denmark, UK, Finland, US, France, Netherlands and China.

Customs Regulations for Sweden

Valid Passport
Detailed inventory (duplicate in English, French, German or Swedish – three copies detailing contents of each carton)
Swedish Customs Form (Foersaekran Foer Flyttsaksullfrihet) to be signed by the owner and witnessed in Sweden

CUSTOMS REGULATIONS
Upon moving to Sweden, the customer will be faced with various regulations to abide by to successfully clear Customs with a household goods shipment:

Customer must be present in Sweden at the time of shipment arrival for the shipment to clear Customs
“PBO” (packed by owner) or “miscellaneous” will not be accepted on inventory – the customer could be charged extra for a Customs officer having to examine the shipment
Household goods are duty free if the goods have been in the customer’s possession and used abroad for at least one year
If goods arrive in Sweden before the customer, the goods can be bonded at the Destination Agent’s warehouse or a Swedish Freeport, and the customer will be responsible for any additional costs

In Sweden, some articles may not be allowed for importation. These items include, but may not be limited to:

Narcotics and other drugs
Wireless telephones
Switchblades
Skins or ivory from animals on the Endangered Species List
Live plants

Some articles may have restricted quantities or require special authorization/ payments of duties and taxes to clear Swedish Customs.

These items include, but are not limited to:

Firearms, weapons, ammunition, fireworks and explosives (an Import License is required – issued by Swedish Police)
New items (less than one year old, duties apply)
Alcohol and tobacco products
- Shipment will be delayed if alcohol or tobacco is packed with household goods, and the customer will incur extra charges
- Taxes are applicable for alcohol and a separate inventory is required
- Customer must be 20 to import alcohol, and 18 to import tobacco
Wedding gifts
Inherited items

Customers moving to Sweden may import one vehicle (or motorcycle) per person. The vehicle may be admitted duty free into the country if:

Customer has owned the vehicle and used it abroad for more than a year, and does not sell the vehicle for at least one year after arriving in Sweden
The owner must be present at customs when the vehicle arrives
All vehicles (used or new) must be left hand drive
All vehicles (used or new) are subject to customs duty, VAT and Ad Valorem Tax

The customer will need the following documents:

Certificate of Registration
Purchase invoice (identifying price, date and place of purchase)
Customs form (separate from household goods)
Insurance documents (country of origin)
Interims insurance (issued by Swedish insurance company)

When importing a pet to Sweden, the requirements are as follows:

Permission from the Department of Agriculture
Health examination done by a licensed veterinarian
Import Permit (issued by the National Board of Agriculture)
Passport for dogs, cats and ferrets

Cats and dogs will require four months quarantine.

NOTE – Customs regulations are subject to change at any time. The proceeding information is a brief summary of customs regulations applicable to household goods shipments to this destination and is being provided for general guidance to assist our Agents and customers. Since such regulations are subject to change without notice, International Sea & Air Shipping cannot be held liable for any costs, damage, delays, or other detrimental events resulting from non-compliance. Always double check with your local embassy or consulate.

Call our International Moving Specialists @ 1 (866) 315-4170

Things you need to consider while moving to Sweden from the USA

When you have planned to move to Sweden from the USA you are jumping not only between continents but also culture, climate and lifestyle! Moving to Sweden from the USA is no doubt exciting, considering the huge popularity of Sweden for offering a high quality of life. However, it is also important to sit down and list out the necessary things that will assist in a hassle-free international relocation to this European country.

Start researching to understand the immigration procedures and requirements to ensure that you can look forward to a smooth transition. You can start by obtaining the necessary visa or residence permit for living and working in Sweden. Another major consideration should be learning the Swedish language to integrate better into the society and culture.

Next, do some research on the housing market and find suitable accommodation in your chosen city when you move to Sweden from the USA. Familiarize yourself with the healthcare system, education opportunities, and employment prospects. Lastly, don’t forget to inform relevant authorities, such as banks and tax agencies, about your move.

Understanding the steps to move to Sweden from the USA

Consider the fact that Sweden welcomes around 100,000 expats every year! This is not a small number. And it also shows that it is a doable process that you need to follow to move to Sweden from the USA.

Here are some important steps that you need to follow –

Secure employment and obtain work visa

Sweden has different visas – work visa, study visa, family visa etc. However, if you are going to work and stay in Sweden for a long term, then you need to first secure a job with a Swedish employer and apply for the work visa. Your Swedish employer will need to sponsor the work visa. Once you obtain the same you need to get ready for the second important step, which is discussed in the next paragraph.

Apply for the residence permit

Once you have obtained the work visa the immediate step is to apply for the residence permit. Sweden requires you to obtain a residence permit before entering the country. So, you can grasp the importance of this document. To obtain a residence permit you can apply on the Swedish Migration Agency website.

Please note, that a residence permit can be obtained for work, study or family reunion purposes. So, you need to ensure that you are qualifying for a work visa or study visa or a family visa to move to Sweden from the USA.

Secure a house in Sweden

Sweden welcomes a huge number of expats every year in the country and yet finding a proper housing still remains a challenge especially when you are moving to the capital Stockholm or other bigger cities like Malmo or Gothenburg! This is why even before you are relocating to Sweden from the USA, securing housing is a must. You can either search for proper apartments advertised on the real estate websites or engage the help of an agent to find you a proper accommodation in the city of your choice.

Once these three most important steps you have followed while moving to Sweden from the USA, you need to follow the next steps diligently to ensure you can have a smooth settle down process in the country post the big move.

Here is a checklist –

Apply and open a bank account
Register with a tax agency and pay taxes
Obtain a Swedish driving license
Learn the national language

Top 5 reasons to move to Sweden from the USA

Progressive work-life

Sweden has a stable economy and offers good employment opportunities across various sectors.

Good educational opportunity

Every child in Sweden needs to attend 9 years of schooling which is mandatory. Education is free and of the best quality. Even some universities offer free courses in Sweden.

Universal healthcare system

The mother and child-care facility in Sweden is the3 best with free services and additional benefits. Almost the entire healthcare system for Swedish residents is free of cost and of supreme quality.

Fast internet services

Sweden is among the 10 best countries to offer fast internet services and is affordable.

High quality of life

Sweden ranks 7th in the Human Development Index and that says a lot about the high quality of life this country offers despite having a high cost of living.

We truly recommend International Sea and Air Shipping

“We worked with Ms. Hillary Cammer on a complex move from Fjallbacka , Sweden to Bonita Springs, FL via Seattle since early 2014.
International Sea and Air Shipping provided superb service and had the expertise to guide us through the many steps involved in International shipping and Customs.

We changed the destination from Seattle, WA after the shipment left Gothenburg, Sweden. Ms. Cammer and her Staff were up to the task to arrange for transfers and get the shipment delivered to the Bonita Springs, FL destination. The West Coast labor issues added more complexity to these transfers. The dispatcher Avi proved skilled in solving many issues to get problems resolved.

We had no damaged items and the packing, loading of the 20 FT container was handled with expertise. The unpacking in Bonita Springs was also performed in an efficient fashion.

We truly recommend International Sea and Air Shipping of New York for international moves. “