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Declaring removal goods to customs

Service Description

If you are moving from a country outside the European Union (third country) to a European member state, you can import goods belonging to your household duty-free under certain conditions. Such household effects are also referred to as household effects.

The following are considered household effects

  • Household effects, i.e.
    • all personal belongings,
    • household, bed and table linen,
    • furniture,
    • appliances intended for your personal use or in your household;
  • private vehicles of all kinds, such as
    • bicycles,
    • motorcycles,
    • cars,
    • trailers and camping trailers,
    • water sports vehicles,
    • sports airplanes;
  • household supplies,
    • provided they do not exceed the quantity normally held in stock by a family at the old place of residence,
  • pets and mounts;
  • portable instruments;
  • equipment for manual or freelance work, provided you need it to carry out your profession.

The following are not considered household effects

  • alcoholic products,
  • tobacco and tobacco products,
  • commercial vehicles,
  • items used for commercial purposes.

When importing, you must also note whether there are any licensing requirements or bans in Germany, for example for weapons and ammunition or protected animals.

Process flow

You must submit the customs declaration in writing:

  • Download the form for "Customs declaration for household effects" (form 0350) from the website of the Federal Finance Administration.
  • Complete the form in full and sign it.
    • when entering the country with household effects: hand in your customs declaration at the customs office.
    • in postal traffic: Enclose your customs declaration in a mailing bag on the parcel and mark it "Removal goods".
  • The customs officials will check your declaration.
  • If necessary, further checks will follow, for example an inspection of the goods.
  • You will receive a copy of the customs declaration.

Requirements

  • As a natural person, you are moving your normal place of residence to the customs territory of the European Union.
  • These are personal effects within the meaning of customs law. This means, among other things:
    • Your habitual residence has existed outside the customs territory of the European Union for at least 12 months prior to the move;
    • Exceptions are possible if you can prove that you at least intended to live outside the European Union for 12 months or more, for example by means of an employment contract.
    • The goods belong to you or your family;
    • You or your family have used non-consumable goods for at least 6 months in your third country of origin;
    • The goods are to continue to be used by you or your family for the same purpose.
  • A German customs office can clear the goods as household effects if you take up your new place of residence - temporarily if necessary - in Germany.

Which documents are required?


Proof is required that you have relocated your habitual residence to the European Union. Proof can be provided, for example, by

  • Certificate of deregistration from the foreign authority stating how long you have lived outside the European Union
  • a certificate from the German registration authority or
  • rental agreement or
  • identity papers or

If applicable, further documents such as

  • Invoices, proof of purchase or other proof that you own goods or
  • employment contract

for vehicles and airplanes:

  • Proof of registration for traffic in the country concerned

for weapons:

  • Weapons ownership card

What are the fees?

You can make the customs declaration free of charge.

If you import household effects before your move, you must provide a security.

What deadlines do I have to pay attention to?

  • You must register the household effects within 12 months of the move.
  • You can also import the household effects before your move. As part of the customs declaration, you must then undertake, among other things, to establish your residence in the customs territory of the European Union within 6 months.
  • You may not leave the household effects to anyone for 12 months from the date of acceptance of your declaration. For example, you may not give it away, sell it or lend it out.

Processing duration

  • usually up to approx. 1 hour

Legal basis

Service regulations for relocation property of the Federal Ministry of Finance (Z 0803), paragraph 1

Applications / forms

  • Objection

Appeal

Forms: yes

Online procedure possible: no

Written form required: yes

Personal appearance required: no

Further Information

Author

Forwarding service: Deep link to the original portal

The text was automatically translated based on the German content.

Technically approved by

Federal Ministry of Finance

Professionally released on

07.05.2021

Source: Zuständigkeitsfinder Thüringen (Linie6PLus)

Competent Authority

Die Zollstelle, bei der das Umzugsgut zur Abfertigung angemeldet wird

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