Be prepared next time you plan to shop on your trip
Most of what we shop within the EU, we’re allowed to bring back to Sweden without paying duty and tax. It’s mainly when you shop outside the EU that you need to know how much you can bring into Sweden. Many people know that you cannot bring large quantities of alcohol and tobacco duty-free into the EU. But did you know that you’re also not allowed to bring jewelery and designer clothes if the value is higher than SEK 4,700? It’s important to be prepared for your next trip abroad. Make sure to keep track of what you can bring into Sweden without declaring.
In order to bring goods into Sweden, you have to be the one transporting the goods. This is for goods such as jewellery, branded clothing, technical gadgets and the like. If you also want to bring in alcohol, tobacco and nicotine, there are other rules you have to follow.
This is how much you can take with you to Sweden
If you come back from another EU country where you have been shopping, you won’t have to pay duty or tax on your goods. If, on the other hand, you’re coming back from a country outside the EU and are traveling by plane or ferry, you can only bring goods with a total value of SEK 4,700 without paying duty and tax. If you travel by other means of transport, you can only take goods with you to a total value of SEK 3,300 without paying duty and tax. If you buy snus on your trip abroad, it will also be included with the goods you have bought. Note that snus is not grouped together with other tobacco and nicotine products in customs.
If you have bought goods from a country outside the EU for a value higher than what you’re allowed to bring with you, you have to report it to the Customs when you return. This can be done by going to the customs counter at the sign that says “Goods to declare”. This will allow you to pay duty, VAT and possibly other taxes on the goods you have bought. How much you have to pay depends on the goods you bring. You can easily check different fees on the Swedish Customs Administration’s website.
Do you want to bring food home to Sweden on your next trip abroad?
Be on the safe side before bringing in food to Sweden
There’s a lot of food many of us wish existed in Sweden. Whether it’s food from your former home country or something you discovered on a particularly good trip abroad, it can be tempting to bring food back to Sweden. If you have seen the popular program Border Security, you have probably seen a lot of food being seized by customs. At the same time, there are some foods that you actually are allowed to bring into the country. But it’s important to keep track of when you get to and what you’re actually allowed to take in.
As far as countries within the EU are concerned, you’re allowed to bring any type of food with you, as long as you don’t intend to resell it. So you can bring food with you as long as it’s for your or your family’s own use. In addition to that, you don’t have to pay duty and tax on the food. Exceptions apply to the Canary Islands. Although the Canary Islands are members of the EU, they’re regarded as an area outside the EU due to plant protection rules. Therefore, the rules for bringing in food from there are the same as for countries outside the EU.
When countries follow the EU’s guidelines
If you have traveled to a country outside the EU, the rules look different depending on the country. For the most part, the rules are very strict. This is to prevent the spreading of diseases and other things that can harm Swedish wildlife and nature. However, if you have been to a country that follows EU rules, such as Northern Ireland, Switzerland and Liechtenstein, the conditions are the same as if the countries had been EU members.
You’re also allowed to bring in food of animal origin from countries such as San Marino, Andorra, Iceland and Norway, even though they’re not EU members. If you shop from the Faroe Islands and Greenland, you’re allowed to bring in the food as long as you only bring in a total amount of maximum of 10 kg.
You may have to pay duty and tax on the food you have bought and so you have to present it at customs when you return to Sweden. Then the same rules apply as when you buy other goods, for example jewellery, technical gadgets, clothes etc.
Food from countries outside the EU
You aren’t allowed to bring in food of animal origin from countries outside the EU, except in the case of honey, live oysters, frog legs and snails. Then you’re allowed to bring in a maximum of 2 kg. You can also bring in infant formula, baby food and other special food that you may need for medical reasons. In that case, however, the food has to be refrigerated goods and it must be a packaged and unbroken product that is sold with a brand name. You’re only allowed to bring in food for your or your family’s own use.
Some foods are completely prohibited from being brought into Sweden. It can be anything from fruits and vegetables to potatoes. However, you can bring in fresh vegetables, fruits, herbs and plants as long as you have a health certificate. You can get the certificate from the plant protection authority in the country you bought the food in. The certificate ensures that the food you’ve bought complies with EU guidelines.
The difference between residence permit and right of residence
Have you wondered what the difference between residence permit and right of residence is?
Keeping track of the various concepts that have to do with migration is not easy. Some concepts are very similar and only differ in certain aspects, while other concepts deal with completely different things. Especially when it comes to residence permits and right of residence, many people wonder what the difference between them is. And what the benefits and obligations of each concept are.
Residence permit is a legal status non-citizens receive. When you get a residence permit in Sweden, you get the right to live and reside here. Your residence permit can be permanent or time-limited and only valid for a certain period of time. As long as you continue to live and meet the requirements for living in Sweden, your temporary residence permit can often be extended. The same applies if you have a permanent residence permit. However, if you move to another country or commit a serious crime, your residence permit can be revoked.
A permanent residence permit is in many ways very similar to having Swedish citizenship. In both cases, you can stay and work in Sweden for as long as you want and also vote in municipal and county council elections. However, you cannot vote in the parliamentary elections if you only have a residence permit in Sweden. You’re also not allowed to work as, for example, a police officer without Swedish citizenship.
So what is right of residence?
While a residence permit is something that non-citizens get to stay in the country, right of residence is something that citizens of the EU, EEA and Switzerland get. Thanks to the right of residence, anyone who is a citizen of the EU, EEA and Switzerland can move freely and work in other member states. Those who only have a residence permit do not have the same right to move freely to other Member States.
It’s important to remember that although the right of residence gives EU, EEA and Swiss citizens certain rights in other Member States, there can also be restrictions and conditions within those Member States. Make sure to check with the country’s embassy before you decide to travel or look for a job in another Member State.
Many dream of reuniting with family members in Sweden after receiving a residence permit. It’s the start of a new life in the new homeland. This dream is not impossible, but it’s a process and often a lengthy one. Above all, it’s important that you meet the requirements for residence permits based family ties.
When you apply for a residence permit based on family ties, you have to:
be married.
or have been living together as common-law partners.
or have entered into a partnership with each other.
or plan to marry or become common-law partners in Sweden.
You also need to prove your relationship. This can be done by presenting a marriage certificate, certificate of partnership or other documents that show what kind of relationship you’ve had and how you intend to continue that relationship in Sweden.
You can also apply for residence permit based on family ties if you have children under the age of 18. If your child lives outside the EU, you as the parent has to apply for your childs residence permit. In some cases, other close family members can also apply for residence permit in Sweden based on family ties. This is possible if, for example, it’s a close family member with whom you’ve lived with in your home country.
Fulfilling the maintenance requirement is a must
The one of you with a residence permit in Sweden must live in a home large enough for, and be able to support, the both of you. And in some cases, even the person who wants to move to Sweden will have to show that they can support themselves.
It’s also important that your home is of sufficiently good standard. How large the home has to be and how large of an income you need to have depends on the amount of members in your family. If the one living in Sweden with a residence permit is a child under the age of 18, they don’t have to support the family member who wants to move here.
Another important requirement is that the person who wants to move to Sweden applies for and is granted visa or residence permit before coming here. You need to submit the application on time and with all necessary documents attached. You can easily make an application together with a lawyer to make sure you don’t miss anything important. Your application should be submitted to the Swedish embassy, a consulate or to the Swedish Migration Agency.
Anyone who wants to visit Sweden from a country outside the Schengen area may have to apply for and get approved Swedish visa before the trip. You need a visa if you want to stay for a period shorter than 90 days. For periods longer than 90 days you’ll need a residence permit. There are several different visas to apply for:
Visa to visit relatives or friends
Visa for business or conference visits
Tourist visa
Visa for medical treatment
Visa to visit Sweden for religious purposes
Visa for studies, research or to visit as an exchange doctoral student
Visa for volunteer work or internship
Which requirements do you need to fulfill to get a visa?
The requirements for Swedish visa can differ depending on your reason to visit Sweden, but for all visas you need to:
have a passport that is valid for at least three months after your visa expires. There also has to be at least two blank pages in the passport.
be able to describe why you want to visit Sweden.
make sure you have enough money both to be able to live in Sweden during the period you’re here and to travel back to your home country when the time comes. In Sweden, this means that the person visiting Sweden must have at least SEK 450/day that the person intends to spend in Sweden.
have travel insurance that covers individual medical care for at least 30,000 euros in case you need emergency medical attention, urgent hospital care or transport to your home country for medical reasons. The insurance must be valid in all Schengen countries.
show that you intend to leave before your Swedish visa expires. This can be proved by sending a copy of your return ticket back to your home country.
send a photograph in the same format as the one you took for your passport. The photo must be taken from the front and cannot be more than six months old.
in some cases the Swedish embassy will have more requirements that you need to fulfill to get an approved visa. So make sure to contact them before the trip to hear what applies in your case.
Special requirements in some cases
When you’re going to visit family and friends in Sweden
You don’t need to have enough money to be able to live in Sweden as long as the person who invites you can pay for all costs.
Visiting Sweden for work purposes
You have to be able to present an invitation from the company you intend to visit.
You don’t need to have enough money to be able to live in Sweden as long as the company that invites you can pay for all costs.
If you need medical care in Sweden
In your application for Swedish visa, when stating why you want to visit Sweden, you need to present a medical certificate from Sweden that states when you’ll receive your treatment and what it entails.
You also need a medical certificate from your home country stating that you can’t receive the treatment there.
You need proof that you have paid at least part of the sum for the planned care in Sweden.
The end of a relationship, common law partnership or marriage is never easy for anyone. It’s even more upsetting when there are children involved. On the other hand, it may be best for all parties to go their separate ways. This way, you get a chance to start fresh on your own. The circumstances are unique in each case, but legally one set of regulations applies to common law partners and another to married spouses.
When you and your partner are separating
It’s usually easier to separate when living as common law partners compared to being a married couple. A property division can be an option if one of you wants it to be. Then you’ll have to go through your joint assets, value your debts and divide everything between you. However, you don’t need to do this if there’s a cohabitation agreement signed by both of you, where it’s made clear what belongs to whom in case of a separation. If one of you owns a home since before you became common law partners, that person is entitled to keep the home. However, it’s important that the intention to the purchase of the home is made clear. If it was bought for both of you to live in, legally each of you own half of the home.
When your marriage ends
It’s a little trickier if you’re married and is thinking about separating. On the other hand, it can be done much more smoothly if you have a prenuptial agreement. You have to do a property division regardless, but what’s written in a prenuptial agreement, deed of gift or will won’t be included in the division. There’s also an opportunity here for you if you think you have more of a right to your home, to argue your case. If children are included in the picture, the home belongs to the parent who lives with the children. But it’s important to remember that if it’s a property or condominium, whoever leaves the home also receives a corresponding financial compensation for this.
Are you about to rent an apartment through a letting agent?
Do you know what your rights as a tenant are?
In many parts of the country, finding an apartment is a challenge, to say the least. Especially in larger cities and close to universities, many people find it difficult to rent an apartment. Many are therefore forced to sublet their home. As a second hand tenant, it can sometimes be difficult to know what rights you have.
Something that has become increasingly common in recent years is renting through letting agents. Then the property owner rents out the apartment to a letting agent, who then rents the apartment out to a tenant. In some cases, this can affect the tenant in the form of higher rents. It also sometimes leads to the tenant losing their protected tenancy. Protected tenancy means that you as a tenant have the right to an extension of your lease if the landlord terminates your agreement before the contract has expired.
In some cases, as a second hand tenant who rents your apartment through a letting agency, you may also be entitled to a first-hand contract, reimbursement of any excess rent you may have paid and fair rent in the future. To find out if you have the right to get a first-hand contract, get back rent you’ve paid or even have the right to have your rent adjusted, you need to review your lease with a lawyer.
How do you know you’re renting an apartment through a letting agency?
When letting agencies sublet apartments, it risks eroding the Swedish residential rental market. It becomes more difficult for people to find apartments with reasonable rent. At the same time, the letting agents can drive up rental prices when they own the rental contracts for several residential areas. By extension, it also results in fewer available rental apartments on the market.
You can easily find out if you’re subletting your apartment by looking at the name plate at the main door of the house where you live. The owner of the house must be named there. Compare the name with the name that appears on your lease. If there’s a different name on your lease than what’s on the nameplate, you’re most likely renting your apartment through a letting agent.
3 important laws that protect children with special needs
All children in Sweden has the right to have adjustments made in the classroom if they need it
Thanks to today’s digital society, there’s a lot of information and knowledge to take advantage of as a family with children who have special needs. It’s easier today to share knowledge and information and thereby normalize that all children do not look the same. And above all, that each child has different conditions. This way, we can ensure that our society adapts the environment in the right way to make sure that the children have a chance to live their best life.
In Sweden, children with special needs have the right to support and protection according to various laws and regulations. As a family with children who have special needs, it’s important to know of three Swedish laws, all of which exist to secure children’s conditions in our society.
1. The Swedish Act concerning Support and Service for Persons with Certain Functional Impairments
One of the most important laws protecting children with special needs is The Act concerning Support and Service for Persons with Certain Functional Impairments, also known as LSS. According to the LSS, children with special needs have the right to personal assistance, accommodation support and other measures needed to make sure they get the opportunity to live an independent life. LSS also means that children with special needs have the right to daily activities and leisure activities adapted to their individual needs.
To be able to get help according to LSS, you have to qualify according to one of below.
People with developmental disabilities, autism or autism-like conditions.
People with significant and permanent intellectual disability after brain damage in adulthood caused by external violence or physical illness.
People with other permanent physical or mental disabilities that are clearly not due to normal ageing. Or if they are large and cause significant difficulties in daily life and thus an extensive need for support or service.
Getting help according to LSS is not always easy. Sometimes you as a relative may need a lot of documentation before your child gets the help they need. A reason to this is beause affected families are expected to be able to navigate within the law without prior knowledge. Becuase of that, it can be good to try and get help when you apply for support according to the LSS.
2. The School Act
Another important law that protects all children and especially those with special needs is the School Act. According to the School Act, all children have the right to equal education. The schools are obliged to adapt teaching and the environment to the children’s needs to ensure that they receive an inclusive education.
If your child needs smaller adjustments in school then you don’t need to validate in any way that your child has special needs. It’s enough that your child expresses difficulty in keeping up with school. This applies if, for example, your child is disturbed by noise and needs ear muffs. Or if they’re easily overstimulated and needs to take breaks during lessons. If, however, your child needs special educational support, it’s important that the right people are involved in creating an environment best suited for your child.
3. Health care for children with special needs
All children have the right to health and medical care according to the Health and Medical Services Act. But unfortunately, some children are in more need of healthcare than others. Therefore, it’s also important that you as a parent know what to do if your child isn’t receiving the right care.
The Health and Medical Services Act means that children have the right to care and treatment adjusted to their individual needs. It may include habilitation, rehabilitation, medical treatment and other necessary care. What many families of children with special needs find difficult is usually not the right to care, but rather how to get the right healthcare. As a parent of a child with special needs, you need to know where to turn to in order to get the right help. And for obvious reasons, this isn’t easy for a person who doesn’t work in healthcare.
If you find yourself in a situation where you feel that your child isn’t receiving the right care despite contacting the right authorities, it’s important that you seek the help of a lawyer who can prosecute your case. Sometimes it helps to have someone on your side with a different perspective on the situation. Someone who knows which strings to pull so that your child gets help as quickly as possible.
For the vast majority of us, to write a will is something we associate with old age, illness or death. In the middle of life, you may feel that it’s far-fetched to even consider the idea of writing a will. But we recommend at least having a basic plan in case something unexpected happens. Here are three important reasons why.
1. You get to decide for yourself
If you don’t write a will, the Inheritance Code comes into force. When you draw up a will, you, as the testator, put all or parts of the Inheritance Code out of play. This way, you decide for yourself, for example, which family member, relative, organization or association receives all or part of your fortune. You can also state conditions in the will if you wish. You do this when, for example, you want something someone inherits to be individual property, for example a large sum of money or a property. Then you ensure that the property is not part of a property division, if the person who inherits divorces in the future.
2. You can make changes whenever you want
A common misunderstanding is that you only write a will once in your life. That you cannot change the content. This is not the case – we often change during life, family relationships change and things happen that affect the original idea of the content of the will. The most important thing is that you destroy the original and enter a wording in the new will that the first will is invalidated.
3. When you write a will, your common-law partner can inherit
Many people believe that common-law partners automatically inherit each other if one of them passes away. But that’s not true because The Cohabitees Act is the basis for common-law partners, while the Marriage Code governs how spouses inherit. The Cohabitees Act doesn’t contain any rules regarding inheritance. That’s why, you and your partner can only inherit from each other through a will.
Let a lawyer help you
A will is easy to write on your own. But if you want help you can let a lawyer draft one for you as well. Our lawyers at Kliently can help you no matter which of these you choose.
A divorce often takes a toll, so make sure you have someone you can trust to help you
Divorcing is always emotional and many only associate it with problems. However, there are simple and clear ways that can make the process of divorcing in Sweden easier. In addition to hiring a good lawyer to guide you through the entire process, the information below will help you keep track of what happens in the process.
When the separation is a fact
Have you and your partner decided to divorce? Or have you reached the end of the road in your marriage? Regardless of who applies for divorce, it has to be done at the district court where you’re registered. Sometimes, when divorcing in Sweden, you’ll have to go through a reflection period. This is a period of time that needs to pass before you can complete your divorce. The reflection period exists to avoid couples divorcing in Sweden hastily. However, there are some differences in if and how long the reflection period is.
Most often, the reflection period is for six months, but can in some cases be up to a year. If you’re both in agreement and don’t have children under the age of 16, you won’t need a reflection period. In this case, divorcing in Sweden takes effect immediately. If the divorce was filed by one party’s initiative, or if you have children under the age of 16, a reflection period of at least six months applies.
Divorcing in Sweden involves a division of property
After the divorce process itself is completed, you usually have to go through a division of property. This is the process where you divide what is known as matrimonial property. That is what you as spouses have owned together during your marriage. Everything that isn’t legally individual property. Aside from each spouse’s debts, everything will be written down and summarized in a property division agreement that you both have to sign.
When divorcing in Sweden, if you aren’t in agreement, or have different views on how your property should be divided, the district court will appoint a property division administrator who’ll help you. And if there are big differences between your view points, the property division executor will be the one to decide who gets what.
