Submitting an import declaration in advance

Goods cannot be released into free circulation before their arrival in Finland, as they must be available to Customs for control when they are presented.

If a security data declaration or a transit declaration has been submitted for the goods, it is possible to submit an import declaration in advance before the arrival and presentation of the goods. Customs can request documents relating to the customs declaration in advance, but will only release goods into free circulation once they have arrived in Finland and have been presented to Customs.

If you have the MRN of the previous document, you can submit an advance declaration concerning a freight consignment, (for example an AREX declaration or MRN of a transit declaration). You can submit the declaration, at the earliest, 30 days prior to the arrival of the goods and presentation to Customs. If you do not have the details of the previous document, you can ask them from the transport company that carries your goods. If the previous document has been presented to Customs, an advance declaration cannot be submitted.

You can submit an advance declaration on a postal consignment only if Posti has informed you in advance that it is possible.

Provide both items of information:

  • Additional declaration type ”D – Advance standard customs declaration”
  • If the previous document is an entry summary declaration, provide the code for the previous document and its reference MRN, as well as the consignment ID.
    For example: ”N355 – Entry summary declaration” and the reference MRN (for example 22FI000000000000I0) and the consignment number (for example 5). 

If you have entered ”D – Advance standard customs declaration” as the additional declaration type, and the previous document you declare has already been presented to Customs, you will receive a notification on rejection stating that the status of the previous document is incorrect.

  • Re-enter “A - Standard customs declaration” as the additional declaration type, and send a completely new declaration to Customs.

Note that if your declaration is amended, it is no longer possible to correct the additional declaration type once Customs has taken the declaration in for processing, and once it has been given an MRN.

Standard advance import declaration

  • In the service Import declarations for businesses – special procedures, provide the following details:
    • Tick the box “Advance import declaration” in the details of the consignment that is to undergo customs clearance.
    • Enter the information on the previous document separately for each consignment. For example, you can enter the transit declaration MRN or the AREX declaration MRN along with the consignment number.
  • In the service Import declarations for businesses – special procedures, provide the following details:
    • Declaration code “D – Complete declaration (referred to in code A) before the goods holder (declarant) can present the goods”
    • The code and number for the previous document in the details of the consignment to be declared, for example the MRN
    • Information on the previous document separately for each consignment, for example the transit declaration MRN or the AREX declaration MRN and consignment number.

Advance simplified import declaration.

Note that you will need authorisation for using a simplified declaration.

  • Provide the following details in the message:
    • Declaration code ”E – Incomplete declaration (referred to in code B) before the goods holder (declarant) can present the goods”
    • The code and number for the previous document in the details of the consignment to be declared, for example the MRN
    • Information on the previous document separately for each consignment, for example the transit declaration MRN or the AREX declaration MRN and consignment number.

If you have given ”D – Complete declaration (referred to in code A) before the goods holder (declarant) can present the goods” and the previous document you have declared has already been presented to Customs, you will receive a rejection notification indicating that the status of the previous document is flawed.

  • In this case, you should change the declaration type to ”A - Complete declaration”, and send the declaration to Customs as new.

Please note that if you correct any information in an advance declaration after Customs has received taken it in for processing, and the declaration has been given a customs clearance number, you must change the declaration type in your message to “A - Complete declaration”.