Travel Wisely

Travelers to or from the Faroe Islands must declare cash of EUR 10,000 or more to the customs authorities, according to § 29 sub-s 3 of the Faroese Customs Act. The purpose of the declaration is to prevent money laundering as a part of an EU-wide strategy, which also applies to the Faroe Islands.

EUR 10,000 is approximately DKK 75,000

See the current value of various currencies on a currency converter. For example at oanda.com.

How to declare cash

Declare cash by completing and submitting the “Cash Declaration Form”. Find it under Forms on this page. It is recommended to make the declaration in good time.

You can also declare cash when you arrive or depart the Faroes. In that case, get the form from TAKS Customs at Vágar airport or at the Tórshavn ferry terminal.

Bearer bonds must also be declared

Bearer bonds are, for example, securities and money orders. You must declare bearer bonds if the total value of the bonds is EUR 10,000 or more. In the same way as cash declarations, declare bearer bonds by completing and submitting the “Cash Declaration Form”.

Cash and bearer bonds are both available means of payment. Meaning that you can easily use it to buy goods and services or exchange it to cash. Available means of payments are also referred to as liquid funds.

If you don’t declare, you can be fined

The fine is 25% of the value exceeding EUR 10,000; however, no less than DKK 5,000.

Customs authorities can also retain all your cash. The customs authorities can retain all your cash if they think it may have links to a criminal activity, according to § 27 b of the Faroese Customs Act.

Travelers not residing in the Faroe Islands can buy goods in the Faroes tax-free. The purchase must be for at least DKK 300 from each shop on the same day. To get the tax refund, the tax-free form must be stamped by customs at the departure airport or ferry terminal before departing the Faroes.

If the tax-free form is Faroese, you can get the tax refund at the information desk at the airport or onboard the ferry M/S Norrøna.

Travelers not residing in the Faroe Islands are allowed to bring any medicine they need during their visit to the Faroe Islands. In case of doubt, you will be asked for a medical certificate.

Please note, that electronic cigarettes containing nicotine are classified as medicine and will be confiscated by customs, if found.

Visitors to the Faroe Islands may bring their car, caravan or leisure craft to the Faroes if they meet certain conditions.

Conditions

• The vehicle must be not used by permanent residents of the Faroe Islands.
• The vehicle may stay in the Faroe Islands for a maximum of 3 months in a 12-month period. However, TAKS may extend this period in agreement with Akstovan (Faroese Vehicle Registration).
• The vehicle may not be used for any commercial activity. The use of lorries or delivery vans is considered a commercial activity. However, the use of such vehicles imported by traders or inspectors for their own temporary usage is permitted.
• Vehicles registered with temporary license plates (border license plates) in the country where they are made, can also be exempt from duty.
• Busses arriving in the Faroes with visitors may also be exempt from duty if the bus only carries the passengers that came with the bus and if the bus departs the Faroes with the same passengers.

If the conditions are not met

Vehicles coming into the Faroes that are in breach of the conditions of their exemption, are immediately charged customs duty and other fees and may be required to leave the country. Furthermore, they may be taken into custody according to § 39 of the Tariff Act.

Travelers to the Faroes are permitted to bring the following for own consumption without paying tax and duty. The minimum age for bringing alcohol or tobacco is 18 years.

Alcohol

• 1 litre of spirits over 22% ABV (at most 60% ABV) + 1 litre of fortified wine et al. up to 22% ABV + 2 litres of
  • beer or
  • cider up to 5.8% ABV

• or 1 litre of spirits over 22% ABV (at most 60% ABV) + 2.25 litres of table wine + 2 litres of
  • beer or
  • cider up to 5.8% ABV

• or 2.25 litres of fortified wine et al. up to 22% ABV + 2 litres of
  • beer or
  • cider up to 5.8% ABV

• or 4.5 litres of table wine + 2 litres of
  • beer or
  • cider up to 5.8% ABV

• or 10 litres of
  
  • beer or
  • cider up to 5.8% ABV

Tobacco

• 200 cigarettes
• or 100 cigarillos
• or 50 cigars
• or 250 grams of tobacco

Perfume, aftershave, chocolates and soda

• Perfume, 50 grams maximum
• Aftershave, 25 centilitres maximum
• Chocolates, 3 kilograms maximum
• Soda, 10 litres maximum

Other goods

You may import other goods duty-free if the total value of these goods does not exceed DKK 2,500 excl. VAT. If the total value exceeds this amount, you must pay duty on the total value. Goods that consist of multiple parts, but belong together, cannot be imported in parts, over multiple trips or of multiple persons duty-free, despite the value of each part being less than DKK 2,500 excl. VAT.

Before any fishing gear is brought to the Faroe Islands it must be thoroughly cleaned and treated and free from any pathogens.

Anyone fishing in the Faroe Islands is responsible for making sure that they do not spread fish pathogens between fishing grounds. In order to guarantee this, anglers must make sure that their equipment is thoroughly cleaned and treated between each use, this includes rinsing off all saltwater. After rinsing it, the fishing gear must be dried thoroughly and placed on a warm radiator, this also applies to any fishing lines, reels, lures, hooks and containers.

Disinfection methods

The gear may be rinsed in clean tap water and dried at minimum 20°C for two days
or
the gear may be rinsed in clean tap water and dried at minimum 60°C for at least one hour
or
the gear may be immersed in a disinfecting solution for at least 10 minutes and then rinsed thoroughly with clean tap water.

The disinfection agents Virkon S or Chloramine T, which are both available at the pharmacy in the Faroe Islands, are well suited for disinfection.

Further information is available from the Faroese Food and Veterinary Agency (Heilsufrøðiliga Starvsstovan).

Cats and dogs may only be imported by permanent residents of the Faroe Islands or anyone moving to the Faroes. The importation of cats or dogs for periods of less than three months, including in transit to another country, is not permitted.

You may import smaller quantities of meat products for private consumption from the EU, Norway, Greenland, Lichtenstein and Switzerland. You may not import meat from other countries.

Meat products from the EU and Norway

The import of meat or meat products directly from EU countries or Norway does not require a veterinary certificate, provided that the shipment is accompanied by an invoice.

Meat products from Greenland, Lichtenstein and Switzerland

Meat products from Greenland, Lichtenstein and Switzerland must undergo a veterinary check at the Faroese Food and Veterinary Authority. Remember to notify the Food and Veterinary Authority ahead of arriving.

Feel free to call our customer service on tel. 35 26 00 Monday to Thursday from 10 am to 3 pm or e-mail to taks@taks.fo. We are happy to help.

Or ask customs upon arrival or departure

Find TAKS Customs at Vágar airport or at the Tórshavn ferry terminal.