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Civil Registration

Civil Registration

Digital and Population Data Services Agency maintain the Population Information System, by keeping record of the Finnish population data. Data on people living in Finland is registered into the Finnish Population Information System for purposes such as the organisation of elections, taxation, healthcare, judicial administration and for statistical purposes.

As soon as you have an address in Finland, please visit the Digital and Population Data Services Agency to make a Notification of Move and apply for registration in the Population Information System:

Notification of move

According to Finnish legislation, you must always submit a notification of move/change of address, if you move to a new address for more than three months (to/within/from Finland). The notification should be made one week after moving to a new address.

Registration in the Population Information System (Civil Registration)

If you stay in Finland for one year or longer, it is mandatory to register in the Population Information System. If your stay is shorter, this registration is voluntary. It is however highly recommended, because you wil receive a Finnish Personal Identity Code.

Depending on the length of your stay in Finland, you will register either short-term residency (less than a year) or permanent residency (one year or more).

Please note that the EU registration needs to be done prior to the registration in the Population Information System.

The rules for Nordic citizens are slightly different: if a Nordic citizen moves to Finland for more than six months, he or she is required to notify the authorities about his or her migration within one week from the date of the move.

Personal Identity Code

In connection with the civil registration, you will be issued a Finnish Personal Identity Code. You need the Personal Identity Code for transactions with Finnish authorities and sometimes with private companies, and for instance for opening a bank account or taking out an insurance in Finland.

If you are employed in Finland, you can also file your request for a Personal Identity Code at a tax office, since you need this code for taxation purposes.

You can also ask for a Personal Identity Code when applying for a residence permit (for non-EU/EEA citizens) or when registering your right of residence as an EU citizen (EU registration). We recommend you to do so, to have it as soon as possible. Please note that even in these cases, if you intend to stay in Finland one year or more, you will still need to visit the Local Register Office to submit some additional information to the Population Information System for persons residing in Finland one year or more.

Municipality of Residence?

The Digital and Population Data Services Agency also decides whether a Finnish Municipality of Residence can be entered for you in the Population Information System. If you have a Municipality of Residence in Finland, in most cases you are entitled to use the services provided by the municipality. Municipalities offer their residents a range of services, for example health care and day care for children.

Which documents should I bring?

Please bring along the following documents when you visit the Digital and Population Data Services Agency:

  • Your passport or a valid photo ID;
  • Your employment contract / hosting agreement / certificate of enrolment (doctoral candidates);
  • Your residence permit / a certificate of EU registration.

If you have accompanying family members, please also bring:

  • A marriage certificate (if you are married);
  • Your childrens’ birth certificates (if you have children who are under 18).

If your family is registered, all family members must be present in person.

All official documents must be notarised originals or translations by authorised translators.

Updated 10.1.2020