In Finland, your personal data, information about your family relations as well as your address will be recorded in the Population Information System of Finland by the Digital and Population Data Services Agency. The agency will also grant you a personal identity code.

1. Personal identity code
   • A personal identity code is a means of identification used in Finland. Public authorities will often need to know your personal identity code when you contact them.
   • If you have proved your identity to a Finnish authority, your new personal identity code will automatically be printed on your residence permit card. If your card does not contain a personal identity code, you need to apply for the code at the Digital and Population Data Services Agency.
2. Permanent or temporary address in Finland and municipality of residence
   • The Digital and Population Data Services Agency will register either a permanent or a temporary address for you in Finland.
   • A temporary address means that you are registered as resident at your address for a certain period of time.
   • A permanent address means that you get a municipality of residence in Finland. Municipalities offer various services to their residents, including public healthcare and day care for children. If you have a municipality of residence, you usually have the right to use the services provided by this municipality.
   • In some cases, you may need a municipality of residence to be able to use the services provided by the state authorities. A municipality of residence is also needed for obtaining a Finnish identity card and a driving licence.
     • Read more about the municipality of residence (dvv.fi).
3. Information about your family relations
   • You need to show official certificates to have your marital status and family relations recorded. Without the certificates, information about your family members or marital status will not be recorded in the Population Information System. Before you apply for the registration, check if you need to have the documents concerning your family relations legalised and translated (dvv.fi).
4. Registering the personal details of a foreigner

A) You have a Finnish personal identity code, and you want a municipality of residence.

You can only have a permanent address and municipality of residence if you meet certain conditions.

Use the online form to apply for a municipality of residence. After submitting the form, you need to visit our service location in person. Read the detailed instructions from the confirmation email that you will receive after submitting the form.

See the detailed conditions for receiving a municipality of residence and apply for a municipality of residence:

• Citizen of a Nordic country
• Citizen of an EU country, Switzerland or Liechtenstein
• Citizen of another country

B) You have a Finnish personal identity code, and you want a temporary address.

• Notify your temporary address with a notification of change of address at a Posti service point. Remember to select “temporary move” as the type of move and set the end date

C) You do not have a Finnish personal identity code.

You must visit a service location of the Digital and Population Data Services Agency in person. You can book an appointment before you move to Finland.

• Book an appointment in the online appointment system of the Digital and Population Data Services Agency (dvv.fi) under ‘International registrations’
• Fill in the registration form for foreigners (pdf). Print out the form.
• In order to have your family relations registered, you must present the original copies of the documents concerning your family relations, such as marriage certificates or birth certificates
• Before you apply for the registration, check if you need to have the documents concerning your family relations legalised and translated. For more information, see the instructions on legalisation (dvv.fi).

Bring with you to the visit:

• your valid passport
• your residence permit card
• an employment contract or some other account on your future job in Finland
• if you choose to register information about your family relations, bring with you the original documents concerning your family relations. Have the documents legalised, if necessary. Bring also with you legalised translations of the documents, if necessary.

• When you apply for an extended permit (migri.fi), you may not need to visit a service point to prove your identity if you log in to Enter Finland using strong identification, such as Finnish online banking credentials.
  • Take strong identification in use in Enter Finland before you fill in the application for an extended permit. After you have sent your application, Enter Finland will tell you whether you need to visit a service point or not (migri.fi).