Quick Guide for Immigrants to Finland

You do not require a residence permit for Finland. You have a right to work, start a business and study in Finland.

However, please remember to do the following:

1. Submit a notification of your change of address within a week of moving.
2. Visit your nearest Digital and Population Data Services Agency office to register.

You can submit your notification of a changed address online, at a post office or with a form that you can pick up from a Digital and Population Data Services Agency office.

Please note that you must visit the Agency in person to register, so remember to book an appointment.

Digital and Population Data Services Agency

Contact details for the Kokkola office.

For further instructions, visit InfoFinland.

If you are a citizen of the EU, Liechtenstein or Switzerland, you do not require a residence permit for Finland.

If you stay in Finland for more than three months

• Apply for your EU citizen’s right of residence to be registered by the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri).

An EU citizen’s right of residence can be registered via the Enter Finland service or by using a paper form. See more detailed registration instructions on InfoFinland.

If you stay in Finland for more than a year

• Visit your nearest Digital and Population Data Services Agency office for registration as well. Remember to book an appointment.

Digital and Population Data Services Agency

Contact details for the Kokkola office.

For further instructions, visit InfoFinland

Moving to Finland – EU citizens

Registration of an EU citizen’s right of residence

If you want to work, run a business or study, you will need a residence permit.

The type of permit depends on the sector that you will be working in, among other factors.

When should I apply for a residence permit?

• You must apply for a residence permit before you arrive in Finland or if you require an extension.
• Submit your application well in advance (up to three (3) months before).

Where and how can I apply for a residence permit?

1. Submit your application online via the Enter Finland service.
2. Confirm your identity within three months at your nearest Finnish mission and present the original versions of the required attachment documents.

Or

1. Print out a paper form on the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) website and fill it in.
2. Bring the application form and the original attachment documents to your nearest Finnish mission.

Source and further information

Read more about residence permits and how to apply on InfoFinland.

In some cases, you can work without a residence permit. Visit Migri’s website to learn when this may be possible.

If you are a short-term visitor to Finland, you usually only need a visa. Read more about short-term stays in Finland on InfoFinland.

Registering as a resident

If you do not have a Finnish personal identity code, you must visit a Digital and Population Data Services Agency office in person. Similarly, if you want to become an official resident of a municipality, you must usually visit a Digital and Population Data Services Agency office as well. Furthermore, if you want to register your marital status or other similar details, you must do so in person.

If you already have a Finnish personal identity code, you can register a temporary address in Finland when filing your change of address notification at a post office or online. Please note that you can only register your address with a notification of a change of address.

View the instructions on how to register as a resident on InfoFinland.

Digital and Population Data Services Agency – Registration of a foreigner’s personal data in the Population Information System