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S t a t e Regu l a t i on s and I n s u r an ce s
appointment system. The phone number for the
appointment reservation line is 0295 440 501
(switchboard, Åbo) and 0295 449 389 (Vasa).
The service line is open from Monday to Friday
between 9:00 and 11:00.
3.2 Civil Registration
The Population Information System is
maintained by local register offices (
magistraten/
maistraatti
) and keeps record of the Finnish
population data. Everyone residing in Finland
for periods exceeding three months is registered
with this system. The information collected
by the Population Information System is used
for purposes like organisation of elections,
employment and taxation, health care, statistical
purposes, and in judicial administration.
Naturally, all information is treated confidentially.
International students studying for a degree or
participating in an exchange programme that
exceeds three months need a Personal Identity
Code in Finland (
personnummer/henkilötunnus
).
The personal identity code is issued by the
Local Register Office (
magistraten/maistraatti
)
and requires registration at this office. The
registration has to be done personally. When
registering at the Local Register Office, your
information (including name, date of birth,
nationality, family relationships and address)
will be entered into the Finnish Population
Information System. The personal identity
code is a means of identification which is more
specific than a name. The personal identity code
is needed in a variety of situations in Finnish
everyday life: for the payment of salaries, in bank
transactions, for paying with a debit/credit card
and for applying for certain benefits.
Foreign citizens staying in Finland for less than
one year can also be entered into the Population
Information System, if this is necessary in order to
be able to stay or work in Finland. In this case, it is
possible to get a personal identity code. The Local
Register Office makes the decisions concerning
the issuance of personal identity codes. For the
registration you will need a passport, a valid
residence permit and, if applicable, a marriage
certificate and birth certificates for the children.
Please note that the documents must be legalized
(Apostille/Grand Legalization) and translated. An
official notification of move is needed whenever
your address changes, including when your
residence in Finland ends.
Employees can get their Finnish personal ID at
the tax office if they are going to work in Finland
for a short period. The Finnish Tax Administration
is entitled to enter information into the
Population Register System and distribute
identity codes jointly with Local Register
Offices if the matter concerns foreigners who
arrive for temporary periods, i.e. less than one
year, to work in Finland. You can get a personal
identity code at a tax office on the condition
that you need it for tax-related purposes. More
information can be found on:
www.tax.fi .For more information regarding the registration,
please contact:
Local Register Office of Southwest Finland, Åbo unit
Lounais-Suomen maistraatti/Magistraten i
Sydvästra Finland
Auragatan 8
P.O. Box 372
FI – 20101 Åbo
Phone: +358 (0)29 553 9441(switchboard)
e-mail:
info.turku@maistraatti.fiLocal Register Office of West Finland, Vasa unit
Länsi-Suomen maistraatti/Magistraten i Västra
Finland
Wolffskavägen 35
P.O. Box 208
FI – 65101 Vasa
Phone: +358 (0)29 553 9451 (switchboard)
e-mail:
info.lansi-suomi@maistraatti.fiN.B.
All registrations at Maistraatti/Magistraten
are free of charge. You can also register at the
local tax office or at the Kela/Fpa office in Åbo
and in Vasa.
Change of Address Notification
A Change of Address Notification (
flyttningsanmälan/
muuttoilmoitus
) must be made every time a person
moves within or away from Finland. Notification