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Foreign citizens using Katso identification: Start use of the Finnish Authenticator app in time

Publication date 28.8.2020 15.36
Press release

The use of the Katso service will be discontinued on 31 December 2020. The Finnish Authenticator Identification Service will replace Katso identification for foreign persons.

Katso IDs will not be automatically transferred to the new service. If you do not have a Finnish personal identity code or a Finnish online banking IDs, obtain new ones for the identification service.  IDs are obtained independently in the online service.

This is what to do

Please note:

  • If you have a Finnish personal identity code or a Finnish online banking IDs, you do not need to use the Finnish Authenticator Identification Service. In this case, you can identify yourself by using Suomi.fi e-Identification.
  • Note that a driving licence is not valid for the verification of your identity. You can verify your identity with your passport. If you are a citizen of an EU Member State or a citizen of San Marino, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland, you may alternatively take a photo of your official photo identity card.
  • Take a photo of only the passport's personal data page, not the entire opening.
  • Avoid reflections and shadows on the document surface.
  • Be careful not to cover any part of the ID with your fingers.
  • The identification service will not accept poor quality images.
  • Take a photo of yourself against a white background.
  • Place the camera in front of your face. Look into the camera and follow the instructions provided by the application.

Who is the identification service intended for?

Identification using the Finnish Authenticator Identification Service is intended only for those foreign citizens representing a foreign organisation who currently use Katso identification, do not have a Finnish personal identity code and will have to stop using the Katso service by the end of this year. The service will replace the Katso identification service for this group of users.

The application can be used to log into those Finnish public administration e-services that have implemented use of the Finnish Authenticator Identification Service. To be able to use the different e-services, the person representing a foreign company must also be granted the required mandates in Suomi.fi e-Authorizations.

How is the identification service used?

In the Finnish Authenticator Identification Service, a foreigner registers their Foreigner’s identifier (UID) and verifies their identity using the Finnish Authenticator application. In connection with initial identification, the user takes a photo of the passport or national identity card and a photo of themself. The identification service will confirm the person’s identity if the information in the identity document and the photo match.

After registering and initiating the use of the application, foreign citizens can log into the e-service using their user ID, password and application PIN.

Identification has been implemented in connection with Suomi.fi e-Identification. The Finnish Authenticator Identification Service is not a strong electronic identification service.

More information about the foreign citizen identification service in the Suomi.fi Web Service’s Instructions and Support section.