Are you turning 18 this year? Keep an eye on your mail in January!

This year the Digital and Population Data Services Agency, the Social Insurance Institution Kela, Ohjaamo One-Stop Guidance Centers and the police are congratulating all young people turning 18 with a birthday card. With the help of the birthday cards, they remind young people that by coming of age, dealing with many official matters becomes their own responsibility.

Turning 18 brings many rights and new responsibilities to a young person's everyday life, and this includes the responsibility of taking care of official matters. Parents can no longer act on behalf of a young adult without separate authorisation. 

The Suomi.fi/18v website has information on adulthood 

To support this new phase in life, the Suomi.fi/18v page on Suomi.fi brings together all the information relating to official affairs that a young adult must consider. In the birthday card, the Digital and Population Data Services Agency, the Social Insurance Institution Kela, Ohjaamo One-Stop Guidance Centers and the police direct young adults to the Suomi.fi/18year page, which explains the changes affecting young persons’ life as they reach adulthood. 

- Youth is a wonderful time, and it gives you the opportunity to make decisions about your own affairs.  At the age of 18, you can get a driving license, you can vote, and you can get married or register your partnership. Adulthood also brings responsibilities such as managing tax affairs and applying for benefits, says Liinu Lehto, Director of Communications and Marketing at the Digital and Population Data Services Agency. 
    
Public administration services are rapidly becoming digitalised and almost all services are already available online which gives more flexibility than having to visit a service point. 
- It is a good idea for a young person to obtain an online banking ID or a mobile ID, as it streamlines their dealings with the authorities, says Lehto. 

- Switching to online services is both an economic and an ecological act, and it enables young people to do business at the most convenient time, regardless of location. After all, the use of online services is very natural for young people, Lehto continues. 

Ohjaamo One-Stop Guidance Centers offer advice to young people

If you are unfamiliar with dealing with official affairs, you can get help from Ohjaamo One-Stop Guidance Centres. You can either visit a centre or contact them by phone, Whatsapp, text message or e-mail. 

- The One-Stop Guidance Centres provide free assistance for a wide range of issues such as studying, employment, housing, and well-being. All persons under 30 years of age are welcome to the One-Stop Guidance Centres. You can always get help and advice at the centres. The contact details and opening hours of the Ohjaamo One-Stop Guidance Centres can be found on the Ohjaamot.fi website, says Pasi Savonmäki from the Kohtaamo project that coordinates the centres.  

Information for 18-year-olds is available to everyone at Suomi.fi/18year. 

This January will be the second time a birthday card is sent all young adults who are turning 18 and who are in the population register as residents in Finland.