Population Information System update to be reflected in the population number of Finland tomorrow
The Population Information System will undergo an update on 12 November 2024 that will affect the data on Finland’s population number. The population number is displayed in places such as the website of the Digital and Population Data Services Agency and a light-up billboard on the roof of the Helsinki service location starting 13 November 2024. The annual update to the population number involves removing people whose place of residence has been unknown for two years. The change applies to about 3900 persons.
The Population Information System contains people who still have a municipality of residence in Finland but whose place of residence has been unknown to the authorities since 1 January 2022. In practice, these are people who have moved away from Finland but have not thought to submit an emigration notification. With the update, they will no longer have a municipality of residence in Finland and are removed from the Finnish population.
In Finland, the Municipality of Residence Act requires that every person notifies their up-to-date address information to the Digital and Population Data Services Agency whenever they change their place of residence. The Digital and Population Data Services Agency records the data in the Population Information System. The address must correspond to the person's actual place of residence.
Up-to-date Population Information System facilitates everyday life and decision-making
The Population Information System contains information on all Finnish citizens and foreign citizens residing in Finland. The system is used to collect information on births, deaths, addresses, marriages and divorces as well as received citizenships. Hospitals usually submit information to the Population Information System on children being born within 24 hours of their birth.
“The Finnish Population Information System is rare on a global scale. Using it widely in various functions of society saves money and trouble and makes everyday life easier for citizens in many ways. For example, a single notification of move sends your new address automatically to all authorities through the Population Information System”, says Chief Specialist Tytti Ronkainen from the Digital and Population Data Services Agency.
The Population Information System is an important tool for public authorities. Thanks to the Population Information System, much of what happens in our society is done from the citizen's point of view, rather than automatically. For example, families of children entering compulsory school age receive a notification of the start of compulsory education and a proposal for a school place. The system also creates a register of those entitled to vote, so people do not have to register to vote.
Light-up billboard shows the number of persons recorded in the Population Information System
The up-to-date number of people recorded in the Population Information System is displayed on the Digital and Population Data Services Agency’s website dvv.fi and a light-up billboard on the roof of the Helsinki service location. The figure is based on the register data from the previous day, and it updates every morning at about 5 a.m.
However, the number of persons recorded in the Population Information System is not the same as the official population of Finland. The official population number is produced by Statistics Finland based on register data from the Digital and Population Data Services Agency and other data sources and analysis. Statistics Finland is also responsible for the population forecast.
“People are interested in the number on the billboard and at dvv.fi. Round numbers are of especial interest; many people contacted the agency when the number hit 5,555,555, for example. This update to the municipality of residence data concerns 3900 people, and it will be reflected as a more significant decrease of the number compared to normal daily variation”, says Ronkainen.
A similar update to the Population Information System was last made on 10 May 2023. The procedure is based on section 9a, subsection 2 of the Municipality of Residence Act (201/1994).
PLEASE NOTE when dealing with the authorities! If you are informed that your municipality of residence has been removed even though you still live in Finland, you can correct this by submitting a change of address notification at muuttoilmoitus.fi or by visiting your nearest Digital and Population Data Services Agency service point.
What is the Population Information System?
- The Population Information System is the most commonly used basic register in Finland with an important role in organising the functions of society.
- The Population Information System contains the personal data of Finnish citizens and foreign citizens residing in Finland on a permanent or temporary basis.
- The system also contains information about buildings, construction projects, apartment blocks and properties.
- The information stored in the Population Information System is used throughout Finnish society’s information services and management, including public administration, elections, taxation, judicial administration, research and statistics.
- The Population Information System was established in 1969. It is maintained by the Digital and Population Data Services Agency. The activities are regulated by law.
- Read more about the Population Information System
- Individuals
- Processing times
- Marriage
- Having or adopting a child
- Names
- Moving
- Guardianship
- Life changes while living abroad
- Moving while living abroad
- Registration of a child born abroad
- Marriage concluded abroad
- Partnership registered abroad
- Divorce granted abroad
- Registration of a name change performed abroad
- Gender recognised abroad
- Death abroad
- Registration of citizenship
- Notification of retaining Finnish citizenship
- Legalisation of foreign documents
- Submitting foreign documents
- As a foreigner in Finland
- Registration of a foreigner
- Registration of a foreign student
- Municipality of residence
- Family relationships and Marital Status
- Instructions on arriving in Finland from Ukraine
- Guide for employed persons
- Fast track service for specialists and growth entrepreneurs
- Instructions for legalisation
- Submitting foreign documents
- Foreigner’s move to Finland, in Finland and out of Finland
- Check your own personal details
- Elections and Right to vote
- Suomi.fi Web Service
- Citizen Certificate and electronic identity
- Certificates from the Population Information System
- Population information in the Population Information System
- Registration of a gift notification
- Services of notary public
- Certification of purchase
- Citizens’ initiative
- Death and estate inventory
- Public Service Info
- Address service
- Forms
- Digital support for citizens
- Organisations
- Certificates
- For social welfare and healthcare service providers
- For organisations
- Electronic sealing service
- Timestamping Service
- Electronic signature
- Service certificates
- Advisory service, support and revocation service
- Certificate Directory
- Test the use of a certificate
- Card Reader Software
- Information about certificates
- Population information services for organisations
- Public administration sampling and updating service
- Private sector information services
- PIS modified data interface
- Modified data update service
- Population Information System query interface
- Browser-based Population Information System query
- Resident sampling services for property management offices and maintenance companies
- Data extraction for municipalities
- Reform of personal identity code
- Conditions for using population information
- Maintaining the Population Information System
- Extracts from registers
- Suomi.fi services
- Services to promote digitalisation
- Digital support
- European digital identity wallet
- Digital security services
- Services of notary public
- Certification of purchase
- Right to officiate weddings
- E-services
- Finnish Authenticator identification service
- Certificates
- About the agency
- Digital and Population Data Services Agency
- Digital and Population Data Services Agency as an Employer
- Use our services electronically
- Contact
- Customer service for private customers
- Customer service for organisations
- Service locations
- Digital and Population Data Services Agency address, switchboard e-billing details
- Digital and Population Data Services Agency Management
- Marriage ceremony premises information
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