Your current and former names have been entered in the Population Information System. You can enter your preferred name in the system in the Check your own Personal Data service.

If your notice an error in your national name, you can ask us to correct it by completing this form and by sending it to [email protected] using encrypted secure email. If your notice an error in your foreign name, you can ask us to correct it by completing this form and by sending it to [email protected] using encrypted secure email.

If you want to change your forename or surname click here for instructions how to apply for a name change and send the application to us.

All your addresses of which we have been notified have been entered in the Population Information System. Please note that we do not correct or change address-related information afterwards. We only correct address-related errors resulting from our processing.

Remember to notify us when moving between addresses in Finland, from Finland, to Finland or between foreign addresses so that your information can be kept up to date. Your new address will be entered in the Population Information System once we have processed it. Go to our web page on moving to read more about making a notification of move, processing times, non-disclosure of address information and the systems in which your new address details will be entered.

Use our electronic service to prohibit the disclosure of your address details. Remember also to submit the non-disclosure to Posti.

Extra residents

The number of persons living in each dwelling has been entered in the Population Information System. If the number of residents registered for your dwelling is higher than the number of actual residents, you can notify us of the matter.

Residence certificate

Click here for instructions to order a certificate of residence or change of address. Please note that a fee is charged for the certificate.

If you were born in Finland, your date of birth and municipality of birth have been entered in the Population Information System. The municipality of birth is the municipality where your mother resided when you were born.

If you were born outside Finland, your municipality or place of birth and your country of birth have been entered in the Population Information System.

If you are a foreign citizen or your mother did not have any municipality of residence when you were born, your country and place of birth have been entered in the system.

In your passport, your municipality of birth is entered as the municipality where you were born.

Time of birth

The exact time of your birth is not entered in the Population Information System. You can inquire about the matter from the maternity hospital in which you were born. The inquiry must be made in writing. If you were born at home and a municipal midwife was involved, you can make inquiries to the National Archives of Finland.

Birth certificate

Click here for instructions to order a birth certificate. Please note that a fee is charged for the certificate.

All your citizenships are listed in the Population Information System if you have notified us of them. However, if you were granted Finnish citizenship before 1 January 1983, your previous citizenships are not listed in the system.

You can enter one of your native languages in the Population Information System in the Check your own Personal Data service. If your native language is other than Finnish or Swedish, you can enter your communication language.

Certificate of Finnish citizenship

If you need a certificate of Finnish citizenship, click here for instructions to order a birth certificate stating that you are a Finnish citizen. Please note that a fee is charged for the certificate.

The details of your membership in a religious community have been entered in the Population Information System.

When you join a religious community

Notify the community which you are joining. The religious community in question will then notify us of the matter so that we can update your details in the Population Information System or so that you can update the information yourself. When joining a religious community, you must always notify the community of the matter. Just notifying the Population Information System is not enough.

When resigning from a religious community

You can resign from a religious community by notifying the community in question or us.

a) If you are aged over 18, you can submit the notification in the Check your own Personal Data service.

b) If you are unable to use the electronic service or you are under 18, you can notify us of the matter using the form available on our web page. Please note that if a person under the age of 18 is resigning from a religious community, the consent of the person in question and their parents is required.

We will update your details in the Population Information System and, if necessary, will notify the religious community in question of the matter.

Your health details are saved in My Kanta and they are not entered in the Population Information System .

Please note that you must contact the Finnish Tax Administration if you want to receive or correct the disability credit .

Email address

You can check and update your email address entered in the Population Information System in the Check your own Personal Data service. However, there are organisations using the Population Information System that do not update such information as email addresses for their own use. This means that you should update your email address by contacting the organisations to whom you have disclosed it. Please note that you must also save your email address to Suomi.fi Messages so that you can activate the messages in the service.

Phone number and bank account

Your phone number and bank account details are not entered in the Population Information System. You can update them by contacting the organisations to which you have disclosed the information.

To prevent your phone number from appearing in search services, contact your telecommunications operator. Read more about blocking the disclosure of contact details in Suomi.fi.

The information has been entered in the conscription register of the Finnish Defence Forces.

You can enter your own professional title in the Population Information System in the Check your own Personal Data service. This information can be used when your placement during a crisis is determined.

The property identifiers of the properties and parcels you own and the names of the properties

• building identifiers and addresses of the buildings you own and represent
• have been entered in the Population Information System.

Please note that the information

• on properties is provided by the National Land Survey of Finland, while the
• details of construction projects, buildings, dwellings and their owners are provided by the technical services of the municipalities in which the buildings are located.

If you have any questions about these matters, you should contact the above parties.

You should also contact the technical services of the municipalities in which the buildings are located if

• you have any questions about the matters concerning waste management invoicing
• you would like to change the purpose of use of your building.

Note that the building ownership details kept in the Population Information System are not publicly reliable and cannot therefore be used as a basis for decision-making.

Read more about building and dwelling details kept in the Population Information System.                                  

The population information system was established in the 1970s and in the early years, not all information on family relationships was entered in the system. For example, the details of the parents of adult individuals were not always entered in the system. The details of family members that can be entered in the system are listed below. Please note that as a rule, we do not update existing information. The information not entered in the electronic system can be found in the paper archives of different authorities.

Details of the child

If you are a guardian of a child, you can view the following information in the Suomi.fi service:

• name, date of birth, personal identity code of the child and the number of guardians
• details of whether the child has been taken into custody, custody start date, and the municipality in which the child has been taken into custody. The entry is removed when the custody ends.
• only the child’s date of birth and death if the child is dead.

The guardians usually have the right to decide on all matters concerning the child together. However, the guardians’ decision-making rights can be restricted under an agreement approved by the child welfare officer or by a court decision. If your rights have been restricted, you can view your decision-making powers in the Population Information System. If you have been granted the right to access information on the child, the content and validity of the right of access have been entered in the Population Information System.

A parent who is not a guardian is only able to view the child’s date of birth. For example, the child’s name details can only be viewed by the guardian.

If there are errors in the data, the guardian can ask us to correct the information.

Click here for instructions to order a certificate verifying that you have a child. Please note that a fee is charged for the certificate.

Details of the parents

You are only able to view the dates of birth and death of your parents after you have reached the age of 18.

If you have been adopted, you can view details of your adoption after you have reached the age of 15. See section ‘Adoption’ for more details.

Details of the spouse/partner

The system shows

• the name and date of birth of the spouse/registered partner, and date and method of marriage. If the person in question is dead, the date of death is also shown.
• no details of the cohabiting partner.

Even if you had the mandate to manage the affairs of another person (such as your spouse), the details of this person have not been entered in the Population Information System under your information.

Marriage

The details of your current and previous marriages are entered in the system.

By following the instructions on our web page, you can order a marriage certificate and a civil status certificate. You can also order a certificate listing your previous marriages. Please note that a fee is charged for the certificates.

If you want to check whether you have concluded a prenuptial agreement or to order a copy of the agreement, follow the instructions on our web page on prenuptial agreement. Please note that a fee is charge for the copy.

You do not need to notify us if you are granted a divorce in Finland as the district court will enter the information in the Population Information System. If you are granted a divorce outside Finland, follow the instructions on our web page to notify us of the matter.

Adoption

When the adopted person has reached the age of 15, the following information will be displayed in the Population Information System:

• start date of adoption relationship
• birth dates of the former parents, their dates of death and the parenthood end date
• former names of the adopted person
• country of birth and municipality of birth
• all citizenships and the date on which the adopted person was granted Finnish citizenship.

The adoptive parents are able to view the adoption relationship start date and the child’s date of birth and death if the child is dead. If they are also the child’s guardians, they can view the child’s name and personal identity code.

The former parents of the child given for adoption are only able to view the adoption start date and the child’s date of birth and death if the child is dead.

Details of a close family member

The details of the persons that will be contacted if, for example, you have an accident are not entered in the Population Information System. You can give the details of your close family members to the parties taking care of you or to check whether you can update the details in the electronic self-service of the healthcare organisation in question.

Do you need the details of your close family members?

You can order a certificate listing the personal details of your close family members. We will only disclose personal data from the system for acceptable purposes. You can order a marriage certificate and a birth certificate electronically from our self-service Certificates from the Population Information System. The marriage certificate contains the details of your current marriage and name and birth date of your spouse. The birth certificate lists the details of your parents. If you need information on your grandparents or other close family members, follow the instructions on our web page to order the certificate stating these details. Please note that a fee is charged for the certificates.

If a person dies in Finland, the doctor pronouncing the person dead will enter the information in the Population Information System. If a person dies outside Finland the close family members of the person in question must notify us of the matter using the instructions on our web page..

Close family members are not automatically notified of the death of their relatives through the Population Information System.

You can obtain the information about the death of a person by ordering a certificate using the instructions on our web page.

Estate, estate inventory and estate inventory deed

You cannot enter the contact details of an estate or correct details of a deceased person in the Population Information System. Instead, you can give Posti the address to which the mail of the estate should be delivered.

In most cases, the direct heirs (children) and/or the widow/widower and/or the legatees are the shareholders of the estate. The shareholders of the estate are listed in the estate inventory deed on the basis of the reports on family relationships, any wills, prenuptial agreements or other documents presented at the estate inventory meeting.

If you need a report on family relationships for an estate inventory, you can order the document using the instructions on our web page.

The completed estate inventory deed must be submitted to the Finnish Tax Administration. You can also submit an application for certifying the shareholders in the estate inventory deed but this is not obligatory.

The estate inventory deeds are kept by the Finnish Tax Administration and you can request the estate inventory deed of a close family member from this authority.

Will

Wills are not registered in Finland and they cannot be kept in the Population Information System. Instead, you should store them in a safe deposit box in a bank or in another secure place.

Further information

Read more about the matter in the Suomi.fi guide on the death of a close family member.

What information has been entered in the system for a person that has a guardian or whose continuing power of attorney has been approved?

• If you have a guardian, the system shows whether the guardian is a public guardian of a public guardianship office, a service provider (with business ID) or a private guardian. The system also shows the name of the guardian and the guardianship start date. The end date is also displayed if you had a guardian in the past or the current guardianship is on a fixed-term basis.

• If we have approved the continuing power of attorney that you have prepared, the system shows the name of the donee and the start date of the continuing power of attorney.

• The system also shows whether your competency has been restricted.

What information intended for the guardian or the donee has been entered in the system?

• Name and personal identity code of the client or the donor.

Continuing powers of attorney

Continuing powers of attorney are not entered in the system as the parties concerned (donor and donee/donees) must retain them and present them if necessary.

Certificate

Click here for instructions to order a certificate to verify that you do not have a guardian. As we check the information from a number of different systems, you should ensure that you send your message to our guardianship experts referred to on that page.

The information that can be displayed in the Population Information System is listed above.

The information is incorrect

If your preferred name, profession, email address, native language or communication language is incorrect, you can correct the information electronically by following the instructions in the Check your Personal Data service.

If are unable to make the corrections, you can ask us to correct the errors by calling us on weekdays between 9.00 and 15.00. Go to our web page to select the phone number of the right experts.

Information is missing

The electronic population information system was established in the 1970s and in the early years, not all information on family relationships was entered in the system. Your details can be found in our system if they were entered in the civil register or you were a member of a registered religious community before the establishment of the electronic population information system. If you were a member of a parish of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland or the Orthodox Church of Finland before the establishment of the electronic population information system, you can make inquiries about your details from regional central registers.

If necessary, you can ask us to supplement your details kept in the electronic population information system. The easiest way to make the request is to use a form that you can find on our web page (The form is in Finnish). Please note that you may also have to send us relevant documents to justify your request.

If a person has been entered in the civil register or been a member of a registered religious community, follow the instructions on our web page to contact us for information.

If a person has been a member of a parish of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland or the Orthodox Church of Finland, you can make inquiries to regional central registers.

You cannot use the printout from the Suomi.fi Personal Data page as an official certificate.

Instead, you can order the following certificates electronically from our self-service Certificates from the Population Information System:

• residence certificate
• marriage certificate
• life certificate
• civil status certificate
• birth certificate.

If you need other certificates follow the instructions on our web page to order the documents from us.

Please note that a fee is charged for the certificate.

How can I obtain a certificate?

• If you are able to use Suomi.fi Messages, the certificates will be sent electronically to the service from where you can print them out.
• If you do not have access to Suomi.fi Messages, you can download the certificate in pdf format from the service after paying the fee for the document.
• An electronic document may not be valid for a certificate needed outside Finland. In that case, we will send you the certificate by post to your address shown in the Population Information System. When ordering the certificate, remember to mention that you need it outside Finland.

If you are unable to use our electronic service, you can ask us to check your personal data by sending us a written request on a form (The form is in Finnish). In that case, your address details kept in the Population Information System must be up to date so that we can send the extract to you by post.

You can also request that we check your personal data by visiting a service location in person. We recommend that you reserve an appointment in our electronic booking service for the visit.

You can check your own personal details free of charge.

If you have Finnish online banking IDs, you can check you details on the Suomi.fi Personal Data page.

If you do not have Finnish banking IDs, you cannot check your personal data in Suomi.fi. However, you can ask us to check the details by sending us a written request on a form (The form is in Finnish). In that case, your address details kept in the Population Information System must be up to date so that we can send the extract to you by post. Follow the instructions on our web page to give your current address.

Read more about the data that can be disclosed from the Population Information System (The page is in Finnish).

You can also prohibit the disclosure of your personal data from the Population Information System for such purposes as direct marketing. For instructions to submit the prohibition, see our web page (The page is in Finnish). You can set the prohibition in the Personal Data page of Suomi.fi.

If you have justified reasons to suspect that your own or your family’s health or safety is under threat, we can save a non-disclosure for you and your family in the Population Information System. Read more about non-disclosure on our web page.

We will only disclose information subject to a non-disclosure to the authorities for the performance of their statutory duties.

If you have been granted a non-disclosure but you need a certificate stating your address, you can order a residence certificate using the instructions on our web page.

If you need a death certificate of a specific person for an acceptable purpose, we can send you a certificate stating the person’s date of death. A fee is charged for the document.

Please note that you must

• specify the person in question (give some of the person’s personal details, such as the name and birth date)
• explain the purpose for which you need the information.

Follow the instructions on our web page to request the information.

A notary public working for us can complete the form you are describing. You should reserve an appointment for a notary public using the instructions on our web page.