What will change in 2026 when legislation enters into force?
- Official mail from public authorities will be delivered primarily in digital form to everyone who uses public authorities’ digital services.
- When an adult user identifies in any public administration organisation’s electronic service (e.g. MyTax, MyKela or Traficom’s My e-Services) using Suomi.fi identification, Suomi.fi Messages will be activated automatically, without express consent.
Official mail will be received in Suomi.fi Messages, the secure electronic mailbox for all public authorities. Received messages can be read either via the downloadable Suomi.fi mobile app or through the Suomi.fi web service.
The change takes effect when a person identifies to a public administration digital service. The change does not take effect when a person uses, for example, banks’ or insurance companies’ digital services, or visits public sector websites that do not require identification.
By the end of 2026, the aim is that citizens, if they wish, would also be able to read official mail via private digital mailbox services. After that, citizens will be able to choose which approved service they want to use to read their digital official mail
Read more about the use of private digital mail services in official communications >>
How can you choose to receive official mail on paper instead of digitally?
- If you do not use public authorities’ digital services, official mail sent by authorities will continue to be delivered to you by paper mail.
- If you use public authorities’ digital services but prefer to receive official mail on paper, you can opt out of electronic messages in the Suomi.fi Messages settings. After this, official mail will temporarily be sent to you by paper mail.
- When the set time limit (six months in the Government Proposal) expires and you next identify to a digital public authority service, you will be guided to turn Suomi.fi Messages back on. If you wish, you can then switch back to paper mail again in the Suomi.fi Messages settings.
- The exact time limit will be specified during the parliamentary consideration of the bill in 2026.
- If you do not authenticate to public authority services after the time limit has expired, official messages will continue to be delivered to you by paper mail.
Watch the recording of the January information session
The recording, held and subtitled in English, focuses primarily on the introduction of digital delivery of official mail for approximately 30 minutes, with the remaining time dedicated to answering audience questions.
We will organise a new information session once the schedule for the entry into force of the legislative amendments and the content of the changes have been confirmed.
| Who does the change apply to? |
Who does the change not apply to? |
- Adults who use public authorities’ digital services but do not yet use Suomi.fi Messages (as of February 2026, a total of 1.7 million people)
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- Persons who do use the authorities’ digital services
- Minors
- Companies
- People under guardianship or those who have a confirmed continuing power of attorney
- Anyone that has identified in the public e-services before the change
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Please note that Suomi.fi Messages will be activated when a person authenticates to digital services only once the legislation has been amended.
The activation cannot be declined in advance before the legislation enters into force.
