How to apply for confirmation of the continuing power of attorney

1. Check whether a medical certificate is required

You will need a medical certificate concerning the grantor if the authorization has not been confirmed in respect of the primary proxy. Obtain a medical certificate stating that the grantor is no longer able to manage their affairs. Be prepared to present the continuing power of attorney to the physician. This ensures that the physician understands the matters to be assessed and that you, as the proxy, have the right to obtain a medical certificate concerning the grantor.
 

2. Complete the application for the confirmation of the continuing power of attorney

Please submit your application primarily via the online form. (FIN)

Attach a medical certificate to the application. 

In addition, attach the following documents to the application:

• a statement from the grantor, if they understand the significance of the matter
• a statement from the grantor’s spouse or a close person

If the statements are not attached to the application, they will be requested from the persons concerned before a decision is made. This will extend the processing time.

Do not attach the continuing power of attorney to the application. Instead, submit it according to the instructions in section 3.

Can't attend to your matter online?

In that case, please fill in the pdf application form. (FIN) Mail the application and the above mentioned attachments to the address Digital and Population Data Services Agency / Guardianship Services, PO Box 1004, FI-00521 Helsinki or bring them to our service location. More information about our service locations is available.

3. Mail us the original continuing power of attorney on paper
We cannot confirm the continuing power of attorney if only a copy or a scanned version is submitted. We will return the original continuing power of attorney to you.

Mail the original continuing power of attorney to the address Digital and Population Data Services Agency / Guardianship Services, PO Box 1004, FI-00521 Helsinki or bring them to our service location. More information about our service locations is available.

4. We process your application

As a rule, we process applications in the order of arrival. If the necessary information has not been provided with the application, we will request the original continuing power of attorney, additional information, or statements. This will extend the processing time.

Finally, we will assess whether the continuing power of attorney can be confirmed.

5. We will issue a decision on the matter

You will receive our decision by email, Suomi.fi Message or mail. We will also send the decision to the granter, if he or she can understand the significance of the matter.

Once you have received the decision on the confirmation, you can begin performing the tasks which the continuing power of attorney includes. For more information on how to carry out your duties, for example how to submit the property inventory, see Carrying out the tasks of the attorney.

1. Complete the application for confirmation of a continuing power of attorney

Complete the application for confirmation of a continuing power of attorney. (FIN)

2. Send the documents by post

Send the application and the original continuing power of attorney to the Digital and Population Data Services Agency / Guardianship Services, P.O. Box 1004, FI-00521 Helsinki. Alternatively, you can take them to one of our service locations. More information about our service locations is available.

We cannot confirm the authorization if only a copy or a scanned version of the continuing power of attorney is submitted. The original continuing power of attorney will be returned to you.

3. We process your application

As a rule, we process applications in the order of arrival. If the required information has not been provided with the application, we will request the original continuing power of attorney or additional information from you. This will extend the processing time.

Finally, we will assess whether the continuing power of attorney can be confirmed.

4. We will issue a decision on the matter

You will receive our decision by email, Suomi.fi Message or mail. We will also send the decision to the granter, if he or she can understand the significance of the matter.

A continuing power of attorney cannot be sent to the Digital and Population Data Services Agency for storage or advance review. The attorney applies for the confirmation of a continuing power of attorney and submits the original power of attorney with the application when the granter is no longer able to manage their affairs.

More on confirming an authorisation.

You can submit an application for the validation of the power of attorney once the granter is no longer able to manage their own affairs.

You can use this application form (in Finnish). Include the original power of attorney document and a medical certificate, which concerns the granter’s ability to manage their own affairs, as its attachments. 

You can apply for the confirmation of the continuing power of attorney when  

• the original attorney does not accept the mandate
• the original attorney resigns from the mandate
• the original attorney has become permanently unable to exercise the mandate
• the original attorney has passed away. 

Apply for confirmation using the application form (in Finnish). Attach the original continuing power of attorney document to the application. Also include a medical statement on the granter’s capability of managing the affairs covered by the power of attorney, if the continuing power of attorney has not been confirmed for the original attorney. 

You can apply for the confirmation of the continuing power of attorney in the following situations:  

• The continuing power of attorney has been confirmed for the original or secondary attorney. However, the attorney is disqualified from managing a certain matter. In this case, you can apply for confirmation of a continuing power of attorney to manage this matter if you are not disqualified. Read more on disqualification on our web page. 
• The continuing power of attorney has been confirmed for the original or secondary attorney. However, the attorney is temporarily unable to exercise his or her mandate, for example because of an illness.

Please note that the attorney's disqualification or other obstacle must already be known when you are applying for confirmation of the power of attorney. In other words, you cannot apply for the confirmation in advance. 

Apply for confirmation using the application form (in Finnish). Attach the original power of attorney document to the application. 

The attorney is disqualified when they or a person close to them is an opposing party in a matter. In other words, the attorney cannot sell the granter's residence to someone that is close to them.

The attorney is disqualified from representing the granter if the opposing party in the matter is  

• the attorney personally, or their spouse  
• a child or grandchild of the granter or their spouse, or a spouse of said child or grandchild 
• a parent or grandparent of the granter or their spouse, or a spouse of said parent or grandparent
• a child of the attorney’s parent
• another person the attorney represents. 

If you have been appointed as a replacement attorney in the power of attorney and you are impartial (for example, you are not a member of the family), you can apply for the confirmation of the continuing power of attorney for the matter in which the attorney is disqualified. 

Other temporary impediment to the attorney

You can also apply for the authorisation to be validated if the attorney is temporarily prevented from carrying out their duties due to an illness, for example.

The attorney has the right to obtain a medical certificate on the granter. The physician is therefore obliged to issue a medical certificate to the attorney who has been granted the authorisation to confirm the power of attorney. Be prepared to show the power of attorney to the physician so that they can ensure that you, as the attorney, have the right to obtain a medical certificate on the granter.

If the medical certificate is not attached to the application, we will request it from the attorney separately. This will extend the processing time of the matter.  

In other words, we will not ask the doctor for a medical certificate; it is the duty of the attorney to request it. It is determined on a case-by-case basis whether a new the medical certificate is needed. 

Within a period of three months of an authorisation being confirmed, the attorney must submit to us a property inventory on the granter’s assets and debts that have been assigned to the attorney in the power of attorney. If the granter subsequently receives new property, the inventory on acquired property must be submitted with a month of receiving the property. 

If the granter becomes a member of an estate, the attorney must submit the estate inventory deed to the guardianship authority within a month of the estate inventory being settled.