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Instructions for those who have arrived in Finland from Ukraine

The instructions on this page are intended for persons who have arrived from Ukraine and have been granted a residence permit on the basis of temporary protection. 

Information on applying for a municipality of residence

You can use the online form to apply for a municipality of residence on the Digital and Population Data Services Agency when all of the following conditions are met:

  1. You have a Finnish personal identity code.

  2. You have a residence permit for temporary protection that is valid for at least one year.

  3. You have lived in Finland for a year. Living here starts from the date you have received or applied for a residence permit based on temporary protection from the Finnish Immigration Service.

Example: You have applied for a temporary protection residence permit on 5 May 2022. You can apply for a municipality of residence on 5 May 2023. 

Apply for a municipality of residence using the online form

Before filling out the application read the instructions in the section 2A. 

You can also apply for a municipality of residence on other bases, of which you can find more information below.

Read more about the impacts of the municipality of residence on the Finnish Immigration Service’s website before applying for the municipality of residence.

1. How to get a Finnish personal identity code 

You can get a Finnish personal identity code if you reside in Finland legally and one of the following conditions is met: 

  • You have a residence permit granted by the Finnish Immigration Service.
  • You work in Finland and have a right to work.
  • You are studying in Finland.
  • You have a family member* with a registered address in Finland, in addition to the original and legalised certificates of your family relationships. 

*Family members include a spouse, guardian or dependent child. A cohabiting partner is also a family member if you have lived together continuously for at least 2 years before moving to Finland or if you share custody of a child you have had together. 

2. How to apply for a municipality of residence 

Applying for a municipality of residence is voluntary. You can get a municipality of residence even if you still live in temporary accommodations at a reception centre.

You can apply for a municipality of residence from the Digital and Population Data Services Agency when you have a residence permit granted on the basis of temporary protection that is valid for one year and one of the conditions in the list below is met. Select your situation and read the instructions for applying for a municipality of residence. 

If you have a residence permit granted on other basis than temporary protection or if you do not have a residence permit at all, see the instructions on our municipality of residence page.

Why apply for a municipality of residence?

A municipality of residence is usually the municipality where you live. A municipality of residence is useful if you are going to stay in Finland for the time being. 

When you have a municipality of residence, 

  • you will stop being a client of reception services and become a client of the municipality’s services and a resident of the municipality. 
  • you have the same rights and obligations as those permanently residing in Finland. 

A municipality of residence in Finland does not affect your citizenship or prevent you from returning to Ukraine.

If you do not apply for a municipality of residence, you can continue as a client of reception services. 

3. If I do not want or cannot get a municipality of residence, how do I get a temporary address or extend the validity of a temporary address? 

If you do not have a municipality of residence in Finland, a temporary address may be registered for you. It is valid for a certain period of time, usually one year. 

Submit the temporary address using the notification of change of address form if you have a Finnish personal identity code.

If you do not have a Finnish personal identity code, apply for it using the instructions in section 1. Your address will be registered at the same time, so you do not need to submit the address separately using the notification of change of address form.

Fill in the notification of change of address in either of the following ways:

Pay attention to the following when filling in the notification of change of address form so that your address can be registered as soon as possible: 

  1. Fill in the Digital and Population Data Services Agency’s section of the form. Fill in Posti’s section if you also want to provide the address for mail delivery.
  2. Select the option “Temporary change of address in Finland or to Finland”.
  3. Enter the date on which you are filling in the form as the date of the change of address, for example. We cannot register a date that goes back more than one month. 
  4. Also enter the end date of the temporary change of address, for example, one year after the date of the change of address. You can extend the validity of the address later if necessary.
  5. Leave the section “Home municipality after the move” blank. 
  6. Enter your personal identity code and name and the details of those who have moved with you. 
  7. Enter from where and to where you moved. If your address does not change, enter your current address in both sections. 
  8. Enter your email address and phone number so that you can be contacted.
  9. Remember to sign the form.

We will not send you a confirmation when your address has been registered. 

Frequently asked questions

How long will it take to register a municipality of residence?

The applications are processed in the order of arrival. You can see the current average processing time below.

Processing time

  • 2 weeks by online form.
  • 3–4 weeks by paper form.

Couldn't find an answer on our website?  

Information on applying for a municipality of residence

0295 536 325

Service hours:

  • Mon 9-15
  • Tue-Fri 9-12

International customer servicenumber

0295 536 320 (in English and Finnish)

Service hours:

  • Mon 9-15
  • Tue-Fri 9-12