Read the instructions for Nordic citizens and citizens from other countries than EU countries, Switzerland or Liechtenstein on our website.
What is a municipality of residence?
Finland is divided into several administrative regions called municipalities. A municipality of residence is usually the municipality where you live.
When you have a municipality of residence,
- you usually have the right to use the services provided by your municipality of residence, such as public health care or children’s day care
- you can get a Finnish identity card and a driving licence
- services provided by authorities or receive financial benefits or subsidies.
When can a citizen of an EU country, Switzerland or Liechtenstein receive a municipality of residence?
You can get a municipality of residence if the following conditions are met:
- You have arrived in Finland.
- You are staying in Finland legally.
- You are planning to live in Finland for at least one year.
You must also have one of the following:
- a positive decision from the Finnish Immigration Service to register your right of residence as an EU citizen
- a family member* who has a municipality of residence in Finland.
*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.
Do as follows
I do not yet have a Finnish personal identity code
I already have a Finnish personal identity code
A) The Finnish Immigration Service has granted me the right of residence of an EU citizen or a residence card of an EU citizen’s family member*.
* PLEASE NOTE A residence card for an EU citizen’s family member is not the same as a residence permit card. Read more about a family member’s residence card on the Finnish Immigration Service’s website.
Click here to apply for a municipality of residence on an online form
If you have received the decision on EU registration less than 12 months ago, you do not need to visit a service location of the Digital and Population Data Services Agency. We will send the information on an online form to the email address you have provided after your municipality of residence has been registered.
If you have received the decision of the Finnish Immigration Service more than 12 months ago, you must complete the online form and personally visit a service location of the Digital and Population Data Services Agency within one month of sending the form.
• Book an appointment for the “Registration of a foreigner´s municipality of residence and permanent address” service
• Remember to bring with you your valid passport or your official photo identity card issued by an EU Member State, Liechtenstein, Switzerland or San Marino
B) I cannot use the online form or I do not have the Finnish Immigration Service’s decision on registering an EU citizen’s right of residence, but my family member has a municipality of residence in Finland.
If your information has been registered, do the following:
1. Fill in and print out the form “Changing a temporary address into a permanent address” in advance.
Changing a temporary address into a permanent address
2. Book an appointment for the “Registration of a foreigner´s municipality of residence and permanent address” service in our booking service.
3. Please bring the following documents with you:
- completed “Changing a temporary address into a permanent address” form
- a valid passport or an identity card with a photograph
- original and, if necessary, legalised certificates of family relationships if your family relationships have not yet been recorded. Read more about the legalisation and translation of documents.
Frequently asked questions
If you already have a Finnish personal identity code, you can register a temporary address in Finland by submitting a notification of temporary move to Finland to the post office. Select the section “temporary change of address” in the form.
You can apply for a municipality of residence when the conditions for receiving a municipality of residence listed at the beginning of the page are met.
You can only be granted a municipality of residence once you have received a positive decision on the registration of an EU citizen’s right of residence. However, if your family member already has a municipality of residence in Finland, you can be granted a municipality of residence before the decision of the Finnish Immigration Service.
A municipality of residence may be granted from the date on which the conditions for receiving a municipality of residence are met. However, the date on which the municipality of residence is granted cannot go back more than one month of the date on which you submitted the notification.
If your family relations have not yet been stored and you want to notify them, do the following:
If getting a municipality of residence
- requires a personal visit: bring with you the original family relations certificate and, if necessary, its translation and the completed family relations form.
- does not require a personal visit: provide us with the original or certified copy of the family relations certificate and, if necessary, its translation and the completed family relations form.
Please, find the correct form and more detailed instructions in "Life changes while living abroad".
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