Having or adopting a child

Parents of a child born or adopted in Finland do not need to take any action to obtain a personal identity code for the child. The hospital enters the necessary details of all births into the Population Information System, and when the child’s birth is registered, a personal identity code is issued to the child.

Read more about personal identity code

Adoption

If you want to adopt a Finnish child, you must submit a written application to a court for granting the adoption. Before submitting the application, you must request adoption counselling from the social services of your municipality of residence. Under certain conditions, a court also grants the adoption of an adult. The court enters the details of the adoption into the Population Information System.

Notification of a child’s name

The form ‘Notification of a child’s personal details’ is sent to the child’s mother after the details have been registered. The child’s personal identity code is also given on the form. The names and the native language of the child must be submitted within three months of the child’s birth to the Digital and Population Data Services Agency or to the parish if the child becomes a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church or the Orthodox Church of Finland.

Read more about submitting notification of a child's name

A child born outside Finland

Finnish citizens born abroad are issued with a personal identity code after the Digital and Population Data Services Agency has registered the child in the Population Information System at the parents’ request.

Read more about registering a child born outside Finland

Confirmation of parenthood

The purpose of establishing paternity is to obtain the information required for determining the child’s father. Establishing the paternity is the responsibility of the municipal child welfare officer. Paternity is established by the municipal child welfare officer and confirmed by the Digital and Population Data Services Agency. If the child was born during a marriage, the child’s father is automatically the spouse. If you are not married, your paternity must be established and confirmed.

In addition to the mother who gave birth to the child, the woman who has given her consent to fertility treatment can also be confirmed as the mother.

More infomation about confirming parenthood