Dealing with authorities - yhteiskuntaorientaatio.fi
Immigrants often deal with many different authorities
Authorities are public agencies, institutions and other places where officials work. Each authority has their own regulated tasks and areas of responsibility. Here we present some of the central authorities that you may need to contact once you have moved to Finland.
Finnish Immigration Service
The Finnish Immigration Service (Maahanmuuttovirasto, Migri) decides about immigration, asylum, refugee matters and citizenship, as well as maintains the Finnish reception system. The Immigration Service is also responsible for admitting alien’s passports and refugee travel documents, as well as running the assistance system for victims of human trafficking.
Most people who move to Finland deal with the Immigration Service before arriving in Finland or soon after they apply for a residence permit or, in the case of citizens of the European Union, register their right of residence.
More information about the Finnish Immigration Service: Finnish Immigration Service (migri.fi) (Finnish, Swedish, English)
Digital and Population Data Services Agency
The Digital and Population Data Services Agency (Digi- ja väestötietovirasto, DVV) is responsible for Finland’s population information system as a registrar. The population information system is a national register, which collects basic information about every Finnish citizen and everyone who lives in Finland, including their personal information, home municipality, address and often also information on close family relations. When a person’s information is registered into the population information system for the first time, they receive a Finnish identity code.
Managing matters in Finland is easier once your personal information and family relations have been registered into the population information system. It is also important that your address and other information is up to date in the system.
The Digital and Population Data Services Agency is a part of many life events in Finland. It manages civil marriages, registering children’s names, and name changes. The Digital and Population Data Services Agency also promotes digitalisation of society.
More information about the Digital and Population Data Services Agency: DVV.fi (Finnish, Swedish, English)
Tax Administration
The Tax Administration (Verohallinto, Vero) is responsible for collecting most taxes in Finland. The Tax Administration is also responsible for transferring the taxes to public agents whose activities are funded through taxes. The Tax Administration also gives advice on matters connected to paying taxes. A person who has moved to Finland has to apply for a tax card from the Tax Administration when they start work in Finland.
More information about the Tax Administration: Vero.fi (Finnish, Swedish, English)
Kela
The Social Insurance Institution of Finland, Kela, is largely responsible for the social security of those living or working in Finland by paying financial benefits. The purpose of social security is to secure a person’s income when they are not able to take care of it themselves. This can be due to age, illness, unemployment, having a child or studying.
The right to receive Kela benefits usually requires living or working in Finland. The right to receive benefits depends on the need for support and the service. When someone has moved to Finland, their right to receive benefits and services depends on whether they have come to Finland for work, education or some other reason.
More information about Kela: Kela.fi (Finnish, Swedish, English)
Employment services
Employment services are services which help people find employment. Employment services are usually organised by a regional employment area consisting of multiple municipalities. Employment services offer advice and guidance as well as other services for people who are looking for work. Registering as a jobseeker with the employment services is one of the prerequisites for being granted unemployment benefits.
More information on employment services: Job Market Finland (tyomarkkinatori.fi) (Finnish, Swedish, English)
Municipality
The municipality is responsible for many everyday services. Immigrants receive services from the municipality to help with integration. The municipality organises children’s early childhood education and care, pre-primary education and comprehensive education. Most general upper secondary education and vocational education is also organised by municipalities. Other services provided by the municipality include libraries, youth centres, and housing services.
You can find more information about integration services, applying for school or early childhood education, and other municipal services from your own municipality.
Health and social services
Wellbeing services counties (hyvinvointialue) manage health and social services. Social services include, e.g., social work and guidance as well as services for families, such as home services and parenting guidance and family counselling (kasvatus- ja perheneuvonta). Social services also include services for the elderly, such as home care, services to support mobility, and housing services, as well as services for the disabled such as equipment and transportation services. Social services also include services to help promote integration.
Health services include primary health care provided by health centres, hospital services, oral health services, mental health care, maternity clinics and child health clinics (äitiys- ja lastenneuvola), and school health care meant for school children.
You can find more information about health and social services from your own wellbeing services county’s website.
Police
The police take care of the everyday safety of society, oversee order and abiding to traffic laws, and solve crimes. The police are also responsible for many permits. Many who move to Finland go to the police station in order to receive their Finnish identity card. The police are respected authorities in Finland and research shows that Finnish people have high trust in the police’s operations.
More information about the Police: Poliisi.fi (Finnish, Swedish, English)
Patent and Registration Office
The Patent and Registration Office (Patentti- ja rekisterihallitus, PRH) maintains a register of companies, organisations and foundations in Finland. The Patent and Registration Office also grants patents and registers trademarks in Finland. If you become an entrepreneur in Finland, in some cases it is necessary to register for the Trade Register maintained by the Patent and Registration Office.
More information about the Patent and Registration Office: PRH.fi (Finnish, Swedish, English)
Finnish National Agency for Education
The central task of the Finnish National Agency for Education (Opetushallitus, OPH) is to compile the national core curriculum for different school grades in Finland. A person who has moved to Finland needs to contact the Agency for Education if they want their foreign degree to be recognised in Finland. The Agency for Education is also responsible for the National Certificate of Language Proficiency test, the YKI test. When applying for Finnish citizenship, the YKI test can be used to prove proficiency in Finnish or Swedish. Participation in the YKI test costs money. The National Agency for Education also maintains a register of authorised translators.
More information on Opetushallitus: Finnish National Agency for Education (oph.fi) (Finnish, Swedish, English)
Authorities in Finland are regulated by law
In Finland, the operations of all authorities are governed by the Administrative Procedure Act (hallintolaki). In addition to this, the operations of many authorities are regulated by laws dictating which matters belong to that authority’s scope of responsibility. The scope of responsibility means those matters in which the authority in question has the power to decide on. Some matters connected to authority operations, such as processing personal information, are regulated by EU legislation.
Because authorities are strictly regulated by law in Finland, they can sometimes feel inflexible. For example, prioritising one client’s matters ahead of others’ or making an exception is often impossible or it is only possible for a justified or especially dire reason. These reasons have usually been defined beforehand, and a single official cannot deviate from the rules even if they want to. The purpose of this is that everyone receives equal treatment and authority decisions are done according to the law.
Good administration principles secure the rights of the client
Authorities are governed by the principles of good administration. The principles of good administration have been defined in the law. These principles include that:
- Authority activities must be equal, meaning that authorities must treat people equally, consistently and without discrimination. For example, a tax authority employee cannot give their relative a lower tax percentage than someone else with the same situation.
- Activities must be unbiased. For example, a municipality cannot give all new construction projects to one construction company merely because the company’s president belongs to the same party as the mayor.
- An authority can only use their power for acceptable purposes defined by the law. For example, a police officer cannot use their authority for personal gain.
- Authority activities must be proportional to the intended benefit. It would be unreasonable if a speeding ticket for driving slightly above the speed limit would be as large as a ticket for driving significantly over the limit.
In addition to these basic principles, the law dictates that authorities must give free-of-charge guidance in matters belonging to their area and answer questions and inquiries regarding their operations. If the question regards a matter which is not within the authority’s area, the client must be directed to the correct authority.
Good administration also entails that authorities cannot be bribed to give special treatment. Bribing authorities is illegal in Finland.
Deliberation is limited and governed
Sometimes authorities can use deliberation. Deliberation means that the law does not explicitly dictate decision-making, but rather the official can use some amount of deliberation. The law limits when deliberation can be used and how much freedom the official has to choose between different options.
The decision is based on a comprehensive evaluation of the situation. Decisions received by different people can thus differ if their situations are different when viewed broadly.
The client has legally regulated rights when dealing with authorities
The right to receive decisions in writing
The law states the rights and obligations of a person dealing with authorities. The client always has the right to receive information about the decisions made by authorities in writing. In the letter, the authority justifies the decision and explains which matters the authority has considered while making the decision.
These letters are official documents and their language is dictated by law and is rather formal. Therefore, they can sometimes be difficult to understand. You can ask the authority to explain the content of the letter if you are not sure what it means. The letter contains contact information for asking for more information.
The client has the right to receive an estimate of the processing time
The client has the right to receive an estimate of how long it will take to process their application. Authorities are also obligated to answer questions about the progression of the application. The processing time is an estimate and sometimes it may take a longer or shorter amount of time to process the application. The duration may vary depending on how complex the matter is and if the authorities need to ask for more information from the client.
An erroneous decision can be rectified
If you do not understand the decision you have received, you should always contact the authority responsible for the decision. The authority can explain the decision.
An erroneous decision can usually be rectified or appealed. Along with the decision, the authority must give the client written instructions for how to make a request for rectification or an appeal. The client must submit a written request for rectification or an appeal within a certain time of receiving the decision. The authority must consider the decision and the reasons behind it again. If the authority states that the decision was erroneous, it will be rectified and a new decision will be granted.
It is also possible to file a complaint about an authority’s activities. A complaint can only be filed if you think that the official has acted against the law. A complaint is not a means to apply for a change to a decision made by the authorities.
In some cases, the authorities can arrange for an interpreter
In Finland, the Language Act ensures everyone the right to use Finnish or Swedish with national authorities. With local authorities, there is the right to use Finnish or Swedish in bilingual municipalities or wellbeing services counties. Many authorities also offer services in English.
In some situations, the authorities are obligated to arrange an interpreter for a client who is unable to manage their matter in Finnish or Swedish. Usually this is the case if the matter is initiated by the authority. Sometimes an interpreter can be provided in other situations as well. You can ask the authority if it is possible to receive an interpreter in your case.
If you need an interpreter, you should bring this up when reserving an appointment with the authority. If you do not come to an appointment for which an interpreter has been arranged and you do not cancel the appointment in time, you may need to pay for the unused interpretation.
Interpreters arranged by the authorities are always neutral, professional interpreters. They cannot affect the processing of the matter. A professional interpreter is under a confidentiality agreement, meaning that they cannot tell anyone what has been discussed during the interpreting situation.
In this video, the role of an interpreter in dealings with authorities is explained in more detail.
Video: KotonaSuomessa ENGLANTI What should you know about officials’ and interpreters’ roles in Finland? – YouTube (Finnish, Swedish, English, Russian, Somali, Persian, Arabic, Thai, Kurdish)
If it is not possible to receive a professional interpreter arranged by the authorities, you can arrange for an interpreter yourself. In this case, you pay for the interpreter. In some cases, you can bring a friend or a family member to help with the proceedings. It is however important that everyone manages their own personal matters themselves. An underage child should never be used as an interpreter.
What to remember when dealing with authorities
Applications must be filled carefully
Usually, you need to apply for a service or a decision before the authorities grant a decision. When you apply for a decision, service, benefit, or support, the application must be filled carefully and the given information must be correct. When you sign the application, you commit to giving correct and truthful information.
Justifications must be presented in the application
The client is obligated to present the authority with the necessary information and documents in their application. The client cannot deliberately leave out information that would affect the authority’s decision.
Information must be kept up to date
The client must always inform the authorities if their situation changes in some relevant way. For example, if you receive housing allowance from Kela, you must inform Kela if you move into another home or your income changes. If Kela pays too much allowance due to wrong information or, for example, going abroad, this money must be paid back.
If someone has not notified changes to their circumstances, they may at worst face criminal charges in addition to having to pay the money back. The applicant is obligated to find out and inform the authorities of matters which affect the right to benefits, for instance, labour market subsidy.
It is important to make sure that all applications and notifications to authorities are submitted at the right time. For example, the pre-completed tax return sent by the Tax Administration needs to be checked and possible changes need to be submitted by the due date. If mistakes in the tax return are not fixed or income is not reported, this may be considered tax evasion. Tax evasion is a crime.
Similarly, an extended residence permit must be applied for well before the previous residence permit expires. Each person is personally responsible for taking care of such matters.
It is important to ask if you do not understand something
When a client provides information about themselves and their situation to the authorities, they assure that the information is correct. That is why it is important to ask for advice or an explanation if you do not understand something, for instance, in the application. Otherwise, you may accidentally provide the wrong information.
Everybody is personally responsible for providing the authorities with accurate and current information. Providing wrong information can lead to an erroneous decision. Purposefully giving the wrong information to the authorities can even lead to criminal charges.
Everybody has the right to manage their own affairs
In Finland, it is assumed that adults manage their own affairs with the authorities. It is not customary for a husband to manage dealings on behalf of his wife. Finland has an individualistic and equal culture where everybody has the right to manage their own information and make agreements regarding themselves on their own. Managing one’s own matters also promotes a person’s integration and increases their sense of inclusion.
Authorities are usually not allowed to give away information to anyone but the person whom the information regards. Information regarding children can be handed over to the official guardians of the child. In some cases, even an underage child needs to consent to giving their health information to their guardians.
Sometimes a person cannot manage something on their own, for example, if they are ill or away on a trip. In these cases, it is usually possible to authorise another person to manage the matter on their behalf. This authorisation should be provided in writing. This can be done with a power of attorney, and you can find templates for this. Granting power of attorney is always voluntary. No one is allowed to pressure another person into giving away the right to manage their own business.
A personal identity code identifies a person more accurately than just a name
A personal identity code is an individualised code given to all people who are registered in the Finnish population information system. Living in Finland or being a Finnish citizen usually results in this registration.
Two people can never have the same identity code. With the identity code, people can be identified even if they have the exact same name and birth date. Once a person receives an identity code, it stays the same forever – except for some specific exceptions. Even if a person moves away from Finland for many years or even decades, the personal identity code remains.
With the identity code, authorities can ensure that the information is connected to the correct person. Many private agents such as banks use identity codes to recognise people. It helps with transferring information between different authorities and agents.
A personal identity code is extremely important in Finland and it is required in almost all dealings with authorities. Often an identity code is also required for renting a home, opening a phone subscription and opening a bank account. You should never share your identity code to strangers without reason because it is possible for criminals to use identity codes, for instance, to apply for loans in another’s name.
More information about identity codes, Digital and Population Data Services Agency : The personal identity code (dvv.fi) (Finnish, Swedish, English)
More information about identity codes and registering personal information in the population information system, InfoFinland : Registering as a resident (infofinland.fi)
Some information is transferred automatically between authorities, but sometimes an authority needs consent from the client to receive information
The Digital and Population Data Services Agency’s population information system is a basic register used by Finnish authorities. Authorities usually directly receive a person’s basic information from the system – meaning their name, address and home municipality. With children, the authorities usually also see who the guardians of the child are. Banks also receive this basic information directly from the population information system.
Otherwise, the information authorities can receive about a person from other authorities depends on the situation. Processing personal information and receiving this information is always governed by legislation and the task of the authority in question. The authorities usually have the right to receive information which is crucial for deciding on the client’s matter without separate consent from the client. For example, Kela can receive information about the client’s job seeking from the employment services if the client has applied for unemployment benefit. In other cases, the authority must first ask the client for consent to disclose information.
With healthcare and social services, other than the client’s own wellbeing services county’s health and social services must gain consent from the client before seeing their information. If a person goes to the hospital in a wellbeing services county other than their own, the staff will be unable to see all entries made in a different wellbeing services county without the client’s consent.
The authorities always only have the right to receive information about a person that the authority has a legal justification for. Even if an official has access to data about a person in the authority’s system, the official is only allowed to view this information if it is necessary for their work.
Authorities strive to promote digital services
In Finland, authorities have moved toward using digital services. A digital service means that clients manage their matters independently online. They do not have to visit an office or call customer service.
Digital services provide benefits to both the authorities and the clients. For authorities, digital services are cheaper because there is less need for customer service representatives. When a client fills their information into a digital form, they are easy to transfer into the authority’s digital system.
For the client, it is convenient that matters can be managed on their own computer or smartphone wherever and whenever they want. Filing paid applications is often also cheaper when they are done digitally.
In addition to clients being able to manage most matters with authorities through digital services, the messages authorities send to clients are also becoming primarily digital. In Finland, the target is that most people would receive decisions and other messages from authorities digitally in the Suomi.fi message service instead of receiving them at home as a letter. The message service can be downloaded as an application on smartphones.
Suomi.fi is a website maintained by the Finnish state. In addition to the message service, the site also contains links to the digital services of different authorities and a substantial amount of information about authorities’ services in Finland.
More information about the Suomi.fi service: Suomi.fi (Finnish, Swedish, English)
Many municipalities have service points which offer support to help with the use of digital services of authorities.
More information about digital support services: Digital Support (suomi.fi)
If you cannot or do not want to use digital services, you can usually also visit an office or customer service location or call. An appointment must be booked for visits. Sometimes matters cannot be managed online or on the phone and a visit in person is required. This is the case, for instance, when you apply for a Finnish identity code or identity card for the first time.
Strong identification is usually done with online banking credentials
Digital services in Finland usually require strong identification. This means that a person reliably verifies their identity when using digital services. It is equivalent to a person showing their identity card in person. Using strong identification usually requires a Finnish identity code.
Strong identification is done with online banking credentials, a mobile certificate or an ID card’s chip. Using an ID card’s chip for digital services requires separate software and a card reader for the computer. Most people use their banking credentials for digital services.
Online banking credentials are supplied by your own bank. Usually, the credentials should be requested at the same time as opening a bank account. There are tighter requirements for online banking credentials than for opening an account. Sometimes a bank cannot grant online banking credentials even if they open an account. The bank may require a person to have an identity card granted by the Finnish police.
Online banking credentials and other tools for strong identification are always personal. They can never be given to another person to use. Information submitted and contracts signed while logged in through strong identification are as valid as those signed with a personal signature.