To do as soon as you arrive in Finland

If your family members are citizens of Nordic countries and move to Finland with you, they can request a personal identity code from the Digital and Population Data Services Agency.

• Complete the online form for each family member and you can also apply for a municipality of residenceOpens in a new window..
• Book an appointment at a service location of the Digital and Population Data Services Agency Opens in a new window.(DVV). Opens in a new window.

Your family member must register their right of residence as EU citizens in the Enter Finland serviceOpens in a new window.. 

They must visit the Finnish Immigration Service in person to prove their identity. Visit the Finnish Immigration Service together, if possible. Otherwise, book an appointment for the identification of the family members in the Finnish Immigration Service‘s appointment systemOpens in a new window..

Your family members do not need to apply for a residence permit. They must apply for the residence card of an EU citizen’s family memberOpens in a new window.. 

Your family members must visit the Finnish Immigration Service in person to prove their identity. Visit the Finnish Immigration Service together, if possible. Otherwise, book an appointment for the identification of the family members in the Finnish Immigration Service‘s appointment systemOpens in a new window..

Your family member needs the following documents:

• a valid passport or an official identity card with a photograph 
• original certificates of family relations. You can submit the certificates in Finnish, Swedish or English. If the certificate is in some other language, have it translated.

Your family member needs the following documents:

• a valid passport or an official identity card with a photograph 
• original certificates of family relations You can submit the certificates in Finnish, Swedish or English. If the certificate is in some other language, have it translated.

In addition, your family member must have the certificate of registration of the right to residence of an EU citizen, which they can obtain in Finland from the Finnish Immigration Service.

Your family member needs the following documents: 

• a valid passport
• a residence permit card
• The original, legalised and translated certificates of family relations. Remember to check if the certificates must be legalised or translated. Read the instructions for legalisationOpens in a new window..

You can have documents and certificates translated:

• By an authorised translator in Finland. For more information about authorised translators, go to the website of the Finnish National Agency for Education (the information is in Finnish)Opens in a new window.. You do not need to legalise the translation. 
• By an official translator in another EU Member State. You do not need to legalise the translation. 
• A standard form, which you can use as a translation aid, can be attached to a public document issued by an EU Member State. You can request more information on the standard forms from the authorities of the country from which you obtain the certificate. You do not need to legalise the standard form.
• You can also order the translation from a translator that is not authorised or does not have any official status. In such cases, the translation must be legalised. Read the instructions for legalisationOpens in a new window..

If your underage child moves to Finland, you can manage your child’s matters if your guardianship has been registered. For example, healthcare, day-care centres and schools give information about the child only to the official guardians. 

If your spouse moves to Finland, it is advisable to also register your marriage in Finland.

You will be eligible for an unemployment benefit only if you have registered as a jobseeker. 

You can also get help and support in

• seeking a job
• getting a clearer idea of your career alternatives
• adapting to Finland
• learning Finnish.

You can get unemployment benefit for 3–6 months from the country in which you have worked last. In that case, you have to fill in the U2 form with the employment authorities of the country of origin and bring it with you to the employment services in Finland. To get the unemployment benefit, you have to have registered as an unemployed jobseeker. 

You will find additional information about transferring your unemployment benefit and the U2 form in the EU’s Your Europe portalOpens in a new window..

Local employment official usually grants you the right to unemployment benefits if you are:

• capable of working
• registered as an unemployed jobseeker with the employment services
• ready to work full-time
• ready to participate in courses offered to you.

Once you have been granted the right to unemployment benefit, you can apply for the benefit from Kela or the unemployment fund of which you are a member.

Read about applying for unemployment benefit in more detail on Kela’s websiteOpens in a new window..

Usually, you can only join an unemployment fund when you are in an employment relationship. However, if you move to Finland from another EU country in which you have worked, you can also join an unemployment fund when you are unemployed. In this case, your previous work in another EU country may affect the amount of your unemployment benefit if you apply for unemployment benefit in Finland.

Typically, you must register with a Finnish unemployment fund within one month of moving to Finland or when your previous job has ended.

Read more about joining an unemployment fund from the Federation of Unemployment Funds in Finland (TYJ) siteOpens in a new window..

Employment services help and support you in

• seeking a job
• getting a clearer idea of your career alternatives
• adapting to Finland
• learning Finnish.

Your spouse will be eligible for an unemployment benefit only if they have registered as a jobseeker.

Your spouse will need a residence permit before registering in the employment services, if they are not a citizen of an EU Member State, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, or Switzerland.

Your spouse can receive unemployment benefit for 3–6 months from the country in which they last worked when they are a citizen of an EU Member State, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, or Switzerland. In that case, they have to fill in the U2 form with the employment authorities of their country of origin and bring it with them to the employment services in Finland.

The local employment official usually grants the right to unemployment benefits if a person is:

• capable of working
• registered as an unemployed jobseeker with the employment services.
• ready to work full-time
• ready to participate in courses offered.

Once a person has been granted the right to unemployment benefit, they can apply for the benefit from Kela or an unemployment fund.

Read about applying for unemployment benefit in more detail on Kela’s websiteOpens in a new window..

Usually, you can only join an unemployment fund when you are in an employment relationship. However, if your spouse moves to Finland from another EU country in which they have worked, they can also join an unemployment fund when unemployed. In this case, their previous work in another EU country may affect the amount of their unemployment benefit.

Typically, you must register with a Finnish unemployment fund within one month of moving to Finland or when your previous job has ended.

Read more about joining an unemployment fund from the Federation of Unemployment Funds in Finland (TYJ) siteOpens in a new window..

Some European countries belong to both the customs territory and the fiscal territory of the EU. Some countries belong to only one of them. A list of the countries in the customs and fiscal territory of the EU can be found on the website of the Finnish CustomsOpens in a new window.. 

If you are not sure whether you should clear your removal goods through the customs, ask Customs for advice. 

You do not need to clear your removal goods through the customs.

Usually, you also do not need to pay any customs duties or tax on your removal goods.

You must clear your removal goods through the customs.

Whether you have to pay customs duty and tax on your removal goods depends on the case. You usually have to pay duties and tax if you move to Finland without compelling reason and

• you have lived outside the EU for less than 12 months
• durables such as a computer, a television and furniture have been in your use for less than 6 months before moving
• you bring your removal goods to be used for some other purpose than the purpose for which they were used in your previous place of residence 
• you do not clear your goods through the customs within 12 months of your move.

Also pay attention to: 

• Customs requires you to provide certificates proving that the conditions for exemption from customs duty and taxes are met. These include, for example, a long-term residence outside the EU. 
• If you decide to sell, rent out or pawn your removal goods before 12 months have passed from your move to Finland, you have to pay the customs duties and taxes on them. 
• There are certain items you cannot import to Finland when you move here. These include such things as alcohol and tobacco products and some tools which are used by professionals.

Read about clearing removal goods in more detail on the website of the Finnish CustomsOpens in a new window..