Activation of the Finnish Authenticator application

Before registering a foreigner’s user identifier (UID), check if the e-service you want to use supports authentication with Finnish Authenticator app.

You can register a user identifier in following steps:

1. Go to the Finnish Authenticator Identification Service web siteOpens in a new window..
2. Click the register link.
3. Enter your email. If the email is in correct format and not used by any other user, the service sends you a verification link to the email.
4. Verify your email by clicking the link sent to your email. Note that the link is valid 24 hours only and it can be used only once. If you are unable to continue within that time, you must start the registration from the beginning.
5. After verifying the email, you will be redirected to service and asked to read conditions and terms of use. If you mark them read, you can continue the registration process. If you decide not to continue the registration process, no account will be created and the email will be erased from the system.
6. Enter and confirm the password of your choice. The password needs to follow certain password complexity.

After successfully setting your password, your account is created and the user identifier (UID) is assigned to you.

After the registration you may log in to the Finnish Authenticator Identification Service, but you still cannot use the Finnish government e-services. You need to elevate your account status by doing the ID proofing with the Finnish Authenticator app.

Note that your account will be blocked if you don’t use your UID in 4 years. If you don’t request the activation by latest on January 1st of the next calendar year your account will be deleted.

After the initial registration of your user identifier (UID) at the Finnish Authenticator Identification Service you can continue directly the ID proofing by logging in with your UID or email and password. 

ID proofing will be done in following steps.

Install and register the Finnish Authenticator app

1. Click Start at the Account Activation page.
2. Install the Finnish Authenticator app on your mobile device with camera. Select either Google Play Store (Android) or App Store (iOS) depending on your mobile device. 
3. Click Next when installation is finished.
4. Choose a name for your app. You can install the app on different devices and choose individual app name for each device (for example MyHomeApp or WorkPhone). This way you can tell the devices apart and decide which one to use.
5. Click Next after you choose the name.
6. Open the Finnish Authenticator app and click Register.
7. If you are using the app and the Finnish Authenticator Identification Service with different devices, read the QR code with your app. The reading will be done automatically if the app and web page are opened on the same device. 
8. After reading of the QR code you will be asked to choose a PIN code for the app (4–8 numbers). The same PIN will be used when you log in to e-services.
9. Finish registration of the app by entering the PIN. 

Take a photo of your identity document

1. Click Next at the Finnish Authenticator Identification Service.
2. Tend to the app.
3. Take a photo of your valid passport with the app. Take a picture only of the page containing your personal data. If you are a citizen of an EU country or a citizen of San Marino, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, United Kingdom or Switzerland, you may alternatively take a photo of your official photo identity card. Note that a driving licence or an alien’s passport are not accepted for ID proofing.
4. After reading successfully your identity document you will be automatically directed to the next step.

Note that the process can fail because of low quality of the photo. You may retry taking the photo. Avoid reflections and shadows on the document’s surface. Do not block any part of the document with your finger.

Take a photo of yourself

To prove that you are a real person and to verify that you are the same person as on the document photo, you need to take a photo of yourself with the app.

• Find a place where you have a white wall behind your back.
• Position the camera in front of your face like when taking a selfie.
• Look to the camera and follow the instructions given by the app such as blink and turn your head.

The ID proofing process is controlled by the app, and once it is finished you will be redirected to the welcome screen of the Finnish Authenticator Identification Service.

If the ID proofing is successfully passed, the account status is elevated to the level where you may use the app for logging in to the Finnish government e-services. 

If you cannot do the ID proofing immediately after the initial registration, you can do it later in following steps:

1. Log in to the Finnish Authenticator Identification Service with your UID or email and password.
2. Click Start at the welcome page.
3. ID proofing with the app starts again.

If you want to start the ID proofing later while you are already logged in to the service, click the Finnish Authenticator logo to go to the welcome page.

In case something goes wrong during the ID proofing, try first repeating the whole process. Sometimes the reading can fail because the photo is blurry or there are shadows or reflections. In this case retry somewhere else or adjust lighting.

If the ID proofing fails 4 times in the app, you will be given an option to send assistance request for the Customer Service. In this case, you will be asked to give a brief description of the problem and to take a photo of yourself. Once Customer Service have reviewed your assistance request and information about the failed reading you will be informed how to proceed.

Find out about the accessibility of the Finnish Authenticator service.