Strong identification for e-services

Foreign citizens can use Finnish e-services if use of the e-service is possible with common European means of identification or if the e-service has introduced use of the Finnish Authenticator application for identification.

Identification using common European means of identification

Common European means of identification (elDAS) allows the safe use of e-services provided by public administration in Europe across national borders. EU countries have an obligation to introduce common European means of identification but a number of EEA countries outside the EU are also introducing the system. 

In Finland, identification has been implemented in connection with Suomi.fi e-Identification. Tokens from different countries can be used for e-Identification once they have first been approved by the European Union for use in cross-border identification.

As of yet, it is not possible to log in to services of other countries using Finnish identification tokens.

For more information on eIDAS identification, visit the Identification page on the Digital and Population Data Services Agency website.

Identification using the Finnish Authenticator application

The Finnish Authenticator Identification Service is intended for identification in public administration e-services for foreigners, who do not have a Finnish personal identity code and who cannot use Finnish identification tokens or common European means of identification.

Identification of the e-service user has been implemented in connection with Suomi.fi e-Identification. Identification is possible in the public administration e-services that have introduced identification using the Finnish Authenticator application.

More information about the Finnish Authenticator Identification Service

The information transmitted to the e-service varies depending on the identification token you use to log in to the service.

When you use Finnish identification tokens

Suomi.fi e-Identification authenticates your identity based on data contained in the Population Information System.

Only the information that is specified for each service is transmitted from the Population Information System when Suomi.fi e-Identification is being carried out. The information may vary, because different services need different information in order to provide their services. 

Data transmitted from the Population Information System to the e-service may include: 

• Surname  
• First names  
• Preferred name  
• Municipality of residence  
• Permanent address in Finland  
• Temporary address in Finland  
• Postal address in Finland  
• Permanent address abroad  
• Mother tongue (language code)  
• Mother tongue, classification Finnish/Swedish/Sámi/other  
• Communication language  
• Details of death  
• Information about non-disclosure orders  
• Indication of whether or not the person is a Finnish citizen  
• Email address 

If a non-disclosure order has been issued to you, Suomi.fi e-Identification will, as a rule, only send the e-service a notification that you have a non-disclosure, but will not send the address details specified in the non-disclosure order. The details on your municipality of residence and address stored in the Population Information System will only be disclosed to the authorities that have the right to process these according to their official duties.  

For more information and instructions see the Applying for a non-disclosure order page (in Finnish). 

When you use common European means of identification

Your identity cannot be verified from the Finnish Population Information System. Data sent to Finland by another EU Member State is transmitted to the e-service.  It includes the first names, the surname, the date of birth and the unique personal identifier (PID).

When you use the Finnish Authenticator application

Your identity cannot be verified from the Finnish Population Information System. Information on you that is stored in the Register of Foreign Citizens' Identification Tokens will be transmitted to the e-service. This information includes your first names, surname, date of birth and foreigner's user identifier (UID).