Citizens of the European Union do not require a residence permit to live and work in Finland, but staying longer than three months requires registering your right of residence, unless you are a Nordic citizen registering directly with the authorities. An EU citizen may start work immediately on arrival, but if you register on the basis of employment or studies, you cannot register with Migri until your job or studies have actually begun. Once Migri registers your right of residence, DVV can grant a personal identity code and a municipality of residence.
Who registers, who does not, and the 3-month rule
Citizens of EU member states, Nordic countries, Liechtenstein and Switzerland do not need a residence permit to stay in Finland. An EU, Liechtenstein or Swiss citizen staying longer than 3 months without interruption applies for EU registration, though Danish and Swedish citizens follow the Nordic registration route instead; 3 months or less needs no registration.
The 3-month count restarts each time you come back to Finland from abroad. While living in Finland you must have a valid passport or identity card.
Danish, Icelandic, Norwegian and Swedish citizens register their personal data with DVV and do not apply for EU registration at Migri. You can read more about how this fits into the broader system in our guide to moving to Finland.
The grounds for registering, and what to prove for each
Registration requires grounds—employee, self-employed person, student, family member of an EU citizen, or sufficient financial resources.
Registration on the basis of employment is possible only after the employment has begun. Employees attach an employment contract or employer's document; payslips and bank statements from the past 3 months can help. If you are planning your move around work, see our guide to finding a job in Finland.
Students can be registered only after studies have started; an admission letter is not enough, a certificate of attendance or national learner ID is needed. Students must give an assurance of sufficient financial resources.
There is no fixed sum for the sufficient-resources ground; social assistance must not be the main means of support, and Migri considers personal circumstances.
If your grounds change, for example from study to work, the registration does not need to be renewed. The detailed grounds and required attachments are set out on the Migri registration page.
Applying with Migri — online, in Finland, in person
Registration can only be applied for in Finland, after moving there permanently, online in Enter Finland or on paper form EU_REK. You must apply yourself; an employer or family member cannot, though a parent can apply for a child.
EU registration costs €53, online or on paper.
You prove your identity at a Migri service point, bringing your passport or ID card and the original documents; documents not in Finnish, Swedish or English need an authorised translation.
If everything is in order you can get the paper registration certificate at the service-point visit; otherwise it comes later in Enter Finland or by post. The registration is valid until further notice and never needs extending. Migri estimates EU registration at 2 months in most cases; there is no statutory maximum.
After registration — DVV, identity code, municipality of residence
An EU citizen may start work immediately on arrival, with an unrestricted right to work while the registration is pending.
After Migri registers the right of residence, DVV can grant a personal identity code and a municipality of residence and record a permanent address. A municipality of residence requires having arrived, staying legally and intending to live in Finland for at least one year, plus a condition such as Nordic citizenship or a registered right of residence with Migri. Learn more about the support system in our overview of Kela benefits.
If you request a personal identity code from DVV with its form, everyone being registered must visit in person within 1 month of submitting it, bringing the EU registration certificate. DVV registration is free of charge. For the wider sequence of settling in, consult our guide to first steps after moving to Finland.
A Finnish identity card can be applied for from the police once Migri has registered the right of residence. For a child born in Finland, apply for EU registration within 3 months of birth.
Non-EU family members — the residence card
A non-EU family member of a citizen of the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland staying over 3 months applies for a residence card rather than a registration. Family members include a spouse, a cohabiting partner (two years in the same household or a child in joint custody), children under 21 or dependent, dependent parents, and dependent other relatives.
The residence card is usually issued for 5 years, or for the length of a shorter stay; apply for a new one before it expires. The family member's residence card costs €53. A family member's residence card takes 4 months in most cases, with a statutory maximum of 6 months.
The card can only be applied for in Finland, and only while the EU-citizen family member also lives in Finland; it lapses if they move away. Entry can be on a visa or visa-free. The family member may work in any field from arrival if the EU citizen already lives in Finland.
Family of a Finnish citizen can use this route only if the Finn lived at least 3 months in another EU country and you moved to Finland directly from there; otherwise apply as the spouse of a Finnish citizen, following the rules for marrying a Finnish citizen.
Nordic citizens — registering at DVV instead
Someone moving to Finland from another Nordic country to live must register in person at a DVV service location with a valid identity document showing nationality, such as a passport. Danish, Icelandic, Norwegian and Swedish citizens register their personal data with DVV and do not apply for EU registration at Migri.
Register as soon as possible and no later than one month after moving, following the instructions on moving between the Nordic countries. Under the Nordic population registration agreement everyone must appear in person; a parent cannot register children on their behalf.
Giving your personal number from the other Nordic country lets DVV transfer your data electronically and notify the country you left.
Permanent right of residence after 5 years
An EU citizen who has lived legally in Finland for a continuous 5 years has the right of permanent residence. Continuity is not broken by absences of up to 6 months a year, by military service, or by one absence of up to 12 consecutive months for important reasons such as childbirth, serious illness, study or a posting.
A certificate of permanent residence is voluntary—the right does not depend on it—but it is an easy way to prove the right. The certificate costs €53. A non-EU family member who has lived in Finland legally and without interruption for 5 years can apply for a permanent residence card. Once a family member gains permanent residence, their right no longer depends on the EU citizen's.
The right of permanent residence is not the same as a permanent address, which DVV records. After permanent residence, some choose to explore Finnish citizenship.
UK citizens and the Withdrawal Agreement
The application period for a Brexit permit (right of residence under the Withdrawal Agreement) ended on 30 September 2021; a British resident needs a Brexit permit or a residence permit.
A British citizen moving to Finland now who did not live there before 1 January 2021 must apply for an ordinary residence permit. Someone who lived in Finland before 1 January 2021 but missed the deadline may still apply, explaining the delay; work and study rights continue while it is processed.
A Brexit permit gives an unrestricted right to work in any sector. Brexit permits are valid until further notice but the card must be renewed every 5 years; those without permanent status apply for the permanent Brexit permit when the card expires.
Family members of a Brexit-permit holder can join and apply within 3 months of arriving if the family was formed before 1 January 2021; children born or adopted later can be added within 3 months.
