🇫🇮
Daily life in Finland
Daily life in Finland becomes much easier once you have your local ID or tax number, address registration, health cover and a safe way to ask official questions.
Everyday offices in Finland
DVV — Digital & Population Data Agency: Personal identity code, address. Kela — Social Insurance Institution: Health, family, unemployment benefits. Phone: 020 692 200. Vero — Finnish Tax Administration: Tax card (verokortti). Phone: 029 497 050. Oikeusaputoimisto: Legal aid office.
Numbers, banking and benefits
Personal identity code at DVV: Book at DVV or at any tax office. Free. Bring documents — Passport, residence permit / EU registration, marriage/birth certificates translated. Register your address — Done at the same visit. Enables Kela, tax card, bank account. Residence permits via Migri: Fully online. Work, study, family, entrepreneur streams. Apply on Enter Finland — Fee €470–€520 for first permit. Visit an embassy for biometrics. Register with EU registration — EU/EEA citizens instead apply for EU registration certificate at Migri — €54. Register with Kela: After 4 months of intended stay, you become entitled to Kela benefits. Fill Y77 — Attach residence permit, work contract or income proof. Kela decision in ~4 weeks. Kela card — Reimburses part of private care + medicines. Public healthcare is separate (municipal).
Safety, legal help and discrimination
Emergency number: 112. Support line: 080 005 005 (Nollalinja). If you face discrimination, domestic violence, wage theft or housing abuse, ask a legal-aid office, equality body or migrant NGO for free confidential help.
Settling into local routines
Learn the waste-sorting rules, transport pass options, quiet-hour customs, school contact habits and basic phrases in Finnish / Swedish. Small local routines reduce stress and make neighbours, teachers and offices more helpful.
Frequently asked questions
What should I organise first after arriving in Finland?
Start with address registration, residence or ID paperwork, health cover, a bank account if possible, and the key numbers used for tax or social security.
Which office should I contact first in Finland?
Start with DVV — Digital & Population Data Agency. For broader newcomer help, also check Migri — Finnish Immigration Service, DVV — Digital & Population Data Agency, Kela — Social Insurance Institution.
What language will offices use in Finland?
The main administrative language is Finnish / Swedish. Larger offices often offer English or interpreters, but bring translated documents when possible.
Can I use my home country driving licence?
EU licences are valid across the EU. Non-EU licences are usually valid for 6–12 months, after which you must exchange or retake the test.
Is tap water safe?
Yes, tap water is safe and highly regulated across the EU.