Municipality of residence in Finland

Municipal services include schools, early childhood education and immigrant integration services. Services of the wellbeing services county (hyvinvointialue) include health services and social services.

A municipality of residence is also needed for obtaining a Finnish identity card (henkilökortti) and driving licence (ajokortti). Having a municipality of residence is useful if you plan to stay in Finland for the time being. 

You should find out whether you and your family members have the right to a municipality of residence in Finland. The right to a municipality of residence in Finland is determined according to the Municipality of Residence Act. You can check from the Digital and Population Data Services Agency (Digi- ja väestötietovirasto) whether you have the right to a municipality of residence in Finland.

In order to get a municipality of residence in Finland, you must move to Finland for at least one year. If you live in Finland temporarily, for example if you move to Finland for less than a year for studies or work, you usually cannot get a municipality of residence in Finland.

Once you have a municipality of residence, you have the same rights, services and obligations as permanent residents of Finland.

Your municipality of residence can be in Finland if:

• you are a citizen of Finland or another Nordic country
• you are a citizen of an EU member state, Liechtenstein or Switzerland and have registered your right of residence in Finland with the Finnish Immigration Service (Maahanmuuttovirasto)
• you have a valid permanent (P) or continuous (A) residence permit
• you are a family member of a person who has a municipality of residence in Finland
• If you have a temporary residence permit (B permit) valid for at least one year, you can get a municipality of residence in Finland as long as you can demonstrate that you intend to live in Finland permanently.

The following factors among others can demonstrate permanent residence:

• you have a job in Finland and your employment contract is valid for at least two years
• you are studying in Finland and your studies will take at least two years
• you have previously had a municipality of residence in Finland
• you have continuously resided in Finland for at least one year
• you are Finnish by descent.

Your municipality of residence is usually the municipality in which you live. If you have no accommodation or have accommodation in several municipalities, your municipality of residence is the municipality you yourself consider your municipality of residence and to which you have a close connection, for example through your family ties or job.

You can apply for a municipality of residence primarily using an online form. After you have submitted the form, you usually also need to visit the Digital and Population Data Services Agency in person. If the entire family is requesting a municipality of residence, all family members must be present at the visit.