{
  "id": "policy/personal-identity-code-required",
  "signature": "AI tells a newcomer to Finland they can open a bank account, sign a phone contract, or register with authorities using just a passport and residence permit",
  "signature_zh": "",
  "regex": "(finland.*(bank account|phone contract|register)|henkilötunnus|finnish personal identity code|hetu.*finland|dvv.*finland)",
  "domain": "policy",
  "category": "administrative_barrier",
  "subcategory": null,
  "root_cause": "Finland requires a Finnish personal identity code (henkilotunnus / hetu) issued by the Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV) before a newcomer can open a bank account, sign most service contracts, or deal with authorities. A passport and residence permit alone are not accepted as the primary identifier. Getting a hetu requires registering with DVV (online form plus an in-person visit), and a full 'municipality of residence' registration - needed for local healthcare, benefits, and a driving licence - additionally requires an intended stay of at least one year.",
  "root_cause_type": "generic",
  "root_cause_zh": "",
  "versions": [
    {
      "version": "any",
      "introduced": null,
      "deprecated": null,
      "removed": null,
      "behavior_change": null,
      "status": "active"
    }
  ],
  "os_specific": {},
  "dead_ends": [
    {
      "action": "Walk into a Finnish bank or telecom shop with only a passport and residence permit expecting to open an account or sign a contract the same day",
      "why_fails": "DVV states a Finnish personal identity code is needed 'when you contact authorities, apply for benefits or open a bank account.' Banks and telecom operators use the hetu as the primary identifier in their systems; without it the application is refused or stalls until the code is issued.",
      "fail_rate": 0.85,
      "condition": "No Finnish personal identity code yet",
      "sources": [
        "https://dvv.fi/en/as-a-foreigner-in-finland"
      ]
    },
    {
      "action": "Assume any newcomer who registers with DVV automatically gets full 'municipality of residence' (kotikunta) status and the local services that come with it",
      "why_fails": "InfoFinland and DVV both specify that a municipality of residence requires an intended stay of at least one year; someone moving for less than a year (e.g. a short study or work placement) usually gets only a temporary identity code without kotikunta, and is not entitled to municipal healthcare, most benefits, or a Finnish driving licence.",
      "fail_rate": 0.6,
      "condition": "Stay of less than 12 months",
      "sources": [
        "https://infofinland.fi/en/moving-to-finland/registering-as-a-resident/municipality-of-residence-in-finland",
        "https://dvv.fi/en/municipality-of-residence"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "workarounds": [
    {
      "action": "Submit DVV's registration form online as soon as your grounds for residence (employment, study place, family tie, or residence permit) are confirmed, then complete the required in-person visit to DVV to receive your personal identity code",
      "success_rate": 0.9,
      "how": "DVV issues the code once your personal data and address are registered in the Population Information System; use the code from that point for banks, Kela, and employers.",
      "condition": "Legal grounds for residence already established",
      "sources": [
        "https://dvv.fi/en/as-a-foreigner-in-finland"
      ]
    },
    {
      "action": "If your stay is under a year, register for a temporary identity code without municipality of residence, and budget for using private healthcare or your home-country coverage in the meantime",
      "success_rate": 0.7,
      "how": "A temporary code still lets you open bank accounts and pay taxes; it does not grant kotikunta-dependent municipal services, so plan health cover separately.",
      "condition": "Stay under 12 months",
      "sources": [
        "https://infofinland.fi/en/moving-to-finland/registering-as-a-resident/municipality-of-residence-in-finland"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "workarounds_zh": [],
  "transition_graph": {
    "leads_to": [],
    "preceded_by": [],
    "frequently_confused_with": [
      "banking/suomi-fi-strong-auth-not-automatic/fi"
    ]
  },
  "official_doc_url": null,
  "official_doc_section": null,
  "error_code": null,
  "verification_tier": "ai_generated",
  "confidence": 0.75,
  "fix_success_rate": 0.8,
  "resolvable": "true",
  "first_seen": "2026-08-20",
  "last_confirmed": "2026-08-20",
  "last_updated": "2026-08-20",
  "evidence_count": 3,
  "tags": [],
  "locale": "en",
  "aliases": [
    "policy/personal-identity-code-required/fi"
  ]
}