Moving to Finland 2026: Complete Relocation Guide from Residence Rights to DVV, Tax, Kela, Banking and Family Setup
Moving to Finland in the right order: residence status, legalised documents, housing, DVV and the identity code, municipality, tax card, Kela and a bank.
Short answer
The most reliable relocation order is: first establish the lawful residence/work basis; before travel, legalise/translate civil-status documents where required and arrange housing; after arrival, complete DVV population registration and deal separately with the personal identity code, address and municipality of residence; if working or self-employed, arrange tax-card/prepayment matters with Vero; assess Kela social-security/benefit eligibility separately; then complete banking, strong electronic identification, home insurance, phone/internet, school/daycare and healthcare setup. A Finnish personal identity code printed on a residence-permit card does not automatically mean that a permanent address or municipality of residence has been registered with DVV. EU citizens staying more than three months use Migri EU registration, while Nordic citizens use the DVV route.
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Relocation to Finland1. Before moving to Finland
Identify the correct residence route: residence permit, EU right of residence or Nordic registration. A non-EU first residence permit is generally filed from abroad; EU/Liechtenstein/Swiss citizens do not need a residence permit but register their EU right of residence for stays over three months.
If moving with spouse/children, obtain birth, marriage, custody and similar civil-status documents before moving. DVV can require originals, legalisation and translation when registering family relationships.
2. Housing, belongings and customs
Arrange housing as early as possible because a real Finnish address is important for many later steps. A rental agreement can also be useful evidence for DVV, banking and other services.
If moving from outside the EU customs/fiscal territory, check Finnish Customs rules for removal goods and possible duty/tax relief. Vehicles, alcohol, tobacco, pets, plants and regulated goods can have separate rules.
3. Correct sequence after arrival
A practical onboarding sequence is: (1) any remaining EU registration and permit card matters at Migri, (2) population, address and municipality of residence registration at DVV, (3) a tax card at Vero, or a prepayment for entrepreneurs, (4) Kela, (5) a bank account and strong identification, (6) insurance, phone and internet, and (7) school and daycare with the municipality, and healthcare with your wellbeing services county (in Helsinki, the city).
These systems are connected but legally distinct. Personal identity code, address, municipality of residence, tax residence and Kela coverage should not be treated as the same status.
4. Vero and the tax card
Employees in Finland generally need a tax card; without appropriate tax-card information withholding can be high. Entrepreneurs may also need tax prepayments and business tax registrations.
Tax residence is not the same as immigration residence. A foreign citizen staying in Finland continuously for more than six months is generally treated as a Finnish tax resident and taxed progressively; shorter stays can fall under nonresident rules, subject to tax treaties.
5. Kela is not automatic
Kela assesses permanent residence or work-based social-security coverage under its own rules. A residence permit or municipality of residence alone does not automatically create entitlement to every Kela benefit.
The reason for moving, employment duration/pattern, family circumstances and EU/EEA coordination rules can affect coverage. Apply or notify Kela separately where benefits or coverage are needed.
6. Bank account and strong electronic identification
A Finnish bank account is useful for salary, payments and access to many services. Banks can request passport/ID, residence status, address, employment/source of funds and tax-residency information under KYC rules.
Online banking credentials are commonly used for strong electronic identification with MyTax, Kela, Suomi.fi and other services. Account opening and strong-ID issuance remain subject to the bank's compliance checks.
7. Families: school, daycare and healthcare
Municipality of residence matters especially for municipal services. Public healthcare, early-childhood education/daycare and comprehensive school access are linked to residence and municipal status.
Correctly registering birth/custody/marriage information in the Population Information System makes school/daycare and other official processes easier. Prepare legalised/translations before moving where required.
8. Example relocation timeline
| Timing | Main tasks |
|---|---|
| 2–3 months before | Permit/registration, family documents, housing, insurance, customs/car research |
| First week | Address, permit-card/D-visa collection, phone/internet, DVV appointment |
| First 1–4 weeks | DVV, tax card, bank, Kela, employer onboarding |
| First 1–2 months | Municipality follow-up, strong ID, healthcare, daycare/school, home insurance |
| Ongoing | Tax return, benefit changes, permit expiry, address changes, family registrations |
9. Relocation checklist
Relocation succeeds through the correct sequence across authorities, not through one single registration.
Checklist
- Has the residence and work basis been confirmed?
- Are the originals, legalisations and translations of the family documents ready?
- Are housing and an address ready?
- Have the customs, car and pet restrictions been checked?
- Have the personal identity code, the address and the municipality been handled separately at DVV?
- Has the employee tax card or the entrepreneur prepayment been arranged?
- Kela assessed separately?
- Are the bank and KYC documents ready?
- Has strong electronic identification been planned?
- Have home insurance, phone and internet been arranged?
- Have school and daycare been arranged with the municipality, and healthcare with the wellbeing services county (in Helsinki, the city)?
- Are the permit, tax and benefit expiry dates and the change notification deadlines in the calendar?
11. Common relocation mistakes
Checklist
- Arriving without legalised and translated marriage and birth certificates; DVV cannot register family relationships without them.
- Paying a deposit from abroad before the landlord has been verified.
- Taking the identity code on the permit card to mean DVV registration is complete.
- Starting work without a tax card: 60% is then withheld from the first pay.
- Waiting for Kela to make contact; the moving notification and the application have to come from you.
- Letting the one- or two-year period for using a foreign driving licence run out.
- Missing the one-week deadline for the notification of move after later address changes.
- Treating the residence permit card as a travel document: you also need your passport when you travel.
Common questions about this topic
If my residence-permit card has a personal identity code, do I still need DVV?
Often yes. A personal identity code alone does not mean that permanent address, municipality of residence or family relationships have all been fully registered in the Population Information System.
Does municipality of residence automatically give Kela coverage?
No. Kela applies its own residence- and work-based social-security rules separately.
Is there a deadline for registering after I arrive in Finland?
EU citizens staying longer than three months must register their right of residence with Migri within three months of arrival. For other newcomers there is no single deadline for the first DVV registration, but the identity code, tax card, bank and Kela depend on it, so do it in the first weeks. Every later notification of move is due no later than one week after moving.
Can I start working before I have a personal identity code?
Yes, if your residence permit or EU right of residence allows work. Your employer needs a tax card, though, and the tax card needs an identity code. If DVV or Migri has not issued one, Vero can register you: you sign form 6150e at a Vero service point.
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Open guideOfficial sources
The following official or public sources were checked for this guide. Current authority instructions always take precedence.
Relocation to Finland
For people and families moving to Finland: the residence route, registrations, tax, banking and settling in, planned in the right order.
This guide is general information. The related service is a case-specific review of your circumstances and documents.
Need a case-specific assessment?
General guides do not replace individual legal, immigration, tax or financial advice. ENB can assess your circumstances and documents separately.