Instruction HETU 1 (2)

4.5.2020

Personal identity code, home municipality and data protection

Dear customer,

When the Finnish Immigration Service granted you a residence permit or a resi-
dence card, or registered your right of residence, you were given a personal
identity code. The code is printed on the back of your residence permit card.

To issue a personal identity code, you were also registered in the Population Infor-
mation System. The attached extract shows which personal data was registered.

Why did I get a personal identity code?

Under Finnish law, you get a personal identity code when the Finnish Immigration
Service grants a residence permit or otherwise allows your residence in Finland.

The personal identity code is used to distinguish between persons. The code itself
gives you no rights or obligations, but authorities will need it to access your data in
the Population Information System. You need your personal identity code when you
contact the Finnish authorities. Even employers, banks or phone companies, for in-
stance, may need your personal identity code. They may have the right to check your
details in the Population Information System or be under legal obligation to submit
certain data about you to the authorities, including your personal identity code.

Never let anyone else use your personal identity code. It discloses your per-
sonal data. For more information, see dvv.fi/personal-identity-code.

Is there something I need to do?

When you arrive in Finland, visit the Digital and Population Data Services
Agency as soon as you can. You can be registered as officially resident in Finland
only after this visit. If you are in Finland already, you can visit the Agency right away.

If you will live in Finland for more than a year, you may be entitled to a home
municipality. Apply by visiting the Agency or, if you are an EU citizen and have reg-
istered your right of residence, by e-mail (address below). With a home municipality
in Finland, you can more easily access public services such as health care, day care
and schools. You also have voting rights in your home municipality.

Before coming to Finland and visiting the Agency, please check what documen-
tation you need to bring. You will need at least your passport and residence permit
card, but other documentation requirements vary depending on your situation. Please
fill in the Registration of Foreigners form before the visit, if possible.

You can find the registration form and information on documentation requirements
here: dvv.fi/foreigner-registration.

If you have any questions, contact us by email (international@dvv.fi) or by phone

(+358 295 536 320).

Tel. +358 295 536 000 (exchange) Contact Information, see www.dvv.fi/en
 Instruction HETU 2 (2)

4.5.2020

Data protection

The Population Information System is Finland’s national population register. It is

computer-based, and its contents are available for all Finnish authorities. Some data
can also be given to private persons or companies. Controllers of the register are the
Digital and Population Data Services Agency and the Local Register Offices and the
State Department of Åland. The personal data in the register is stored permanently.

As a data subject, you have the following rights:

• Right to access: Once a year, you can check your data in the register free of
charge. If you want to do it more often, a fee may be charged. You can access
your data by visiting one of the controller’s service locations or by making a re-
quest in writing. When you get a Finnish electronic identification (an ID card from
the police, online banking codes or a mobile ID), you can access your data free of
charge in our web service (suomi.fi/your-data) as often as you like.

• Right to rectification: If there is an error in your personal data, you may request
that the controller corrects or completes your data. You must present acceptable
documentation of the data you want to correct. Ask the controller what type of doc-
umentation they need.

• Right to object: Personal data in the Population Information System may by law be
disclosed to other actors than public authorities, for example for the following pur-
poses:
▪ to private companies for direct marketing or customer register updates;
▪ in address services made available to the public;
▪ for genealogical research.
You can notify the controller that your personal data may not be distributed for
such purposes. You must submit the notification in writing. If you have a Finnish
electronic identification, it can also be done in our web service (suomi.fi/your-data).

• Right to lodge complaint: You have the right to lodge a complaint with the Data
Protection Ombudsman (tietosuoja@om.fi) if you consider the processing of your
personal data unlawful.

• Other rights: You do not have the right to erasure, the right to restriction of pro-
cessing or the right to data portability. These exceptions are based on national
population register legislation.

The Data Protection Description contains more information on your rights and which
types of personal data is registered in the Population Information System. The de-
scription can be found on our website (dvv.fi/pis-privacy-statement). You can also get
a copy at the tax office from which you received this instruction.

Welcome to Finland!

If you have any questions on the Population Information System or the processing of
personal data, please contact the Digital and Population Data Services Agency. You
can find our contact information on the previous page.

Tel. +358 295 536 000 (exchange) Contact Information, see www.dvv.fi/en