I got my Residence Permit!!!!:)

How to? Read other's experiences. Find useful advice on shipping, immigration, residence permits, visas and more.
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Hank W.
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Post by Hank W. » Wed Aug 13, 2003 7:13 am

Well, first you have to figure out where you live exactly and then go to the correct authorities (this if you live in "helsinki", in the boondocks it is clearer).

First you go to the 'maistraatti' and register your residence and they'll give you the 'henkilötunnus' - your birthdate+ some numbers everyone wants it and you are not a person without it. Then you go to the police station and get your residence ID and you can change your US driver's licence for a Finnish one (nifty as it doesn't expire untill you're 65) - but thats not obligatory (you can play stoopid tourist for about a year). Then you need to march over to KELA and put in your application. Again for "helsinki" residents, now as the magistrate is on-line the YTV ticket office will have you "on the computer", but not like within 2 hours, so getting a bus pass the same day isn't feasible unless you ask for a paper from the magistrate and still they might give you some crap... one of the last bastions of bureaucracy.

What you need is a bunch of 'passport photos' for various ID's at the police station, they have those automats at the train station etc. Find one that uses real film, I think the ones printing on electronic are crappy. Then again very few people (except Finns of course) can stay in the same posture for the four flashes. Or you can go to any photo shop that says "passikuvia" -but they're overpriced (as anything here is).

Hmmm... what else. OK, if you wear glasses in the USA, GET YOUR NEW PAIR NOW! Glasses here cost 3-400 $ and take a week to do. Not like going to Eckerds and picking them up by lunchtime for $50.

And take all your perscriptions etc and copies of your medical history if and when you need to get to a doctor here eventually - you know the normal crap.

And then all your diplomas and certificates, you never know what someone wishes to see.


Cheers, Hank W.
sitting here like a lemon looking for a gin.

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Ace

Post by Ace » Wed Aug 13, 2003 7:48 am

If you are moving to Helsinki here is the contact info for places.

Police Station
HELSINGIN KIHLAKUNNAN POLIIISILAITOS
ulkomaalaispoliisi
Punanotkonkatu 2A
00130 HELSINKI
puh/tel (09) 189 3220

Magistrates (for social security number):

Helsingin maistraatti
Albertinkatu 25
PL 309, 00181 HELSINKI
puh: (09) 695 441

Työvoimatoimisto
Haapaniemenkatu 4 A, 2 krs.
00530 HELSINKI

KELA's and Tax offices tend to be regionally located, so there should be one near to you.

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Hank W.
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Post by Hank W. » Wed Aug 13, 2003 7:56 am

And Espoo and Vantaa are different, but i'll be buggered to dig them up before I know what to dig up :mrgreen:
Cheers, Hank W.
sitting here like a lemon looking for a gin.

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Kemars
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Post by Kemars » Wed Aug 13, 2003 9:25 am

Congrats Katrina!! Welcome to Finland!

All the stuff Hank mentioned all depends on when you arrive. If you arrive over the weekend, forget it. You will have to wait as much of everything on the level of the government of Finland is closed on Sat / Sun..so only during the week can you take care of all that stuff... and go to the nearest KELA office of the city / location you live in. There are tons of KELA offices located in HELSINKI, so go to the one nearest your home...and either bring your hubby along or someone you may already know that speaks Finnish as they do not speak english there, or at least they do not have to. :roll:

well, either way, enjoy the flight to your new home! :wink:
How much wood would a wood chuck chuck if a wood chuck could chuck wood?

Guest

Post by Guest » Wed Aug 13, 2003 11:21 am

Congrats with your ummm... victory! 8)

I saw everyone writing that you get your henkilötunnus from the Maistraatti. I live in Espoo and I got my tunnus through the aliens station. I didn't go to the maistraatti to register until I got my permit (I think I wrote that road of torture somewhere else :oops: )

Anyway... It might be a difference because I'm an EU citizen.
And for informations matter... I think you should believe Hank rather than me, since he knows a lot more about these matters.


Anyway... Welcome here and have fun!
Come out for a drink some time with your hubbie!

jwesthues
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Post by jwesthues » Wed Aug 13, 2003 5:06 pm

Welcome!

I recently arrived with my family, so all of the hoop-jumping is quite fresh in my memory.

First, regarding the police. I never took that step. I am not sure, but none of the sources I consulted said that that was a necessary step, unless you want a Finnish ID card. You get a KELA card with a picture on it, or a Finnish drivers license should suffice.

After reading this stuff about the police, I got a little nervous (to be honest). However, I went today to the Helsinki police office with my daughter to drop off the Finnish citizenship declaration (thanks to the new law). They looked me up on the system as I satr across the desk, and no problem. So, I conclude (although I should probably be cautious about concluding anything after dealing with Finnish bureaucrats) the police step is unnecessary.

- Jukka

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Hank W.
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Post by Hank W. » Wed Aug 13, 2003 5:36 pm

- The KELA card with a picture is not a valid ID.
- You can get an Alien's Card from the police, and they stamp your residence permit renewals in there as well I think, but correct, the initial registration is only for those who come 'direct' from the EU and do not have a residence permit *already* in their passports.
- Well, if you want to have a Finnish Driver's licence, you go to... hmmm... Lotto office? (many people here drive like they won theirs in a raffle... :mrgreen:)

The thing with either the Alien's Card or Finnish Driver's Licence is that you don't need to carry and worry and carry your passport with you all the time, not to mention the embarrasment of explaining while trying to pay with a Finnish bank card... STOLEN FOREIGNER POLICE! and atleast with the Finnish DL, you don't have to have many ID's around as it has your "magic number" on it (the Alien's Card has not)...

And yes, even the KELA card with the picture is accepted in many places, they do not need to accept it, because only the police given documents are valid as official ID (thats why the DL is universally accepted.)
Cheers, Hank W.
sitting here like a lemon looking for a gin.

Jon
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Post by Jon » Wed Aug 13, 2003 6:37 pm

Due to the confusion of moving to a new country, a new job, organising a wedding and all the offices involved in registering here (I’m a UK citizen) I ended up in rather an unfortunate position. I'm sure if I had known about . back then (2001) things would have been a lot easier!
As soon as I arrived I got the Maistraatti sorted no problem. I went to the police station as instructed to be told that I didn’t qualify to register as my job contract was for a trial period, they wanted at least a proper contract, and I wasn’t due to marry my Finnish girlfriend for three and a half months. They told me to come back after 3 months when either I was married or my job was secure. They didn’t make it clear that it had to be in exactly three months, not sooner, not later and certainly not whenever I got round to it! So me being me I kept putting it off. I didn’t think anything of it because I was a European citizen married to a Finn and working full time and paying the high taxes too. So when my job started to look less secure I decided I would go sign up for a KELA card. They told me that I wasn’t registered as a Helsinki resident. I had the tax number and even a Helsinki bus pass but I had forgotten all about going to the police station. So I thought, ok, I’ll pop in to see the cops and register! After the long wait the person at the desk looked at me and said I had to see a lady who would be down shortly. I was taken away and told that for the last ten months I had been an illegal immigrant! Oops. Due to my circumstances I was fined the least amount that the cop lady said she could fine me, which for about seven months unregistered came to about €180, ouch. A few days later I lost my job due to company cut-backs.
The whole situation was made worse by the lack of help available to the non-Finnish speakers. It would have been great to have had a small leaflet, in English, at the police station with some useful information. It wasn’t until I had to hand over the €26 fee that I even knew how much the fee would be!
And the moral of this story? Don’t be lame like me!
Last edited by Jon on Wed Aug 13, 2003 6:39 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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Hank W.
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Post by Hank W. » Wed Aug 13, 2003 6:44 pm

Well, the police do have some leaflets - and they have the information on the web, but it is true the excuse of "I didn't know" gets your ass in the sling.

We have discussed the differences between different EU countries' registration system ranging from the UK "we don't really care" to Italy's "within five days or" and from Sweden giving the personal number with the residence permits to Finnish Hoopla-doo...

... so "It ain't Kansas Toto". :mrgreen:
Cheers, Hank W.
sitting here like a lemon looking for a gin.

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daive
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Re: Thanks!:)

Post by daive » Wed Aug 13, 2003 7:04 pm

katrina wrote:
katrina wrote:Thanks for all the info!:) I'm going to print it all out so I can use it!:)lol I better get to Wolf Camera for some more passport pics:)lol Thanks again for the info!:) I can't wait to come to Finland. Offically I'm a resident :twisted: Muahahhahah! :shock:

:)lol
Katrina
Oh yeah, I live in Vantaa, and the only KELA office I've seen is across from Myrrimaki (argh spelling:))lol I guess that is the local one:)lol....:)lol..I'm confused as usual:)Lol :roll:

:)kat
It depends where you live in Vantaa! :roll: We have an office in Martinlaakso and there is a big Kela and Työvoimatoimisto (unemployment office) in Tikkurila. Not sure about other little plaves inbetween but I am sure that each little hamlet has its own.

A word of advice, the office in Martinlaakso is worse than useless and the people working in their look like they have been let out on day release, it's "vain suomea" or come back on Tuesday between 13.00 and 13.06 for the lady who speaks english. Myyrmäki is a lot more helpful.

Daive

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Kemars
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Post by Kemars » Wed Aug 13, 2003 7:08 pm

(and of course PM'ing Hank with all the quesitons you have..) :wink:

Yabbut you know I only accept hot dates by PM these days :mrgreen:
How much wood would a wood chuck chuck if a wood chuck could chuck wood?

jwesthues
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Post by jwesthues » Wed Aug 13, 2003 7:29 pm

Must admit that I continue to be a little nervous now.

What do you mean registered as a Helsinki resident? I thought this was done with the population registry. We all got our KELA cards with no problems and are even receiving childcare support for our little one with a bump from the city of Helsinki.

Any thoughts? (especially Hank...)

- Jukka


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