Life Before Registered Right of Residence (EU)

[Querfeldein]

I have just made an appointment with the police to obtain a "right of residence". I thought I left plenty of time, but the first available time slot is at the beginning of November, a full month after my arrival. This is within the legal limit of three months, but I am wondering if I will face any problems in the intervening period, particularly with the following:

• opening a bank account
• getting an electricity contract
• getting a mobile phone / broadband contract
• getting a residential home insurance contract
• anything else (signing up with the health service, gym / sports club, s-etukortti etc., or anything else I might want?)

I am a German (EU) citizen, and I will have a housing contract and full time employment contract with the University. I also have in-credit current and savings accounts in Germany (€) and the UK (£). How difficult will it be to obtain any of the above before I get the right of residence (which should be a formality, of course), and what else could I possibly do now improve my chances?

[Beep_Boop]

First of all, you don't need an appointment for EU registration. You just go to the police station and take a queue number, that's all you need. In fact, if you're in Helsinki, the Pasilan Poliisitalo has a separate button on the queuing machine that says "EU Registration". The appointment is just for convenience; so you don't have to queue and wait for a while. When I go without an appointment, the waiting time can be anything between 1-4 hours.
So, just go there and queue as soon as you have your job contract. This way, you'll avoid all of the issues associated with not having a registration.

- Bank: The de facto rule is that you need a henkilötunnus (Finnish ID number) to open a bank account (might be written down somewhere, I don't know). You might have some success with some branches of some banks, but it's far from guaranteed. You'll definitely not get an internet banking account without it.
- Electricity: At least I know Helen allows registration without a henkilötunnus, but you have to fill an extra form.. annoying.
- Mobile phone: 99.9999% you won't get a phone contract. If they allow you to get one, then you'll most definitely have to pay a decent deposit. You can get a prepaid.
- Internet: Same as phone.
- Insurance: At least my insurance provider insists on having a henkilötunnus. I think it's the general case.
- Health service: You need a non-student EU registration to be included in Kela.. and, of course, a henkilötunnus.
- Gym: Depends on the gym. Most of the offload the issue to other organizations and require you to have a henkilötunnus.
S-etukortti: Hehehe.. odd that you're asking about this. Who told you?

[Querfeldein]

Ok, thanks for the quick reply. I thought the appointment was necessary, if not, I will certainly not wait for a month, and will only need to be patient for a week, before the henkilötunnus is issued.

Concerning the S-etukortti, when I visited Helsinki earlier this year, all my colleagues had one. They got 10% off their drinks, so it seems like a necessity in Finland

[Beep_Boop]

I thought the appointment was necessary, if not, I will certainly not wait for a month

They're highly recommended , but not necessary.

They got 10% off their drinks

Usually, these discounts are on selected drinks in selected bars (ones that are owned by the S-Group)

[Rip]

When I go without an appointment, the waiting time can be anything between 1-4 hours.

Might be worse now with this asylum seeker influx, but I'd still do that.

[Beep_Boop]

Might be worse now with this asylum seeker influx, but I'd still do that.

Asylum seekers processing is done in the in Pasilan poliisitalo 2 while the other ulkomaalaisasiat issues are are handled in Pasilan poliisitalo 1 *

* I'm probably mixing talo 1 with talo 2, but anyway the asylum seekers are processed in the other building. So, different queue.

[Kössi K]

Oh yeah, and in some cases even henkilötunnus AND kotikuntaoikeus, and res.permit type A for 4 years, are not enough for getting internet banking right away - some banks require to see 6 months (!) of income rolling in to your account before you get it. Avoid DanskeBank at least, and I heard similar info from OP, as well. In our case, didn't even help that I, a native Finn, the spouse, had a solid history in that bank, was what they considered 'a good source of recommendation, in their own words'.

Will very likely change all our banking elsewhere because of this. I'll let you know when I have time to visit a few other banks, which ones have more reasonable terms for internet banking. Hell, you need those codes for Everything in this country, if want to handle your affairs conveniently online. (Yes, I'm just a little teensy bit miffed. )

Also, I'd recommend getting K-Plussa -kortti as well as S-etukortti. Similar bonus card, different chain. You sometimes get actual discounts with it - not like some similar bonus cards from certain British food stores where the 'discounts' are negligible.
Both of those offer some small discounts on everyday shopping (items vary), hotel stays in their branch, restaurants, etc. I've had both for decades and I guess it's nice to have some small bits shaven off from normal prices.

[Beep_Boop]

For the basics of online government stuff (Vero, TE-palvelut, Posti, Kela, etc.), you don't really need online banking codes; you can survive with the ID card you get from the police until you get your online banking codes.

[Kössi K]

Surely one can survive without the online banking codes, yes. But it does make most things a whole lot more convenient and faster with them. I, for one, wouldn't want to start paying my bills again in those card accessible payment automats (maksuautomaatti) or actual banks.
It's tolerable for us (for me & hubby), when I'm able to handle the bills from my account but I do feel for those who arrive here alone.
Just saying, it's one of those things that I think (the banks in) my homecountry could do better - and I've heard some banks do.

[neganur]

Hi,

you won't get a mobile phone / broadband contract (subscription) without a Finnish bank account and henkilötunnus.
Many gyms require you to have a Finnish bank account (it's the way you pay for the service) if they don't offer day/value cards.

Employed by the uni - maybe you can use the unisport thing? I imagine it's less trouble until you have things sorted.

[neganur]

Ah before I forget, by all means do have your passport with you (Reisepass).

The ID-card (Personalausweis) is a valid travel document for Germans only in the EU member countries and certain other countries (other non-EU-European countries, Egypt...) but the bank person may not believe you. It's wasted energy to argue, just have your Reisepass with you to avoid problems.

[Pursuivant]

Just remember - ALL THE PAPERS!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XPbZWlZjd3w

[justaguy]

I have just made an appointment with the police to obtain a "right of residence". I thought I left plenty of time, but the first available time slot is at the beginning of November, a full month after my arrival. This is within the legal limit of three months, but I am wondering if I will face any problems in the intervening period, particularly with the following:

• 1. opening a bank account - You need a Finnish ID number, and either A) a one time use piece of paper from the Police station proving that you are who you are. OR B) A Finnish ID card/drivers license issued IN FINLAND. Also you may have to wait even longer than 6 months for a bank to feel 'comfortable' in giving you an account. Nordea can be particularly stingy and troublesome. I'd recommend another bank.
• 2. getting an electricity contract - You need a Finnish ID and bank account. So basically you need everything from '#1' to get '#2'.
• getting a mobile phone / broadband contract - You might not get a phone contract for a really long time, like even over a year. It all depends on if the 'computer' likes you enough. Some of my friends it took them over a year before providers accepted them. Before that they wanted almost €1000 in deposit or else they would just refer you to use Prepaid. It's the exact same situation for broadband.
• 3. getting a residential home insurance contract - You need a Finnish ID number and a bank account.
• 4. anything else (signing up with the health service, gym / sports club, s-etukortti etc., or anything else I might want?) - See #1. You won't get an S-Etukortti until you're again 'good' in the computer. They're pretty strict on giving these out because they ARE bank cards. I'm not sure if you can just get the one that isn't a bank card any more. I haven't seen any of those, except the 5+ year old ones that some old ladies still have. AFAIK you still need the Finnish ID number for either cards.

To put it bluntly.

[chrislaa]

1. opening a bank account

I opened a bank account in my first week in Finland, without henkilötunnus or Right of Residence confirmation. I did it at the Nordea Hakaniemi branch - took my job contract, passport, proof of address (rental agreement) and set up a deposit straight away.

[Beep_Boop]

To put it bluntly.

Bluntly and misleadingly.

You can open a bank account (but not online banking access) with only a police identity paper, passport, and some kind of income proof without a henkilötunnus.You can get electricity without a henkilötunnus. You can get insurance with IF using date of birth instead of henkilötunnus.