Police ID card vs. KELA photo card

jwoods · Post by **jwoods** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 11:41 am

Hello!

I can't decide which ID card to go for... I think it will be useful for me to have some kind of Finnish photo ID (all I have is an almost expired UK driving licence).

Are there any pros or cons if I choose a Police ID card or a KELA photo one? I know you can only own one card at a time (with health insurance details on).

Thanks!!!

**Sponsor:**

interleukin · Post by **interleukin** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 11:57 am

You can have both cards if you wish, but that would be a bit pointless I guess.
The KELA photo card is not an official form of identification even if it is accepted pretty much everywhere. You do run the slight risk that it is not accepted as ID. This of course will not happen with the official ID card from the police.
However the ID card is more expensive than the KELA photo card I think, so the KELA photo card is probably fine in most cases.

I personally have an ID card and a non-photo KELA card.

jwoods · Post by **jwoods** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 12:18 pm

Is the Police one EU branded or anything? It would be nice to use it when I am overseas...

Hank W. · Post by **Hank W.** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 1:51 pm

Well, the ID card given to foreigners isn't valid as a travel document. Now then again if you exchange your drivers licence, as it is issued by the police it works as acceptable ID... and you don't have a problem with expiration until you're 65 or so... and you can get your expired UK one back if and when you decide to go out of the country anyways...

jwoods · Post by **jwoods** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 2:01 pm

I was reading about the terms for transferring foreign driving licenses to Finnish ones, and apparently you have to drive in Finland on the foreign one for at least 6 months.

I don't have a car, nor have any plans on getting one in the near future, so I guess I'll have to give that one a miss for a while.

Maybe I'll get the Police issued ID card, as it's an official form of ID... Good to have something I guess...

Rosamunda · Post by **Rosamunda** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 3:01 pm

jwoods wrote:I was reading about the terms for transferring foreign driving licenses to Finnish ones, and apparently you have to drive in Finland on the foreign one for at least 6 months.

There have been lots of threads about this on the forum. I think the current situation is that it is not necessary to change your UK drivers' licence into a Finnish one.???

Upphew · Post by **Upphew** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 3:16 pm

jwoods wrote:I was reading about the terms for transferring foreign driving licenses to Finnish ones, and apparently you have to drive in Finland on the foreign one for at least 6 months.

No, you only have to live in Finland for 6 months, not drive, if your license is from country which is EU or EEA country. See: http://www.poliisi.fi/poliisi/home.nsf/ ... endocument (it is 1 eur cheaper than non EU/EEA! http://www.poliisi.fi/poliisi/home.nsf/ ... endocument ).

jwoods · Post by **jwoods** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 3:38 pm

Oh, awesome! I'll do that then

I guess my mind remembered the requirements differently than they actually are.

Cheers!

Hank W. · Post by **Hank W.** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 4:12 pm

Yes it is not necessary. But if you live in Finland and your UK licence expires after 3 years... Finnish police doesn't find it necessary to renew yours as you didn't exchange it when you were supposed to. Then you go to UK... can I see your gas bill? So then you find necessary to take the bus

There is a proposal somewhere in the process for EU to streamline the validity of DL's so that they need to be renewed every 5 years even in Finland.

Rosamunda · Post by **Rosamunda** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 4:18 pm

I gotta French one....valid FOREVER!!!!!!!!!

Hank W. · Post by **Hank W.** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 4:41 pm

merde

so with that you don't need to worry.

jwoods · Post by **jwoods** » Fri Jun 06, 2008 10:20 am

Upphew wrote:
jwoods wrote:I was reading about the terms for transferring foreign driving licenses to Finnish ones, and apparently you have to drive in Finland on the foreign one for at least 6 months.
No, you only have to live in Finland for 6 months, not drive, if your license is from country which is EU or EEA country. See: http://www.poliisi.fi/poliisi/home.nsf/ ... endocument (it is 1 eur cheaper than non EU/EEA! http://www.poliisi.fi/poliisi/home.nsf/ ... endocument ).

This is incorrect. I have applied for an exchange of licence, and I have been given an additional form I need to complete whereby I need to find 2 signatories who can confirm I have been driving in Finland for a period of 6 months. I explained to the Police that I haven't actually been, and reading-between-the-lines, it was implied that if I sat in a friend's car, drove it a few metres - that would be acceptable.

Travmies · Post by **Travmies** » Fri Jun 06, 2008 10:34 am

I've been here many years and I just use my UK driving licence with a photo which is valid in Finland. It’s a pain in the ass for the police if the stop you for something or another, but that’s their problem.

jwoods · Post by **jwoods** » Fri Jun 06, 2008 10:40 am

penelope wrote:
jwoods wrote:I was reading about the terms for transferring foreign driving licenses to Finnish ones, and apparently you have to drive in Finland on the foreign one for at least 6 months.
There have been lots of threads about this on the forum. I think the current situation is that it is not necessary to change your UK drivers' licence into a Finnish one.???

It's not necessary for car driving, but my UK one is about to expire and I have no Finnish photo ID - so it's more for that purpose.

Travmies · Post by **Travmies** » Fri Jun 06, 2008 10:55 am

It's not necessary for car driving, but my UK one is about to expire and I have no Finnish photo ID - so it's more for that purpose.

Just order a new uk one, you can do it on the internet

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