First days/weeks/months bureaucracy for EU-citizen

[Rip]

Just out of interest, is it still possible to obtain an ID code without registering with the Police

There is some chance that the magistrate office might give you're an ID code. I think there is zero chance to get KELA registration without first a positive decision by the police (irrespective of what the magistrate office decided to do).

and also if I fail to register with the Police within 3 months, could this affect my right to stay in Finland further down the line?

In principle (without the trip to Estonia) it is a violation of the law punishable by a small fine, but I don't see it having an effect on registration at later time as such.
I don't see any benefit in postponing the registration either though.

[onkko]

I'd also just like to say, but you guys probably know already that the hospitality and helpfulness of the Finnish people is outstanding, I've visited many times before, but since I moved here last week, I've had all sorts of invites to parties, fishing trips, nights out and it's really made me feel at home! If anything, they are TOO kind and their offers have actually stopped me from being able to look for a job during this week because I have been so busy with other things! ha ha!

You are getting something wrong, finns are racists and xenophopic, ask our president and press
And im one of if not main racist and neonazi in this forum and if i remember correctly Rip has said some far right if not neonazi stuff
(racist, neonazi and other definitions are from far left who think anything against immigration is same as making soap from immigrants)

But seriously im happy you like it in here, it probably wont last since youre now in "honeymoon phase". In few months you are complaining how stuff arent like home
Be prepared to that, annoyances like why in hell there isnt fish and chips and stuff and why in hell people drive in wrong side of road!, its normal to feel so and youll get over it. In short cultural shock is "AWWW, FCK!, bleh". Youre now in AWWW phase. After you get in "bleh" phase and years after that you actually get same cultural shock if you try to move back in your home country.
(not all get cultural shock and time when it comes varies and severity varies)

All of that is worth of new thread so when you hit in FCK! phase just make new thread in tea and symphaty and we tell you that youre an idiot and youll get over it

[Rip]

In principle (without the trip to Estonia) it is a violation of the law punishable by a small fine, but I don't see it having an effect on registration at later time as such.

Commenting myself here. Considering that you are for the moment something like common law husband and wife, I'd expect at some point if you don't live together officially anymore, they would start considering you "divorced". I would not wait unnecessarily.

[Rob A.]

I'd also just like to say, but you guys probably know already that the hospitality and helpfulness of the Finnish people is outstanding, I've visited many times before, but since I moved here last week, I've had all sorts of invites to parties, fishing trips, nights out and it's really made me feel at home! If anything, they are TOO kind and their offers have actually stopped me from being able to look for a job during this week because I have been so busy with other things! ha ha!

You are getting something wrong, finns are racists and xenophopic, ask our president and press
And im one of if not main racist and neonazi in this forum and if i remember correctly Rip has said some far right if not neonazi stuff
(racist, neonazi and other definitions are from far left who think anything against immigration is same as making soap from immigrants)

Hmmm..I know you wouldn't agree for a second with these sentiments:

Suojeluskunnat Suomenmaassa järjestystä vaatii!!
Alas ulkomaalaiset!!
Kaikki ulkomaalaiset maasta pois!!...

[Edit: Paitsi minä...totta kai... ]

[Deej]

Ha ha! thanks for the advice guys! I am expecting the 3 month "speed bump" where I miss home and everything about England, especially Liverpool (insert negative comments below! ) but I kind of know what to expect and I'm going to just stick it out because the way I see it, Finland has a lot of what England does and a lot more that the UK can't offer! I may get sick to the stomach of Salmiakki though, I don't understand how Finns like that stuff! ha ha!

Thanks again, all your comments have made me feel a lot better and have cheered me up a bit.

Feel free to private message me if you want to offer more advice or ask anything of me, like "has Tetley's tea changed much since I left or is it still magical?" or even just for a chat.

Take care!

Deej

[pepez]

Some update. Immigration police surprised us and posted that EU citizen registration form after 6 weeks. Surprisingly fast.

Now there is a trip to maistraatti to get ID number. By the way, is marital status 'single' automatically marked in the system as a default or does it have to be proofed? (I am not married to Kerttu, I am not married to Tiina etc... from old Spede comedy)

[Evertony]

[Rip]

Magistrate office needs proof of being single only if you want to get married. (KELA on the other hand considers it proven that you share your bed and wallet if you share the roof)

[eirinn]

I know this is an old thread, but I've got a question regarding the finn/EU couples, which is our situation.
I'm an EU citizen (italian), and I moved to Finland with my girlfriend, who happens to be finnish .
We are living together for more than two years, we are just engaged, not married, and actually I'm without a job (fortunately, she is employed).
This morning I went to the police station to register my residence. No problem, I had all my papers with the required apostillas.
Then I went to Maistraati and asked for the henkilotunnus. They made a copy of all my documents, but said that I may not get the henkilotunnus due to lack of requisites... and there may have been problems with the regstrations of my new residence. Am i missing something? Living together for more than two years can't be enough to have an henkilotunnus and the right to reside here in Finland?

[mmkhi]

...This morning I went to the police station to register my residence. No problem, I had all my papers with the required apostillas.
Then I went to Maistraati and asked for the henkilotunnus. They made a copy of all my documents, but said that I may not get the henkilotunnus due to lack of requisites... and there may have been problems with the regstrations of my new residence. Am i missing something? Living together for more than two years can't be enough to have an henkilotunnus and the right to reside here in Finland?

You have a right to reside here if you are EU citizen. The police is supposed to register you.

Only after you get the stamp from police, go to talk to maistraati. You go before = waste of time (but it might be fun making people there nervous).

Of course police will ask what are you going to do and from what are you going to live. You have many interesting options, but probably they will give stamp right away if your girlfriend has a job and you will show them rental contract with your and her name on it. You can also show them money on your account if you have some. Observation: if there is no girlfriend, not much money on the account but you still want the Finnish stamp, go and make a toiminimi (around 200€ - or something like that + 100€ per month for self-employed social funds payment = YL-something), apply for a registration at the police showing them your tmi paper, they might want to see some contracts, tell them that you hope/expect clients/contracts to come maybe in 6-12 months as you are in the starting phase. They will have to accept the registration form and will keep pretending "deciding" until you show them some contract (one-two is enough for couple of hundreds if you want to show them something). While the application is in the process, you don't have to go away every 3 months and you are legally already here. If you keep running your tmi for 2 years and paying YL-something, after 2 years you can apply for unemployment money. So to sum it up it cost 24 (2 years) x 108€ + 200€ (let's make it 3000€) for EU citizen to get into Finnish unemployment benefits - of course I am not counting the rent and food costs (in Thailand for example). Anyway, I don't know how much they pay in finland unemployment money. Even better, if you don't have that 3000€, you can actually try to get a start-up money for your tmi before you set it up ("In 2013, the amount of start-up grants available is around EUR 698–1116 per month gross (i.e. tax is still payable on this sum").

So if you are from EU, have some adventurous spirit and want to try something new, head north, follow the procedure above and you might get your share from wealth of Finland (the only country in the world that fully pays the reparations for the war they didn't started).

[eirinn]

Thanks mmkhi, but I'd like to do things the "straight" way. I got the police stamp and presented it to maistraatti with all the needed documents, only I don't understand all these pessimist comments from the woman on the other side of the desk. I mean, if laws are laws and we presented all the proofs, why harass me with those doubts? I guess I can only wait for the response to see if we overlooked something.

[cors187]

only I don't understand all these pessimist comments from the woman on the other side of the desk. I mean, if laws are laws and we presented all the proofs, why harass me with those doubts? .

Because your so enthusiastic about accepting a life that most Finns are unhappy with.Multiply that by 100 examples a day.