Online Banking

[Cloudwalker]

I recently moved to Tampere to work for Microsoft for the summer. After a surprisingly long wait for an appointment, I managed to open a bank account today at my local OP branch. However, I was told when I opened it that I wasn't eligible to use online banking as I only had a UK passport. My Finnish is non-existent and the clerk's English wasn't good enough to explain why - could anyone shed some light on this? Is there any way to get online banking? Going to the bank in person each time I need to pay rent is going to be annoying...

[Rip]

It seems they'd want you to get a Finnish issued ID card (from police). If you're here only for the summer, is it worth the trouble and cost?

[Cloudwalker]

Fair enough. I'm actually moving to Helsinki at the end of the year to start a postdoc position, so I'll probably want to get one of those cards eventually. No web banking for 2 years would suck...

Anna - was this recently? Could be a newer policy I suppose.

[Rip]

what's the use of having OP's online banking if you are going to use Google Translator to even type the codes.

Well, you can: https://pda.op.fi/ktunn_text_en.htm

Better off to Nordea. I opened my bank account in Nordea after few days I landed here

Which means some years ago. Things have generally got worse for foreign immigrants in this respect since then.

Otherwise, sure, Nordea of course one of the few reasonable option, possibly the best for many of the readers of this board.

[onkko]

Dont tell what is was "few years ago".

Due current EU money laundering etc. stuff banks have to be more than sure who their customer is.
Due to fact you can use online banking to prove who you are in many finnish places banks have to be sure who you are.

Go to police and get finnish ID, there is "ID for foreigners with proven identity".

Banks cant process your passport nor tell if its fake or not, police can. With ID where police tells that your passport etc are valid and you are you then you may get online access to bank.

https://www.poliisi.fi/poliisi/home.nsf ... endocument

[betelgeuse]

Go to police and get finnish ID, there is "ID for foreigners with proven identity".

http://www.finlex.fi/fi/laki/ajantasa/2 ... 0617#L3P17

By law the UK passport is as good as the Finnish id for first time identification. Here we can for example see that OP police is inline with this and using a UK passport (or any EEA passport) is valid:

https://www.op.fi/media/liitteet?cid=151242602&srcpl=3

[onkko]

Go to police and get finnish ID, there is "ID for foreigners with proven identity".

http://www.finlex.fi/fi/laki/ajantasa/2 ... 0617#L3P17

By law the UK passport is as good as the Finnish id for first time identification. Here we can for example see that OP police is inline with this and using a UK passport (or any EEA passport) is valid:

https://www.op.fi/media/liitteet?cid=151242602&srcpl=3

Sure it is, but would you like to challenge "rules" and lose your job if passport wasnt real? I cant tell if passport is real or not.
And not only lose your job but be in court for "washing money".

What is legal and what is needed to save your ass is different.

[betelgeuse]

Sure it is, but would you like to challenge "rules" and lose your job if passport wasnt real? I cant tell if passport is real or not.
And not only lose your job but be in court for "washing money".

What is legal and what is needed to save your ass is different.

And can you tell if a Finnish passport is real?

[onkko]

Sure it is, but would you like to challenge "rules" and lose your job if passport wasnt real? I cant tell if passport is real or not.
And not only lose your job but be in court for "washing money".

What is legal and what is needed to save your ass is different.

And can you tell if a Finnish passport is real?

No, but i know what it looks like and "non finn" would have hard time to tell that hes finn.
Language.

[martink01]

I used my Estonian ID card (not the passport) ttogether with my Finnish SSN when I went to OP. Got my bank card within a week and internet banking right away.

[Pursuivant]

Theres a waiting period iirc, 3 months or something, that you get electronic banking after they see "normal traffic" in your account. Also with the ID card they can verify your identification which then enables you to sign in say onto the tax office pages with the "bank verification". That you can't do before you are "domiciled permanent" in the computer though.

[martink01]

I used my Estonian ID card (not the passport) ttogether with my Finnish SSN when I went to OP. Got my bank card within a week and internet banking right away.

.. but I forgot to say that I had my employment contract with me. Maybe that helped to make it somehow faster.

[atas]

Once upon a time, when I wanted to open an account in Finland, I contacted several banks remotely. The one which replied mentioned the employment contract as a requirement (by the way I didn't have an SSN. I don't think I would manage to get a bank account opened anyway).

[harryc]

that you get electronic banking after they see "normal traffic" in your account.

So one has to pay some 10€ for each 'in bank office' transaction to verify oneself?

Nice.

btw - just noticed that Nordea now charges 3€ to send your their codes. Bloody hell - they force everyone on to the net and then do the usual Finnish rip-off there too!

[Rip]

btw - just noticed that Nordea now charges 3€ to send your their codes.

That seems to be monthly fee for having thos codes. Hike from what i last saw, though it was not zero even earlier.

At the moment loan for an apartment keeps me from paying that fee, when it does not anymore, I'll consider if I a reason to stay with Nordea.