OP the problem?

[Beep_Boop]

While I think it's completely ridiculous and I agree with almost every point you're making, I'll go ahead and ignore all of that so I can answer the main question in your post.

What makes OP think they can reject such passport saying it could be fake? WTF do they think Finland border agency does?

Because there's a possibility to use two different passport: A legitimate one to enter Finland, and a possibly fake one to open a bank account.

Your question is based on the assumption that the person has only one passport which will be used to enter Finland and open a bank account, but that assumption is false.
Other than that, I'm fully with you.

[ilikepeanutbutter]

Power trip...I think foreigners aren't seen as functioning members of society here sometimes. What gets me is the Residence card should be a proper means of ID, it has my info and pic but I still need an identity card ????

Kat

[Rip]

Power trip...I think foreigners aren't seen as functioning members of society here sometimes. What gets me is the Residence card should be a proper means of ID, it has my info and pic but I still need an identity card ????

Kat

Locals often wonder the same regarding driving license. Anyway, Andy in YLE news could have got the local ID card. So he doesn't want to? Well, I am not that that pleased that I need to know replace the passports for myself and my kids every five years now - and that was originally thanks to decisions made by your country, Andy.

[ilikepeanutbutter]

Power trip...I think foreigners aren't seen as functioning members of society here sometimes. What gets me is the Residence card should be a proper means of ID, it has my info and pic but I still need an identity card ????

Kat

Locals often wonder the same regarding driving license. Anyway, Andy in YLE news could have got the local ID card. So he doesn't want to? Well, I am not that that pleased that I need to know replace the passports for myself and my kids every five years now - and that was originally thanks to decisions made by your country, Andy.

True! It is pretty strange. I think like with Americans our drivers license is our ID in the States, not getting the ID card is a whole different thing here. Why do you have to replace your passports every 5 years? I thought that was an EU thing, not an American thing? My passport is valid for 10 years.

Kat

[Elephant]

I have an account at OP bank. When I first inquired about getting online access, I had my US passport and a residence card. They told me the passport meant nothing and the residence card is also not considered as ID. I needed to get a Finnish ID. So, I did and I got the online access.
A couple of weeks ago, I needed to get a bankers check of 100e from my OWN account so I took my Finnish ID and residence card. They told me they couldn't do it because I didn't have my PASSPORT!!! So, I pointed out that the reason I got the Finnish ID was because THEY told me that my passport was not acceptable for banking purposes! I asked to speak to the manager who came and "explained" that for security purposes they need to see the passport. So, I said ok, if it's fraud you're afraid of then let me withdraw the cash from the ATM and then hand it to the cashier to make the check. The check was going to the embassy for a service payment. My name would be in the notes so how much fraud could there be in that! From my account to the embassy for a service in my name! Still refused and said Finnish ID and residence permit meant nothing...in this case it's the passport that they need!
I decided to leave after 20mins of arguing and try another branch. All they needed at the next branch was the Finnish ID and it took 5 mins. I think each branch makes up their own rules and some are just out to frustrate people just for fun.

[ram316]

It would be good if they have common approach across the institutions. As someone already mentioned, different branches of same institution contradicts their stand which will leave customers strangle many a times. Fortunate that I never faced any problems after using my Finnish ID but not sure anything is in line now.

[Bavarian]

It doesn't help that Andy is American. The FATCA law here in the US and our monstrous policy of taxing based on citizenship and not residence is leading many banks to say screw it, we're not going to let Americans open new bank accounts. The US is basically deputizing banks around the world into enforcing US law without any compensation. Everybody just assumes that the people who have moved abroad are the idle rich, and it's OK to incite hatred of them.

YLE, of course, has its own agenda thatFinland is racist and hates foreigners, and a story like this fits that agenda.

**** the money laundering rules, and a lot of these problems would go away.

[Upphew]

I have an account at OP bank. When I first inquired about getting online access, I had my US passport and a residence card. They told me the passport meant nothing and the residence card is also not considered as ID. I needed to get a Finnish ID. So, I did and I got the online access.

Problem with online access is that it can be used to identify you. You are you if you have id that says you are you and it got your PIN. Residence card doesn't have that information?

[mjgoode]

Honestly, I think the whole Police ID card for online access is lateral blame displacement. Like the passport and residence permit you present to the police are any different than the ones you would present to the bank. But this way if you turn out to be Joe the Money Launderer, OP can point to the police and say, "Yeah, we didn't notice the millions of Euros going into and out of his account. But the police said Joe was ok, so don't blame us."

I'm not condoning this annoying behavior, just analyzing it.

When I was moving here opening the bank account was a real chore. OP was bad, Nordea was much worse. Despite having contract, residence permit, passport, they wanted a bunch more information including three months of statements from your current bank account and a letter of reference from your current bank. I found both requirements ridiculous. I got peeved and asked "which bank, I've got accounts at three." That was fun to watch her expression. The next Nordea wanted another set of info and was even less helpful. They obviously didn't want my money so to OP I went. They were not nearly as silly and much more friendly. But they did require the identity card for online access. It was annoying to get gouged every time I needed to move money about because I couldn't do it online. Luckily it was a short period. (Two weeks as I recall.)

Shortly after one of my Finnish colleagues tried to open an account for his kid and got the complete run around like I got. Not sure if that makes me feel better that native Finns can be treated as poorly as immigrants or not.

Oh, the residence permit is not chipped, the identity card is. So there is a difference in level of security. Nobody has put my ID card through a chip reader to date.

[Beep_Boop]

Oh, the residence permit is not chipped, the identity card is. So there is a difference in level of security. Nobody has put my ID card through a chip reader to date.

The residence permit card does contain an electronic chip, but it's different from the one in the ID card (ID card chip is smartcard or ICC, but the RP card is secure RFID). I use the ID card chip every day to login to Vero, Tulli, the healthcare provider website, to check on my residence permit application, to the university application page, etc. It's very useful if you have a home reader (it's 15 euros on eBay)

But, back to the residence permit chip. You can actually locate it by standing under a small but strong source of light. Try to reflect the light back to your eye on the card by tilting and moving it. Have the light directly on the front face right on your picture, now you cannot really see your picture clearly. Tilt the card down (to move the light up) a little bit until it's hitting the bull sitting above the 5 little stars. Now tilt the card 1-2 degrees in all directions and you can see the chip. You can also see it by positioning the light above the little picture containing the your date of birth on the back side of the residence permit card.
It's actually the same kind of chip they have in the new credit cards (the touch-to-pay ones, or contactless as they call them in the UK)
Here's a pic showing where the chip is

(you can learn more about those chips by watching this video)

Chip is outdated technology.... replaced by laser scanners. Your card has those silly looking bar below, that does the trick for most scanners. The Chip usually are attached with card readers which is eliminating as coin phones from the world.

He's talking about something completely different. My police-issued ID card is chipped (smart card ICC) and I use it all the time (read above).
Edit: Oohkay, Now I got the joke you're making.