Deadline to apply for Finnish passport

homeuser · Post by **homeuser** » Sat Sep 10, 2016 2:09 pm

Hello,

I want to know is there any deadline to apply for Finnish Passport after receiving the positive decision from immigration regarding the citizenship ?

For example: If a person receives a positive decision from immigration for Finnish citizenship on 1st of the month, then he/she needs to apply for Finnish Passport in x week only ?

br

**Sponsor:**

Beep_Boop · Post by **Beep_Boop** » Sat Sep 10, 2016 2:17 pm

You can apply the next day, the next month, or the next year. There's no time limit *

* There's a small technicality regarding the syncing of citizen's data between systems, but that has no effect on when you should/shouldn't apply.

homeuser · Post by **homeuser** » Sat Sep 10, 2016 2:27 pm

Thanks Beep_Boop for reply.

So from which date a person becomes Finnish citizen ? From the date he/she receives positive decision from immigration in Enter Finland site or from the date he/she gets the Finnish Passport ?

br,

Rosamunda · Post by **Rosamunda** » Sat Sep 10, 2016 6:23 pm

A passport is just a travel doc so you can prove your citizenship abroad. Many Finns don't have passports. You don't have to have one. My children were given Finnish citizenship when we moved to Finland, but we only applied for Finnish passports after their British ones expired. You only really need it when you leave the country. Inside Finland (and Schengen) an ID card is enough.

foca · Post by **foca** » Sat Sep 10, 2016 10:06 pm

homeuser wrote:Thanks Beep_Boop for reply.

So from which date a person becomes Finnish citizen ? From the date he/she receives positive decision from immigration in Enter Finland site or from the date he/she gets the Finnish Passport ?

br,

To be sure that you are a citizen go to the population register site and see if you are marked as one. As Rosamunda said , one can live without passport for ones whole life and still be a citizen. A passport foes not make you a citizen , if is being a citizen allows you to get a passport

leisl · Post by **leisl** » Sun Sep 11, 2016 3:59 am

I'm a citizen. I don't have one. I felt no need to up my passport count to 3. (But I might go get it, if/when Brexit goes through.)

Spirit of the Forest · Post by **Spirit of the Forest** » Sun Sep 11, 2016 11:13 am

Having a Finnish driver's license also serves as an ID. In my case, I have both, because I lived abroad and then moved to Finland later on.

Beep_Boop · Post by **Beep_Boop** » Sun Sep 11, 2016 12:02 pm

Spirit of the Forest wrote:Having a Finnish driver's license also serves as an ID.

While this is true, one should know that the driver's licence is an unofficial ID card. It's not supposed to be used for purposes of identification. Yes, many people, including officials, do use it for identification, but any point anybody can refuse to honor that because there's no legal basis for it.

This will hopefully be changing soon. There has been plans to make it explicit and clear, but so far they're moving slowly. I really hope that the authorities finally make some sort of announcement prohibiting the usage of the driver's licence for identification.

betelgeuse · Post by **betelgeuse** » Sun Sep 11, 2016 1:42 pm

Beep_Boop wrote: This will hopefully be changing soon. There has been plans to make it explicit and clear, but so far they're moving slowly. I really hope that the authorities finally make some sort of announcement prohibiting the usage of the driver's licence for identification.

Then again for practical purposes things are moving the other way when they made it mandatory to periodically renew the driver's license.

Rip · Post by **Rip** » Sun Sep 11, 2016 9:36 pm

Beep_Boop wrote: I really hope that the authorities finally make some sort of announcement prohibiting the usage of the driver's licence for identification.

I'm not sure if I understand you correctly, but banning the use of driving license for non-official private authentication purposes would seem to me a case of legislation that would make life again just a bit more difficult for common people without any clear benefit. Currently I think the ID card among citizens is still not that common as it has little use for anybody who already has a passport and driving licence. A small thing, but i wouldn't really care to get yet another paper that I'd need to renew every five years.

Beep_Boop · Post by **Beep_Boop** » Sun Sep 11, 2016 11:25 pm

Rip wrote:I'm not sure if I understand you correctly, but banning the use of driving license for non-official private authentication purposes would seem to me a case of legislation that would make life again just a bit more difficult for common people without any clear benefit. Currently I think the ID card among citizens is still not that common as it has little use for anybody who already has a passport and driving licence. A small thing, but i wouldn't really care to get yet another paper that I'd need to renew every five years.

No no. I'm personally okay with it for things like Alko, getting into a club, etc.

The problem is that it's currently accepted at Posti when picking up packages, at R-Kioski when you pick up your passport, and a few other purposes like that. The driver's licence has a severe lack in security features that undermines the security and safety for everybody involved.

Flossy1978 · Post by **Flossy1978** » Mon Sep 12, 2016 1:25 am

The drivers license is also valid for so long you are either a dried up old prune or you are dead and buried by the time it reaches its expiration date

It's hardly something very secure if you are 75 years old and look hardly anything like your 20+ year old photo

Rip · Post by **Rip** » Mon Sep 12, 2016 9:12 am

II'm surprised if it is really accepted by R-kioski for picking a passport ( unless specifically accepted by police for a case where the applicant has no official ID), but I don't see why postal services couldn't be classified as private commercial interaction. Does it have any firmer state connection than Alko?

Upphew · Post by **Upphew** » Mon Sep 12, 2016 9:35 am

Rip wrote:II'm surprised if it is really accepted by R-kioski for picking a passport ( unless specifically accepted by police for a case where the applicant has no official ID), but I don't see why postal services couldn't be classified as private commercial interaction. Does it have any firmer state connection than Alko?

It is. Also expired passport or ID is accepted if it isn't too old. If you authorize someone else to pick up your passport from R-kioski, then he or she needs to have valid ID or passport, drivers license is not accepted.

Rip · Post by **Rip** » Mon Sep 12, 2016 9:51 am

Upphew wrote:Also expired passport or ID is accepted if it isn't too old. If you authorize someone else to pick up your passport from R-kioski, then he or she needs to have valid ID or passport, drivers license is not accepted.

From the police page:

Sinun täytyy todistaa henkilöllisyytesi kioskilla, joten ota mukaan voimassa oleva passi tai henkilökortti. Jos sinulla ei ole niistä kumpaakaan, myös ajokortti tai vähän aikaa sitten vanhaksi mennyt passi tai henkilökortti käy.

So they at least should not accepted driving licence in general, but only in case when there is no better ID available. I remember seeing stated that when applying with expired passport the police would make a note in the records that the same expired passport can be used for picking up the new one. It would be sensible to use same principle with applying with a driving licence.

It is possible that the practice could use some tightening, but it is not reasonably to do it strictly with an valid official ID only, as there is no obligation in this country to have one.

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