Finnish ID Card for Foreigners (Ulkomaalaisen Henkilökortti)

Foreigners who live in Finland can get a Finnish identity card from the police, called the foreigner's identity card (ulkomaalaisen henkilökortti). The rules sit in the Identity Card Act (henkilökorttilaki 663/2016): you need a valid residence permit or residence card (or a registered right of residence), a municipality of residence (kotikunta) in Finland, and your details in the Population Information System. In 2026 the card costs EUR 59, or EUR 53 if you apply electronically.

This guide explains who qualifies, the fees, the in-person visit, how long the card lasts, and its limits. It is based on the Act itself and the police fee decree, both published on Finlex.

What the card is

The Act covers identity cards issued "as proof of identity" to Finnish citizens and to foreigners residing in Finland (henkilökorttilaki § 1). The card shows your surname, first names, sex, date of birth and personal identity code (henkilötunnus), the issue and expiry dates, the issuing authority and the card number, together with your photo and signature (§ 4).

Two things set the foreigner's card apart:

• It is not a travel document. The Act requires the foreigner's identity card to carry a note that it cannot be used as a travel document (§ 4). For travel you still need your passport.
• It follows your permit. It is issued for five years, but never for longer than your residence permit or residence card is valid (§ 19).

Who can apply

Section 14 of the Identity Card Act lists three conditions for a foreigner's identity card, on top of the Act's general rules:

1. You have a valid residence permit or residence card, or your right of residence has been registered (for EU citizens, see our EU registration guide).
2. You have a municipality of residence (kotikunta) in Finland under the Municipality of Residence Act.
3. Your details have been entered in the Population Information System.

Conditions 2 and 3 mean the card comes after your population registration. If you have not registered yet, start with our guides to DVV registration and the Finnish personal identity code. Non-EU citizens who are still waiting for a permit should read our residence permit guide first.

What it costs in 2026

The police fees for 2026 are set by Ministry of the Interior decree. The fee table was replaced by decree 96/2026, in force from 1 March 2026. For the foreigner's identity card it lists (all including the DVV fee):

Check the current fee with the police (poliisi.fi) before you apply, because this fee decree covers 2026.

How to apply

Start online or at the police

Under the Act, identity cards are applied for from the police, and the application can be started electronically (henkilökorttilaki § 9). The 2026 fee table charges less for an electronic application.

Visit in person, at least the first time

The applicant must come in person to complete the application. For a foreigner's identity card, the Act lets you skip the visit only if all of these apply (§ 10):

• you were issued a foreigner's identity card within the previous six years, and you visited the authority in person for that application,
• you were over 12 when that card was issued, and
• you gave a signature sample within the previous six years and your surname or first name has not changed since.

The police can still ask you to come in to identify you, give a new signature sample or for another special reason. In practice, your first foreigner's identity card means a visit.

Bring ID, give fingerprints

You must show a valid identity document, such as your passport. If you have none, a foreigner must show a valid residence permit card or residence card, and the police may compare your fingerprints with those stored on it (§ 11). Fingerprints are taken from everyone applying for an identity card, except applicants under 12 or people who cannot give them because of age, disability, illness or a similar reason (§ 9 a).

Receive the card

The card is sent as a registered letter or a similar trackable item (§ 21). In special cases the police hand it over instead. Your previous identity card stops being valid when the new card is handed over to you.

Using the card online

The Act says an identity card includes the citizen certificate (kansalaisvarmenne) issued by DVV, which is used for electronic identification. The minor's identity card and the temporary identity card do not include it (§ 3). For how certificate cards work with Suomi.fi services, see our Suomi.fi e-identification guide.

An amendment in force from 1 October 2026 (823/2026) adds that the foreigner's identity card includes the right to take into use the digital identity document under the separate Act on digital identity documents (812/2026) (§ 1 a).

When the card is cancelled

Section 26 lists when a foreigner's identity card is revoked. The ones most likely to affect you:

• your residence permit, registered right of residence or residence card is revoked, or you are deported,
• you no longer have a municipality of residence in Finland,
• you ask for it to be cancelled, or
• you report it lost or stolen.

If you move away from Finland and no longer have a municipality of residence here, the Act says the card is revoked.

Common problems and fixes

• "The police said I have no municipality of residence." The card requires a kotikunta. Our DVV registration guide explains population registration.
• "My card expires when my permit does." That is the rule: the Act caps the card at the validity of your residence permit or residence card.
• "I tried to travel with it." The foreigner's card is marked as not valid for travel. Carry your passport.
• "My old card stopped working." The previous card's validity ends when the new card is handed over to you.

Your next step

Confirm you have a residence permit (or registered right of residence), a municipality of residence, and your details in the Population Information System. Then start the application with the police, who handle identity cards (henkilökorttilaki § 9); their website is poliisi.fi. If you have strong electronic identification (see our guide to Finnish online banking IDs), you can apply online for the lower fee. Then book your in-person visit.