Passport
Passport (specimen/
presentation copy)
A Finnish passport is a travel document issued to a Finnish citizen. Your passport must be valid for the proposed duration of your stay and your personal information (first name and surname) must be up-to-date. It is important that your passport is intact and undamaged because it also serves as proof of identity. Only one person can travel on one passport; children can no longer be included on their guardian’s passport.
If you are staying outside Finland, you can apply for a passport at a Finnish embassy, consulate general or consulate (please note that honorary consulates do not provide a passport service). Passport applications must always be submitted in person; applications cannot be sent by post or through a representative. The application can be submitted at any mission of Finland abroad regardless of where you live or at any police station in Finland.
Your passport application can only be initiated when your personal information given in the application (such as names and details concerning your children and their guardians) is fully consistent with the data entered into the Population Information System. Under the population information act (Laki väestötietojärjestelmästä ja Väestörekisterikeskuksen varmennepalveluista 661/2009) that entered into force on 1 March 2010, it is your personal duty to ensure that your details are up-to-date. If necessary, you can check your details from your Local Register Office. Finnish missions can help you in updating the information.
Finnish passports are issued for a maximum of five years. Underage children must have their own passport and, irrespective of age, be present together with the guardian when the passport application is made. If the child is not accompanied by both guardians when the passport application is made, a dated and signed letter of consent from the absent guardian must be presented.
For your passport application you will need:
a copy of your notification to the local police of loss or theft of your valid passport
if you are under 18, both guardians' consent (to be presented in the application form or in a separate enclosure)
if you are a male person aged 17–30, documentation concerning your conscription and military service status (e.g. military passport, certificate of exemption)
possibly an extract from the population register or other proof of Finnish citizenship.
If you cannot present official documents to prove your identity, investigative measures will be used to clarify the matter.
If you are liable to military service and fail to provide proof of your military service, a statement from military authorities in Finland will be requested and the passport application will be suspended until these checks have been completed.
How long does it take to get a passport?
The processing of an ordinary passport normally takes from one to three weeks, of which preparation of the passport takes 4 to 6 days plus the time for delivery. The delivery time varies from a few days (Europe) to 7 to 10 days (Asia, Africa and Central America).
Fast-track passports involve and extra fee and they are processed in one to three days
plus the time for delivery (as an ordinary passport).
Collecting your passport
You can collect your passport at the same mission where you made your application, or you can ask for it to be delivered to some other mission or to a police station. You can authorise another person to collect your passport or, in some countries, ask the mission to mail it directly to your home. An extra fee will be charged for the mailing.
If you lose your passport abroad
If your passport is lost, stolen or damaged while abroad, you can get an emergency passport to return home or to continue your travel. An emergency passport is issued for the duration of your travel, but for no longer than 12 months. An emergency passport is issued by the mission. Please note that the United States, for example, does not accept an emergency passport without a visa. You must report the loss or theft of your passport to the local police and present the notification at the mission when applying for a replacement passport.
If you are a Finnish citizen and urgently need a passport in a country where Finland does not have a diplomatic or consular mission, you can call on the mission of another EU member state to get an Emergency Travel Document (ETD) for your return home.
How much does a passport cost and how do I pay?
You must pay the fullfee for the passport when you make the application. The fee in the local currency charged by Finnish missions abroad corresponds to its value in euro. Check the fees and methods of payment on the mission’s list of service fees. Please note that if the passport cannot be granted or if it is not collected, the application processing fee remains non-refundable.