Government proposal
Redesign of the personal identity code system lays the foundation for development of digital services
The Government proposal on redesigning the personal identity code system will enable the development of a digital operating environment in Finland. The redesign will create a new remote registration process, make it possible to issue personal identity codes to foreign nationals more quickly and widely, and make personal identity codes gender neutral. The changes will have no effect on personal identity codes that have already been issued. The Government submitted its legislative proposal to Parliament on 15 September.
“The Government’s goal is to use technology to streamline administrative processes. Redesigning the personal identity code is a key part of introducing a digital identification application. The changes will make it possible to provide citizens with better services. They will also streamline the immigration process, as the new tools will make identifying foreign nationals faster and more flexible. This will shorten waiting periods and make it possible to interact with Finnish public services remotely prior to entering the country,” says Minister of Local Government Sirpa Paatero.
The new remote registration process will enable foreign nationals to use their mobile device to register themselves in the Population Information System and receive a Finnish personal identity code before arriving in Finland. At the same time, they would be issued a digital service authenticator for foreign nationals, which will enable the use of electronic services in Finland. Furthermore, the proposal makes specifications to how personal identity codes are processed.
The group of people who can be issued personal identity codes to be expanded and gender information to be removed
The redesign will speed up and expand the issuing of personal identity codes to foreign nationals. The goal is, for example, to issue personal identity codes in the application stage for residence permits rather than in the decision stage. These measures would reduce the number of people in Finland who do not have a personal identity code.
Gender information will be removed from new personal identity codes issued starting in 2027, in other words, new codes issued after that date will not indicate the person's gender. This will prevent gender-based discrimination. Gender information will remain available in the Population Information System for those that need it.
The removal of gender information from new personal identity codes issued from 2027 onwards will have no effect on existing personal identity codes.
Acts to enter into force mainly in 2023
Remote registration, speeding up the issuing of personal identity codes to foreign nationals and expanding the group of recipients, as well as the solutions to be built on the foundation of digital identity will be introduced in 1 September 2023.
Gender information will be removed from personal identity codes issued starting 1 January 2027.
Availability of sufficient personal identity codes already solved
Implementing the proposed changes to personal identity codes will require that sufficient personal identity codes are available in the future. The availability of personal identity codes has been solved legislatively through an amendment decree adopted by the Government in July 2022. The decree solves the issue of availability of personal identity codes by enabling the use of new intermediary characters indicating the century of birth in codes issued starting in 2023.
The amendment decree multiplies the number of available codes. Personal identity codes containing the new intermediate characters will only be issued once the intermediate characters currently in use run out.
Inquiries
Jarkko Levasma, Director General, Ministry of Finance, tel. + 358 295 530 117
Henriikka Tammes, Project Manager, Ministry of Finance, tel. +358 295 163 520.
Maarit Huotari, Head of Unit, Ministry of Finance, tel. +358 295 530 518