Passport 

Finland introduced new, biometric passports on 21 August 2006. New passports include an image of the face on a microchip; fingerprints will be included from May 18th 2009. Passports will be valid for five years.

Children can no longer be inscribed on the passport of a parent. Each child regardless of age will require his or her own passport. Old Finnish 10-year passports will remain valid until their expiry date (valid also for travelling to USA without visa).

As of 21 August 2006 applications for a passport abroad will only be accepted at Finnish Embassies or other offices with the right to issue Finnish passports. Submitting a passport application which has been completed under a notary public’s supervision or at an honorary consulate and sent to the Embassy by mail will no longer be possible under the new law.

In Canada the applicant must file his or her application for a biometric passport in person at the Embassy of Finland in Ottawa because the necessary equipment is only installed at the Embassy. The Ministry of Finance did not provide funding to install such equipment at any honorary consulate, including those in Toronto and Vancouver.

The new passport system requires that all of the applicant's personal data in the Finnish population registry is up-to-date. Anyone who is registered in the Finnish population registry can check his or her information for free once a year.

For more information:

• Local register offices
• Population Register Center

Instructions for Passport Applicant

The Finnish passport is valid for five years.

• In order to apply for a Finnish passport in Canada, the applicant has to come to the Embassy of Finland in Ottawa in person to submit the application. When applying for a passport, there is no longer a separate application form to be filled out beforehand. The form is printed from the system for the customer when they arrive to the Embassy of Finland in Ottawa.
• Before submitting the passport application, the applicant has to make sure that their personal data is up-to-date in the Finnish Population Registry. If the information is incorrect, we will not be able to proceed with processing the application. For more information about the Finnish Population Register Centre and how to check your personal information, please refer to the Consular Services -page.
• Please always contact the Embassy beforehand to make an appointment when planning to apply for a Finnish passport.
• When submitting application, the applicant must present official government issued photo identification, such as a passport or driver's license.
• Read carefully, what documentation you need.

Instructions for passport applicant over 18 years

You must submit the following documents:

• One (1) passport photograph, see passport photo guidelines

• Previous Finnish passport

• For Finnish citizens only: Canadian Permanent Resident Card or a valid Canadian visa

• For adult holders of dual citizenship: Your most recently obtained citizenship certificate and your Canadian passport. Applicants with dual/multiple citizenship from birth will have to prove that they have retained/will retain their Finnish citizenship after the age of 22
  Finnish immigration service: Retaining Finnish citizenship at the age of 22

• For men under the age of 30: Military passport, suspension order or exemption decision.

• Passport fee (in the form of cash, a money order, or a certified cheque). A money order or certified cheque is made out to the Embassy of Finland.

Note! If the passport application involves a name change (i.e. through marriage), the information must be updated in the Finnish population registry before submitting the application.

Instructions for passport applicant under 18 years

Minors have to be issued their own passport. Children can no longer be inscribed on the passport of a parent. The passport application must be authorized by a signature or a notarized letter from both parents or guardians.

You must submit the following documents:

• One (1) passport photograph, see passport photo guidelines

• Previous Finnish passport, if the child has one, and/or a passport issued by another country, if the child has one.

• Passports of both parents or guardian(s). Both parents or guardian(s) must sign the application in the presence of a consular official. If one or both of the guardians are unable to accompany the child when applying for the passport, a separate consent letter dated and signed by the absent guardian must be presented. The letter needs to be certified by a Finnish honorary consul, notary public or a commissioner oaths. A notarized copy of his/her passport is also required. Sole custodians must attach the original certificate of their custodial authority, or a notarized copy thereof.

• If the child is born outside Canada, his/her own or Finnish parent's Canadian Permanent Resident Card or a Canadian visa. For Finnish parent(s) who have dual or multiple citizenship, documentation confirming citizenship status.

• Passport fee (in the form of cash, a money order, or a certified cheque). A money order or certified cheque is made out to the Embassy of Finland.

Note! A passport can only be issued when a child has been registered into the Finnish population registration system. The registry needs to be updated before submitting the passport application.

If a child is a dual citizen, the passport is valid until he/she reaches the age of 22, unless a certificate for retaining Finnish citizenship at the age of 22 is provided.

Passport fee

The fee may be paid either by cash, money order, or certified cheque made out to Embassy of Finland. Personal cheques will not be accepted. The fee is non-refundable.

Passport fee is subject to change with the exchange rate fluctuations.

• Passport fee

Lost passport

If your valid passport has been stolen or lost, you must report it to the police, and present a police report to the Embassy when applying for a new passport.

Processing time

Processing time for a 5-year passport is about 4 weeks. A temporary passport may be issued only in a case of emergency (in practice only for a trip back to the home country). In order to apply for a temporary passport the applicant has to come to the Embassy of Finland in Ottawa in person.

The new passport can be picked up from the Embassy of Finland or a Finnish honorary consulate by the applicant or a person authorized by the applicant. If the applicant wants the passport to be returned to them by mail, they will need to provide a prepaid, self-addressed Expresspost or courier service envelope with the application. Applicant's old passport will be cancelled at the latest when picking up the new passport or before the new passport is returned to the applicant.