Data protection

The Finnish Immigration Service processes personal data in compliance with section 1, subsection 1, paragraph 1 of the Personal Data Act in Immigration Administration (615/2020). The data are used to process, make decisions on and supervise matters that relate to foreigners’ entry into Finland, departure from Finland, and residence in the country. 

The processing is based on compliance with a legal obligation as referred to in Article 6(1)(c) of the General Data Protection Regulation.

The data we process: Under section 7 of the Personal Data Act in Immigration Administration, the Finnish Immigration Service processes the following for the purposes listed above: 

• a person’s identifying data, 
• data on family relations, 
• data on representatives, 
• data describing competence, 
• contact information, and 
• data on travel documents and cards for a pending application referred to in section 96 of the Aliens Act (301/2004).
• The Finnish Immigration Service also processes the personal data of applicants’ family members, persons living in the same household with applicants and sponsors living in Finland as well as the personal data of employers who recruit foreign employees.

When this is justified in order to deal with a matter, the Finnish Immigration Service processes:

1. data obtained from an application, proposal, request or report, or an enquiry made or hearing conducted in connection with them;
2. data concerning the processing and investigation of a matter and the decisions made;
3. data concerning reception services and other reception activities, a representative’s identifying and contact information, and data concerning the assignment of a representative, releasing a representative from their duties and termination of a representative’s assignment;
4. data on the date on which a foreigner was placed in a detention unit and when they were released, and data on persons who visited a foreigner in detention and other persons visiting the detention unit, and other data related to such visits;
5. data on the municipality to which a person has been assigned.

The Finnish Immigration Service may also process data based on its observations or observational data reported to it where, due to the circumstances or a person’s behaviour, there is justified cause to determine that the data are relevant to the Finnish Immigration Service’s authority to check the preconditions of the person's entry into Finland and residence in this country or to make a decision on granting or losing Finnish citizenship, or the agency’s obligation to secure the occupational safety of its employees. Information on the person who provided the data or the information source, as well as an evaluation of their reliability and correctness, must be attached to observational data. The Finnish Immigration Service does not use observational data as the grounds for making decisions.

The Finnish Immigration Service only processes data included in special categories of personal data when this is necessary for the purpose of the processing. This type of data reveal a person’s racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs or trade union membership, or they concern a person’s health, sex life or sexual orientation or genetic and biometric data processed for the purpose of uniquely identifying a natural person.

The Finnish Immigration Service also processes fingerprints taken for an application for a residence permit, residence permit card or a residence card for an EU citizen’s family member as well as for an alien’s passport and a refugee travel document. 

The Finnish Immigration Service processes the data it has stored in the Case management system for immigration matters for other purposes than those for which they were originally saved if the data are necessary for performing the agency’s statutory tasks as specifically provided in the legislation. 

Data disclosures: Personal data are also disclosed to other authorities in order for them to perform their tasks laid down in the legislation within a specified scope if the recipient of the disclosed data has a statutory right to obtain these data from the Finnish Immigration Service. 
Personal data are only transferred to third countries or international organisations within the limits laid down in the legislation. 

Data sources, recipients of personal data

Unless this is a violation of confidentiality provisions, the Finnish Immigration Service discloses personal data to the common information systems of the European Union established under regulations issued by virtue of Title V, Chapter 2 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union as provided in these regulations.

Storage period of data: Unless otherwise provided by virtue of an international obligation or statute, personal data processed under the Personal Data Act in Immigration Administration are erased as follows:

1. of identifying data, the customer number, name, date of birth, personal identity code, foreign national identification number, other foreign identifier issued to identify a person, nationality and information on family relationships are erased within ten years of the person’s death, the date on which the person has been granted Finnish citizenship, or data on matters associated with the person have been erased;
2. personal data and data on matters associated with a person other than those referred to in paragraph 1 are erased at the latest when five years have elapsed from the expiry of the person’s right of residence or the date on which the latest entry on the most recent pending matter was made;
3. personal data belonging to special categories are erased as soon as they are no longer necessary;
4. observational data are erased six months after the date on which they were recorded.

The Case management system for immigration matters must be compliant with the legislation regarding the erasure of data by 31 August 2021. During the transition period, the provisions on erasure of data laid down in the Act on the Register of Aliens (1270/1997, as amended by Act 1215/2013) must be complied with.

The Finnish Immigration Service processes personal data in compliance with section 1, subsection 1, paragraph 1 of the Personal Data Act in Immigration Administration (615/2020). The data are used to process, make decisions on and supervise matters that relate to foreigners’ entry into Finland, departure from Finland, and residence in the country. 

The processing is based on compliance with a legal obligation as referred to in Article 6(1)(c) of the General Data Protection Regulation.

The data we process: Under section 7 of the Personal Data Act in Immigration Administration, the Finnish Immigration Service processes the following for the purposes listed above: 

• a person’s identifying data, 
• data on family relations, 
• data on representatives, 
• data describing competence, 
• contact information, and 
• data on travel documents and cards for a pending application referred to in section 96 of the Aliens Act (301/2004).
• The Finnish Immigration Service also processes the personal data of applicants’ family members, persons living in the same household with applicants and sponsors living in Finland as well as the personal data of employers who recruit foreign employees.

When this is justified in order to deal with a matter, the Finnish Immigration Service processes:

1. data obtained from an application, proposal, request or report, or an enquiry made or hearing conducted in connection with them;
2. data concerning the processing and investigation of a matter and the decisions made;
3. data concerning reception services and other reception activities, a representative’s identifying and contact information, and data concerning the assignment of a representative, releasing a representative from their duties and termination of a representative’s assignment;
4. data on the date on which a foreigner was placed in a detention unit and when they were released, and data on persons who visited a foreigner in detention and other persons visiting the detention unit, and other data related to such visits;
5. data on the municipality to which a person has been assigned.

The Finnish Immigration Service may also process data based on its observations or observational data reported to it where, due to the circumstances or a person’s behaviour, there is justified cause to determine that the data are relevant to the Finnish Immigration Service’s authority to check the preconditions of the person's entry into Finland and residence in this country or to make a decision on granting or losing Finnish citizenship, or the agency’s obligation to secure the occupational safety of its employees. Information on the person who provided the data or the information source, as well as an evaluation of their reliability and correctness, must be attached to observational data. The Finnish Immigration Service does not use observational data as the grounds for making decisions.

The Finnish Immigration Service only processes data included in special categories of personal data when this is necessary for the purpose of the processing. This type of data reveal a person’s racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs or trade union membership, or they concern a person’s health, sex life or sexual orientation or genetic and biometric data processed for the purpose of uniquely identifying a natural person.

The Finnish Immigration Service also processes fingerprints taken for an application for a residence permit, residence permit card or a residence card for an EU citizen’s family member as well as for an alien’s passport and a refugee travel document. 

The Finnish Immigration Service processes the data it has stored in the Case management system for immigration matters for other purposes than those for which they were originally saved if the data are necessary for performing the agency’s statutory tasks as specifically provided in the legislation. 

Data disclosures: Personal data are also disclosed to other authorities in order for them to perform their tasks laid down in the legislation within a specified scope if the recipient of the disclosed data has a statutory right to obtain these data from the Finnish Immigration Service. 
Personal data are only transferred to third countries or international organisations within the limits laid down in the legislation. 

Data sources, recipients of personal data

Unless this is a violation of confidentiality provisions, the Finnish Immigration Service discloses personal data to the common information systems of the European Union established under regulations issued by virtue of Title V, Chapter 2 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union as provided in these regulations.

Storage period of data: Unless otherwise provided by virtue of an international obligation or statute, personal data processed under the Personal Data Act in Immigration Administration are erased as follows:

1. of identifying data, the customer number, name, date of birth, personal identity code, foreign national identification number, other foreign identifier issued to identify a person, nationality and information on family relationships are erased within ten years of the person’s death, the date on which the person has been granted Finnish citizenship, or data on matters associated with the person have been erased;
2. personal data and data on matters associated with a person other than those referred to in paragraph 1 are erased at the latest when five years have elapsed from the expiry of the person’s right of residence or the date on which the latest entry on the most recent pending matter was made;
3. personal data belonging to special categories are erased as soon as they are no longer necessary;
4. observational data are erased six months after the date on which they were recorded.

The Case management system for immigration matters must be compliant with the legislation regarding the erasure of data by 31 August 2021. During the transition period, the provisions on erasure of data laid down in the Act on the Register of Aliens (1270/1997, as amended by Act 1215/2013) must be complied with.

Processing of personal data in reception activities

The Finnish Immigration Service and the reception centres subordinate to it process personal data as part of reception centre activities for the purposes of receiving persons applying for international protection and receiving temporary protection, assisting victims of human trafficking and representing unaccompanied minors as well as for the purposes of steering, planning and supervising these activities.

The information document Processing of personal data in reception activities is handed to asylum seeker clients in connection with the initial information provided at the reception centre. The information document explains clearly and transparently at a general level how personal data are processed in reception activities and provides the data subjects the information they need on their data subject’s rights as well as instructions for finding more information.

For the part of reception activities and assistance of human trafficking victims, the Finnish Immigration Service and the reception centres subordinate to it act as controllers of not only the Case management system for immigration matters (later referred to as the UMA system) but also for the patient register and payment card register of reception services. In addition, the Finnish Immigration Service’s reception centres have a recording CCTV surveillance system, a visitors’ register and possibly other systems or files in which personal data are processed based on the reception centre’s statutory tasks. In practice, the processing of personal data is associated with organising, planning, implementing, monitoring and supervising accommodation, the reception allowance and spending allowance, social and health services, work and study activities and other activities that are part of the reception service. Your data may also be processed for the purposes of planning, organising, implementing, monitoring and supervising the reception of asylum seekers and for statistical purposes. The data may be processed either electronically or manually in paper form.

All persons registered at the reception centre and included in the Assistance System for Victims of Human Trafficking who request and receive health care services are entered in the patient register of the reception services. In the patient register, your personal and patient data are processed in connection with the initial health check and other health care procedures carried out by the reception centre nurse or a care unit that provides health care services for the reception centre (as outsourced services). Your data may also be processed for the purposes of planning, organising, implementing, monitoring and supervising health care activities and for statistical purposes.

In addition to centres subordinate to the Finnish Immigration Service, other reception centres operate in the field of reception services, each one of which is responsible for register keeping as the controller of the data they have stored. For information on the processing of personal data and data protection in these organisations, contact the relevant controller.

The personal data we process

The reception centre initially obtains your personal data from the authority that received the asylum application. At the reception centre, your personal data are processed in different information systems and complemented at different stages of the reception activities. If you move from one reception centre to another, the new centre will receive your data from the previous one, and the processing of your personal and patient data will be continued at your new reception centre.

Under section 7 of the Personal Data Act in Immigration Administration, the Finnish Immigration Service and the reception centres subordinate to it process, for purposes referred to in section 1, subsection 1(3): 

• a person’s identifying data, 
• data on family relations, 
• data on representatives, 
• data describing competence, 
• contact information, and 
• data on travel documents and cards for a pending application referred to in section 96 of the Aliens Act (301/2004).

If this is justified in order to process a matter, the Finnish Immigration Service and the reception centres subordinate to it also process:

1. data obtained from an application, proposal, request or report, or an enquiry made or hearing conducted in connection with them;
2. data concerning the processing and investigation of a matter and the decisions made;
3. data concerning reception services and other reception activities, a representative’s identifying and contact information, and data concerning the assignment of a representative, releasing a representative from their duties and termination of a representative’s assignment as well as information needed to direct, plan and supervise representation activities;
4. data on the date on which a foreigner was placed in a detention unit and when they were released, information needed for organising, planning, implementing and monitoring detention and for securing the appropriate treatment of foreigners placed in detention, as well as data on persons who visited a foreigner in detention and other persons visiting the detention unit, and other data related to such visits;
5. data on the municipality to which a person has been assigned.

The Finnish Immigration Service and the reception centres subordinate to it may also process data based on their observations or observational data reported to them where, due to the circumstances or a person’s behaviour, there is justified cause to determine that the data are relevant to the controller’s authority to check the preconditions of the person's entry into Finland and residence in this country or to make a decision on granting or losing Finnish citizenship, or the agency’s obligation to secure the occupational safety of its employees. Information on the person who provided the data or the information source, as well as an evaluation of their reliability and correctness, must be attached to observational data. The observational data are not used as grounds for making decisions.

The Finnish Immigration Service and the reception centres subordinate to it also processes the personal data of applicants’ family members, persons living in the same household with applicants and sponsors living in Finland as well as the personal data of employers who recruit foreign employees.

The Finnish Immigration Service and the reception centres subordinate to it only processes data included in special categories of personal data when this is necessary for the purpose of the processing. This type of data reveal a person’s racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs or trade union membership, or they concern a person’s health, sex life or sexual orientation or genetic and biometric data processed for the purpose of uniquely identifying a natural person.

Data disclosures

Personal data are also disclosed to other authorities in order for them to perform their tasks laid down in the legislation within a specified scope if the disclosure of data is based on consent or the recipient of the disclosed data has a statutory right to obtain these data from the Finnish Immigration Service.

Personal data are only transferred to third countries or international organisations within the limits laid down in the legislation. 

Unless this is a violation of confidentiality provisions, the Finnish Immigration Service discloses personal data to the common information systems of the European Union established under regulations issued by virtue of Title V, Chapter 2 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union as provided in these regulations.

Storage period of data

Unless otherwise provided by virtue of an international obligation or statute, personal data processed under the Personal Data Act in Immigration Administration are erased as follows:

1. of identifying data, the customer number, name, date of birth, personal identity code, foreign national identification number, other foreign identifier issued to identify a person, nationality and information on family relationships are erased within ten years of the person’s death, the date on which the person has been granted Finnish citizenship, or data on matters associated with the person have been erased;
2. personal data and data on matters associated with a person other than those referred to in paragraph 1 are erased at the latest when five years have elapsed from the expiry of the person’s right of residence or the date on which the latest entry on the most recent pending matter was made;
3. personal data belonging to special categories are erased as soon as they are no longer necessary;
4. observational data are erased six months after the date on which they were recorded.

The Case management system for immigration matters must be compliant with the legislation regarding the erasure of data by 31 August 2021. During the transition period, the provisions on erasure of data laid down in the Act on the Register of Aliens (1270/1997, as amended by Act 1215/2013) must be complied with.

In the patient register of reception services are stored the patient documents referred to in section 12 of the Act on the Status and Rights of Patients (785/1992). Regarding the data stored in the patient documents and their storage periods, the provisions issued in section 12 of this Act and by virtue of it are complied with.

Privacy notice for the processing of personal data in reception activities

Privacy notice for the processing of personal data in representation activities

Privacy notice for the patient register of reception services

Privacy notice for the payment card register 

Processing of personal data in the reception services (information form in Finnish)

In addition to the data listed above, the reception centre may also process personal data found in, and act as the controller of, other systems or registers. For information on the processing of personal data in these systems or registers, contact the reception centre.

Processing of personal data in detention activities

The Finnish Immigration Service and the detention units subordinate to it process personal data for the purposes of placing a foreigner in a detention unit, monitoring the treatment of a foreigner in a detention unit as well as maintaining order and security at detention units.

The processing is based on compliance with a legal obligation as referred to in Article 6(1)(c) of the General Data Protection Regulation.

The Finnish Immigration Service and the detention units subordinate to it act as controllers of not only the Case management system for immigration matters (later referred to as the UMA system) but also the patient register and payment card register of reception services. In addition, the Finnish Immigration Service’s detention units have a recording CCTV surveillance system, a visitors’ register and possibly other systems or files in which personal data are processed based on the detention unit’s statutory tasks.

All persons registered at the detention unit who request and receive health care services are entered in the patient register. In the patient register, your personal and patient data are processed in connection with the initial health check and other health care procedures carried out by the care unit providing health care services for the detention unit. Your data may also be processed for the purposes of planning, organising, implementing, monitoring and supervising health care activities and for statistical purposes.

The personal data we process

Under section 7 of the Personal Data Act in Immigration Administration, the Finnish Immigration Service and the detention units subordinate to it process, for purposes referred to in section 1, subsection 1(4)

• a person’s identifying data, 
• data on family relations, 
• data on representatives, 
• data describing competence, 
• contact information, and 
• data on travel documents and cards for a pending application referred to in section 96 of the Aliens Act (301/2004).

The Finnish Immigration Service and the detention units subordinate to it also process:

1. data obtained from an application, proposal, request or report, or an enquiry made or hearing conducted in connection with them;
2. data concerning the processing and investigation of a matter and the decisions made;
3. data concerning reception services and other reception activities, a representative’s identifying and contact information, and data concerning the assignment of a representative, releasing a representative from their duties and termination of a representative’s assignment as well as information needed to direct, plan and supervise representation activities;
4. data on the date on which a foreigner was placed in a detention unit and when they were released, information needed for organising, planning, implementing and monitoring detention and for securing the appropriate treatment of foreigners placed in detention, as well as data on persons who visited a foreigner in detention and other persons visiting the detention unit, and other data related to such visits;
5. data on the municipality to which a person has been assigned.

The Finnish Immigration Service and the detention units subordinate to it may also process data based on their observations or reported to them where, due to the circumstances or a person’s behaviour, there is justified cause to determine that the data are relevant to the controller’s authority to check the preconditions of the person's entry into Finland and residence in this country or to make a decision on granting or losing Finnish citizenship, or the agency’s obligation to secure the occupational safety of its employees. Information on the person who provided the data or the information source, as well as an evaluation of their reliability and correctness, must be attached to observational data. The observational data are not used as grounds for making decisions.

The Finnish Immigration Service and the detention units subordinate to it also processes the personal data of applicants’ family members, persons living in the same household with applicants and sponsors living in Finland.

The Finnish Immigration Service only processes data included in special categories of personal data when this is necessary for the purpose of the processing. This type of data reveal a person’s racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs or trade union membership, or they concern a person’s health, sex life or sexual orientation or genetic and biometric data processed for the purpose of uniquely identifying a natural person.

Data disclosures

Personal data are also disclosed to other authorities in order for them to perform their tasks laid down in the legislation within a specified scope if the disclosure of data is based on consent or the recipient of the disclosed data has a statutory right to obtain these data from the Finnish Immigration Service.

Personal data are only transferred to third countries or international organisations within the limits laid down in the legislation. 

Unless this is a violation of confidentiality provisions, the Finnish Immigration Service discloses personal data to the common information systems of the European Union established under regulations issued by virtue of Title V, Chapter 2 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union as provided in these regulations.

Storage period of data

Unless otherwise provided by virtue of an international obligation or statute, personal data processed under the Personal Data Act in Immigration Administration are erased as follows:

1. of identifying data, the customer number, name, date of birth, personal identity code, foreign national identification number, other foreign identifier issued to identify a person, nationality and information on family relationships are erased within ten years of the person’s death, the date on which the person has been granted Finnish citizenship, or data on matters associated with the person have been erased;
2. personal data and data on matters associated with a person other than those referred to in paragraph 1 are erased at the latest when five years have elapsed from the expiry of the person’s right of residence or the date on which the latest entry on the most recent pending matter was made;
3. personal data belonging to special categories are erased as soon as they are no longer necessary;
4. observational data are erased six months after the date on which they were recorded.

The Case management system for immigration matters must be compliant with the legislation regarding the erasure of data by 31 August 2021. During the transition period, the provisions on erasure of data laid down in the Act on the Register of Aliens (1270/1997, as amended by Act 1215/2013) must be complied with.

Privacy notice for the processing of personal data in detention activities

Privacy notice for the processing of personal data in representation activities

Privacy notice for the patient register of reception services

Privacy notice for the payment card register 

In the patient register of reception activities are stored the patient documents referred to in section 12 of the Act on the Status and Rights of Patients (785/1992). Regarding the data stored in the patient documents and their storage periods, the provisions issued in section 12 of this Act and by virtue of it are complied with.

In addition to the data listed above, a detention unit may also process personal data in, and act as the controller of, other systems or registers. For information on the processing of personal data in these systems or registers, contact the detention unit.

Processing of personal data in connection with assignment to a municipality

The Finnish Immigration Service and the reception centres subordinate to it process personal data under section 1, subsection 1(5) of the Act on the Processing of Personal Data in Immigration Administration for the purpose of assigning an asylum seeker to a municipality. The processing is based on compliance with a legal obligation as referred to in Article 6(1)(c) of the General Data Protection Regulation.

The personal data we process

Under section 7 of the Personal Data Act in Immigration Administration, the Finnish Immigration Service and the reception centres subordinate to it processes the following data for the purpose stated above: 

• a person’s identifying data, 
• data on family relations, 
• data on representatives, 
• data describing competence, 
• contact information, and 
• data on travel documents and cards for a pending application referred to in section 96 of the Aliens Act (301/2004).

The Finnish Immigration Service also processes:

1. data obtained from an application, proposal, request or report, or an enquiry made or hearing conducted in connection with them;
2. data concerning the processing and investigation of a matter and the decisions made;
3. data concerning reception services and other reception activities, a representative’s identifying and contact information, and data concerning the assignment of a representative, releasing a representative from their duties and termination of a representative’s assignment as well as information needed to direct, plan and supervise representation activities;
4. data on the municipality to which a person has been assigned.

The Finnish Immigration Service may also process data based on its observations or observational data reported to it where, due to the circumstances or a person’s behaviour, there is justified cause to determine that the data are relevant to the controller’s authority to check the preconditions of the person's entry into Finland and residence in this country or to make a decision on granting or losing Finnish citizenship, or the agency’s obligation to secure the occupational safety of its employees. Information on the person who provided the data or the information source, as well as an evaluation of their reliability and correctness, must be attached to observational data. The observational data are not used as grounds for making decisions.

The Finnish Immigration Service also processes the personal data of applicants’ family members, persons living in the same household with applicants and sponsors living in Finland as well as the personal data of employers who recruit foreign employees.

The Finnish Immigration Service only processes data included in special categories of personal data when this is necessary for the purpose of the processing. This type of data reveal a person’s racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs or trade union membership, or they concern a person’s health, sex life or sexual orientation or genetic and biometric data processed for the purpose of uniquely identifying a natural person.

Data disclosures

Personal data are also disclosed to other authorities in order for them to perform their tasks laid down in the legislation within a specified scope if the disclosure of data is based on consent or the recipient of the disclosed data has a statutory right to obtain these data from the Finnish Immigration Service.

Personal data are only transferred to third countries or international organisations within the limits laid down in the legislation. 

Unless this is a violation of confidentiality provisions, the Finnish Immigration Service discloses personal data to the common information systems of the European Union established under regulations issued by virtue of Title V, Chapter 2 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union as provided in these regulations.

Storage period of data

Unless otherwise provided by virtue of an international obligation or statute, personal data processed under the Personal Data Act in Immigration Administration are erased as follows:

1. of identifying data, the customer number, name, date of birth, personal identity code, foreign national identification number, other foreign identifier issued to identify a person, nationality and information on family relationships are erased within ten years of the person’s death, the date on which the person has been granted Finnish citizenship, or data on matters associated with the person have been erased;
2. personal data and data on matters associated with a person other than those referred to in paragraph 1 are erased at the latest when five years have elapsed from the expiry of the person’s right of residence or the date on which the latest entry on the most recent pending matter was made;
3. personal data belonging to special categories are erased as soon as they are no longer necessary;
4. observational data are erased six months after the date on which they were recorded.

The Case management system for immigration matters must be compliant with the legislation regarding the erasure of data by 31 August 2021. During the transition period, the provisions on erasure of data laid down in the Act on the Register of Aliens (1270/1997, as amended by Act 1215/2013) must be complied with.

In the patient register of reception activities are stored the patient documents referred to in section 12 of the Act on the Status and Rights of Patients (785/1992). Regarding the data stored in the patient documents and their storage periods, the provisions issued in section 12 of this Act and by virtue of it are complied with.

For more information about the processing of personal data in integration activities, contact the authorities that manage the measures to promote integration (Act on the Promotion of Integration of Immigrants 1386/2010)

Privacy notice for the processing of personal data in reception activities

Privacy notice for the processing of personal data in representation activities

Privacy notice for the patient register of reception services

The purpose of the electronic feedback system is to receive feedback, ideas and suggestions. When customers provide feedback, the system informs them that they do not need to provide any personal data. The feedback can be sent anonymously.

The Finnish Immigration Service processes personal data in compliance with Article 6(1)(a) of the General Data Protection Regulation. The data subject has given consent to the processing of their personal data.

The feedback system stores:

• feedback provided by the customer,
• feedback recorded in the system on behalf of a customer, and
• any personal data the customer may have provided in their feedback (name, date of birth, personal identity code, e-mail address, telephone number, customer number).

The system only stores the data that a user wishes to provide when giving feedback. Customers can also provide feedback anonymously if they wish. Feedback provided on the telephone or at the customer service desk can also be recorded in the system by a customer service officer on behalf of the customer.

Data disclosures: No regular data disclosures to recipients outside the Finnish Immigration Service are made. There are also no data transfers to countries outside the EU or the EEA or to international organisations.

Storage period of data: The data are stored in the database of the information systems for as long as this is necessary for operative and reporting purposes. However, the data are deleted at the latest one year after they have been saved. 

Purpose and legal basis of the processing of personal data

The purpose of the processing of personal data in this register is customer services and guidance. When a customer contacts the customer guidance services by phone, the customer is informed at the beginning of the phone call that the call will be recorded.

The Finnish Immigration Service uses the data in the register for planning and developing its services and service channels, as well as for securing the quality and controlling the legality of guidance.

The management, persons responsible for reporting and system administrators have access to all personal data stored.Officials only have access to the recordings of the calls they have personally handled.

The processing of customer calls and the identification of callers in connection with disclosure of data are based on Article 6(1)(c) of the General Data Protection Regulation (EU 2016/679). 

Categories of personal data 

The data stored in the register constitutes personal and company data provided by the customer themselves and those created in connection of guidance provision.
The following data obtained through incoming and outgoing calls Customer guidance services of the Finnish Immigration Service as well as contacts handled by the services are stored in the register:

• The caller’s telephone number or e-mail address
• The name and telephone number of the official or service e-mail address

The calls are recorded automatically and in their entirety. The data content consists of information provided by the customer, and may include, for example, 

• name, 
• date of birth, 
• personal identity code,
• customer number or case number,
• citizenship,
• language of contact,
• address information, 
• telephone number, 
• e-mail address, 
• housing details, 
• family details
• information about other service and customer transactions.

The data may include special categories of personal data, including the following personal data: 

• data revealing racial or ethnic origin
• data on political opinions
• data concerning religious of philosophical beliefs
• data on trade union membership
• data concerning sex life or sexual orientation
• data concerning health
• genetic data
• biometric data.

The recording of a call begins when an official of the Finnish Immigration Service answers the call or makes a phone call to a customer. The recording ends when the phone call ends.

Sources of information

The data is acquired from the caller or the customer over the phone.

Recipients of personal data

As a rule, no data is disclosed to entities outside the Finnish Immigration Service.

Transfer of personal data outside the EU/EEA

No data is transferred outside the EU or the EEA or to international organisations.

Retention period of personal data

The call recordings are stored for one (1) year from their recording. E-mails are stored for six months from receipt. The deleted information is erased using appropriate methods.

Right of access

You have the right to receive confirmation from the controller of the register that personal data concerning you are or will not be processed and, if your personal data are being processed, the right to access this personal data. 

You have the right to request and be provided with access to the personal data recorded and processed. The information can be requested from the above-mentioned contact person for the register or from the email address of the Registry of the Finnish Immigration Service at migri@migri.fi.

You cannot get access directly to the information systems of the Finnish Immigration Service to inspect your data. Your right of access to your personal data may be restricted in accordance with section 34 of the Data Protection Act (1050/2018) or with section 11, subsection 2 of the Act on the Openness of Government Activities (621/1999).

Right to rectify or supplement personal data

If you find that your personal data are incorrect or erroneous, you may request for them to be corrected. In this event, we will ask you to specify what information is incorrect and how and why it should be changed, or to specify what information should be added and in what way.

The rectification or supplementation request should be sent to the above-mentioned contact person for the register or to the email address of the Registry of the Finnish Immigration Service at migri@migri.fi.

Right to restriction of processing

If you have indicated that your data is inaccurate, you also have the right to request that the processing of the data is restricted until its accuracy has been verified.

Report on the processing of personal data and the right to file a complaint with a supervisory authority

If you wish to report a problem concerning the processing of your personal data, you should first contact the contact person for this register or the data protection officer of the Finnish Immigration Service (see contact details above). Data subjects have the right to file a complaint about the processing of their personal data to the supervisory authority. In Finland, the Data Protection Ombudsman functions as the supervisory authority. The website of the Office of the Data Protection Ombudsman is at www.tietosuoja.fi. 

Controller 

Finnish Immigration Service
 PO Box 10, 00086 Maahanmuuttovirasto
E-mail address: migri@migri.fi  
Phone +358 (0)295 430 431 (switchboard)

Contact person in matters concerning the register

Sari Pääkkönen
Head of Customer Manager
sari.paakkonen@migri.fi 
+358 (0)295 430 431 (switchboard)

Name and contact details of the controller/data protection officer

E-mail: tietosuojavastaava@migri.fi
Tel. +358 (0)295 430 431 (switchboard) 

This web page will be updated. The Act on the Processing of Personal Data in the Field of Immigration Administration (615/2020) entered into force on 1 September 2020.

Privacy notice for the booking system

Every year, the Finnish Immigration Service requests the Digital and Data Services Agency to pick in the Population Information System data on persons registered as Finnish citizens who turn 18 that year and who have an address where they can be reached in the Population Information System. Persons who have had a municipality of residence in Finland for a minimum of seven years in total are not contacted. The persons whose data have been picked in this way are sent instructions on what they should do to retain their Finnish citizenship when they turn 22. The instructions are sent out in the year in which the person turns 18.

The Finnish Immigration Service processes personal data for the purposes of providing information on retaining Finnish citizenship and the conditions in which a person loses their Finnish citizenship directly under the legislation when they turn 22.

The processing is based on compliance with a legal obligation as referred to in Article 6(1)(c) of the General Data Protection Regulation. This obligation concerns the task assigned to the controller under section 37(2) of the Nationality Act to inform young citizens of the risk of losing their Finnish citizenship and the possibilities of retaining it. 

The data we process: To provide this information, the Finnish Immigration Service processes the following identifying data: 

• personal identity code, 
• name, 
• code assigned by the population register authority,
• address in Finland or abroad (permanent, temporary or postal address), 
• the most recent dates of changes of address,
• potential start and end dates of residence at different addresses, and
• native language.

The Finnish Immigration Service processes separately the data concerning persons to whom non-disclosure for personal safety reasons applies and those to whom it does not apply.

Data disclosures: No regular data disclosures to recipients outside the Finnish Immigration Service are made. There are also no data transfers to countries outside the EU or the EEA or to international organisations.

Storage period of data: The personal data are destroyed appropriately after the letters to customers have been sent.
 

The Finnish Immigration Service processes personal data for the purposes of its customer and stakeholder communication and to conduct surveys. 

We process personal data in compliance with Article 6(1)(a) of the General Data Protection Regulation. The processing is based on the customer's consent.

Recorded data: All the recorded data are provided by the data subject.

Data disclosures: No regular data disclosures to recipients outside the Finnish Immigration Service are made. There are also no data transfers to countries outside the EU or the EEA or to international organisations.

Storage period of data: The data are removed from the file on the data subject’s request, or when their storage is no longer justified by the purpose for which they are used. The contents of the register and the fact that it is up to date are checked at least once every three years.

Communication and surveys addressed to customers and stakeholders

To have press releases sent directly to their e-mail addresses, customers can subscribe to this service on the Finnish Immigration Service’s website. When subscribing, the customer consents to having their contact information stored for the purpose of sending out press releases. The data are registered in the Finnish Immigration Service’s information system, or they are recorded by the personnel of the agency. 

The purpose of the Press and Communications Services’ press release distribution list is to send the Finnish Immigration Service’s press releases and event invitations to the media and other subscribers. The collected contact information may also be used for other communication of the Finnish Immigration Service. This communication is based on the recipient’s consent.

We process personal data in compliance with Article 6(1)(a) of the General Data Protection Regulation. The processing of the personal data is based on the customer's consent. 

Recorded data: The following data concerning the customer are stored on the press release distribution list:

• subscriber’s name 
• subscriber’s organisation, if provided 
• subscriber's e-mail address.

Data disclosures: The data are not disclosed to recipients outside the Finnish Immigration Service. The data are not transferred to a third country or international organisations.

Storage period of data: The data are removed from the file on the data subject’s request, or when their storage is no longer justified by the purpose for which they are used. The contents of the press release distribution list and the fact that it is up to date are additionally checked at least once every three years.

 

This web page will be updated. The Act on the Processing of Personal Data in the Field of Immigration Administration (615/2020) entered into force on 1 September 2020.