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Temporary protection

Municipality of residence

You can apply for a municipality of residence from the Digital and Population Data Services Agency if:

  • you have lived in Finland for one year; and 
  • you have a residence permit on the basis of temporary protection that has been granted for at least one year.

In some cases, you can apply for a municipality of residence even before you meet the requirement of one-year residence in Finland. In order to apply earlier, you must have been granted a residence permit on the basis of temporary protection for at least one year. You also need to meet one of the following conditions:

  • You have an employment relationship, valid for at least two years. 
  • You have been admitted to study in Finland. The duration of the studies must be at least two years. 
  • You have resided in Finland with a biometric Ukrainian passport before applying for a residence permit on the basis of temporary protection. You must provide proof of this.

If your family member has a municipality of residence in Finland, you can apply for a municipality of residence as soon as you apply for temporary protection.

Apply for a municipality of residence online on the website of the Digital and Population Data Services Agency (dvv.fi). The Digital and Population Data Services Agency will notify you when a municipality of residence has been registered for you. After that, tell your reception centre that you have been granted a municipality of residence. 

When you have a municipality of residence, you are entitled to more extensive services than at a reception centre. Read more about how the services of a reception centre differ from the services provided by your municipality of residence.

If you do not apply for a municipality of residence, you will continue to be a client of a reception centre and will continue to receive services from your reception centre. If you need advice, you can contact your reception centre. 

For more information, see the leaflet Municipality of residence in Finland.pdf. The leaflet has been prepared by the Finnish authorities and contains instructions on how you can apply for a municipality of residence and information on how getting a municipality of residence will affect your life in Finland.

Read more: Information about municipality of residence for customers receiving temporary protection.pdf. All language versions of the instructions are available on the page Printable instructions for people fleeing Ukraine.

For further information about the services available to you, please see the websites of the following authorities:

Digital and Population Data Services Agency

The Digital and Population Data Services Agency issues Finnish personal identity codes and registers municipalities of residence. Applications for a municipality of residence can be submitted online. For more information about the requirements and on how to apply, see Instructions on arriving in Finland from Ukraine (dvv.fi).

Social Insurance Institution of Finland (Kela)

Kela provides social security coverage in Finland and pays benefits that cover a wide range of situations. You may be entitled to Kela benefits, such as child benefit, if you have lived in Finland for one year or if you are working in Finland. For more information, see the website of Kela (kela.fi).

For more information, see: 

Finnish National Agency for Education

For information on how getting a municipality of residence will affect childcare, school and studies see the website of the Finnish National Agency for Education.

For more information, see: 

Notification of move

When you move to a new home, you need to submit a notification of change of address (a notification of move). If you have a residence permit for temporary protection and get a municipality of residence, remember to inform your reception centre of your new address and submit a notification of change of address to Posti as well.