Before you start

Personal identity code from DVV
Passport and residence permit card
Employment contract or other evidence of your reason to be in Finland
A Finnish address

Step-by-step

1
Get the identity code first
Finnish banks require a personal identity code and will apply strict identity verification. There is no realistic route to a full account before DVV has registered you.
In personWho: YouAfter DVV registration
2
Book a branch appointment and ask specifically about online banking credentials
The account itself is less important than the credentials. Ask when they will be issued and whether any restriction applies to new customers with a residence permit, because without them you cannot authenticate to Suomi.fi.
In personWho: YouWeek 2–4
3
Consider a mobile certificate as a parallel identity
Finnish mobile operators issue a mobile certificate (mobiilivarmenne) tied to your SIM that works as strong electronic identification on Suomi.fi and elsewhere. It requires an identity check but not a bank, and it is a genuine fallback if bank credentials are delayed. Very few newcomers are told it exists.
In personWho: You
4
Register on Suomi.fi and turn on electronic messaging
Suomi.fi is the portal for Vero, Kela, Migri, DVV and municipal services, and Suomi.fi Messages replaces paper post from most authorities. Turning it on means decisions arrive quickly; leaving it off means waiting for letters.
OnlineWho: You
5
Set up MobilePay and e-invoicing
MobilePay is the common person-to-person payment app in Finland. E-invoicing (e-lasku) into your online bank replaces paper bills for rent, utilities and insurance and is worth setting up on day one.
Mobile appWho: You
6
Keep the account open if you leave temporarily
Because your credentials are your identity, closing the account cuts off access to the digital state. Anyone leaving for an extended period should keep at least one Finnish account and credential alive.
OnlineWho: You

Documents you’ll need

Personal identity code
Passport
Residence permit card or EU registration
Employment contract
Finnish address confirmation

Things most newcomers don’t know

Your bank login is your government login, which makes the bank account load-bearing in a way it is not elsewhere.

Finland never issued a universal electronic ID card the way Estonia did. Instead, banks' online credentials became the accepted strong identification for Suomi.fi, and through it for the tax administration, Kela, Migri's portal and health services. That means a delayed bank account does not just delay banking — it delays your entire relationship with the Finnish state. It is the reason the DVV registration and the bank appointment should be the first two things in your calendar.

Source: Suomi.fi / DVV

The mobile certificate is a real alternative and almost nobody is told about it.

Finnish mobile operators can issue a mobiilivarmenne, a certificate tied to your SIM that serves as strong electronic identification for Suomi.fi and many private services. It requires an in-person identity check but not a bank relationship, and it works if your bank is slow or refuses. For anyone stuck between a residence permit and a bank appointment, it is the most useful thing in this guide and it costs very little.

Source: Traficom / Suomi.fi

Suomi.fi Messages is where official decisions arrive, and turning it on is optional in a way that hurts.

Authorities can deliver decisions electronically through Suomi.fi Messages, and if you have not activated it they fall back to paper post — which is slower and, for someone who has just moved, more likely to go astray. Migri decisions, tax assessments and Kela decisions all come this way. Activating it takes two minutes with your credentials and it is the difference between hearing in a day and hearing in a fortnight.

Source: Suomi.fi

Being in the euro removes a friction the rest of the Nordics still have.

Finland is the only Nordic country using the euro. Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Iceland each have their own krona or krone, so cross-border life in the region involves currency conversion for everyone except Finns. For someone comparing Nordic offers, this is a small but genuine advantage: euro salary, euro savings, no spread on transfers to the rest of the eurozone, and no exposure to a small currency.

Source: community-reported

Common mistakes to avoid

Trying to open an account before DVV has issued the identity code.
Not asking when online banking credentials will actually be issued.
Not knowing the mobile certificate exists when the bank is slow.
Leaving Suomi.fi Messages inactive and waiting on paper post for official decisions.
Closing your Finnish account when leaving temporarily and losing your electronic identity with it.

Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.