Living in Finland

EU Exit updates

To keep up to date with information about EU Exit:

• read UK nationals in the EU: essential information
• sign up to email alerts on living in Finland
• follow the local British Embassy on Facebook and Twitter
• follow the Finnish government’s official website on Brexit
• attend our outreach meetings for British nationals

Residency and visas

You may want to check the entry requirements for Finland in our travel advice.

If you plan to stay for more than 90 days in Finland, you must contact the Finnish Immigration Service.

Residency and visas after the UK leaves the EU

If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, the Finnish government has drafted a special act extending the right of residence for UK nationals in Finland. It states that UK nationals who are currently living in Finland and have registered their EU right of residence, can continue to live in Finland without any separate measures for a fixed time period. The act was approved by the Finnish Parliament on 5 March 2019.

In the event of changes to residency rules or registration processes after the UK leaves the EU, we will update this guidance as soon as information is available. You should sign up to our email alerts.

Passports and travel

You can apply for or renew your British passport from Finland. If you cannot get a passport in time for your trip, you may need to get an emergency travel document or ‘emergency passport’.

Read our travel advice for Finland and sign up for the latest information on local laws and customs, safety and emergencies.

Passports and travel after the UK leaves the EU

You should check your passport is valid for travel before you book your trip.

If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, there will be new travel rules.

If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, the European Commission has said you may not need visas for short stays elsewhere in the Schengen area or the EU. You may be able to stay up to 90 days in any EU country, within a 180 day period.

If the UK leaves the EU with a deal, nothing will change until the end of 2020. In this time you can continue to travel freely in the Schengen area with your UK passport. What happens after 2020 will form the next part of negotiations.

Healthcare

You should ensure you are properly registered for healthcare as a resident in Finland, as well as registering, where necessary, with a health insurer. The NHS has more information about who is able to access healthcare in Finland and how to register.

Medical treatment, medicine and hospital stays are rarely completely free of charge in Finland.

If you live in Finland and receive an exportable UK pension, contribution-based Employment Support Allowance or another exportable benefit, you may currently be entitled to state healthcare paid for by the UK. You will need to apply for a certificate of entitlement known as an S1 certificate.

• if you are resident in Finland, you should not be using a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) from the UK to access healthcare in Finland
• you may use an EHIC to access state-provided healthcare during a temporary stay in another European Economic Area (EEA) country or Switzerland
• the EHIC covers treatment that is medically necessary until your planned return home
• an EHIC is not a replacement for comprehensive travel insurance
• for more information you can read our travel advice pages and advice on foreign travel insurance

You should read the NHS guidance on healthcare and studying abroad.

You can find English-speaking doctors in all Finnish hospitals. You should also check your prescriptions are legal in Finland.

Healthcare after the UK leaves the EU

If the UK leaves the EU with a deal, your current rights of access to healthcare in Finland will remain the same until 31 December 2020, as long as you remain a resident in Finland.

If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, your access to healthcare may change. f you are a permanent or temporary resident you should review the status of your healthcare cover.

The UK has proposed maintaining current healthcare cooperation with Finland for S1 form holders until the end of December 2020. If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, and there is no arrangement with Finland to continue reciprocal healthcare, those receiving coverage through the S1 form will not be covered.

You should take action now to confirm your residency status and decide what steps you need to take to ensure access to healthcare if the UK leaves the EU without a deal. UK nationals will be able to return to UK for treatment.

Your EHIC may not be valid in the event the UK leaves the EU without a deal. The UK has offered to maintain the EHIC scheme should the UK leave the EU without a deal, however this is reliant on Finland continuing to accept UK EHIC cards.

Working in Finland

Read our guidance on working in another EU country.

Some jobs may require a UK criminal records check (known as a DBS check).

Working in Finland after the UK leaves the EU

If the UK leaves the EU with a deal, your right to work will stay the same until the end of the implementation period.

If you’re planning to start a business, provide a service, or do a job in a regulated profession, after the UK leaves the EU, further guidance can be found here.

Money and tax

The UK has a double-taxation agreement with Finland to ensure people do not pay tax on the same income in both countries.

You should read the guidance on:

• tax if you leave the UK to live abroad
• tax on your UK income if you live abroad
• paying income tax in Finland

We recommend you get professional advice on paying tax in Finland.

National Insurance

You may be able to pay National Insurance while abroad in order to protect your State Pension and entitlement to other benefits and allowances.

Money and tax after the UK leaves the EU

If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, it may become more expensive to use your UK bank card in the EU. Read our guidance on using a bank card, insurance or other financial service in the EU.

The UK leaving the EU will not change existing double taxation arrangements for UK nationals living in Finland. You should direct individual taxpayer questions about double taxation to the relevant tax authority.

Pensions

You will need to tell the UK government offices that deal with your benefits, pension and tax if you are moving or retiring abroad.

If you retire in Finland, you can claim:

• your UK State Pension or new UK State Pension: contact the International Pension Centre to claim
• your Finnish pension, if you have worked in Finland
• pensions from working abroad, if you’ve worked in other EU countries

Life certificates for UK State Pensions

If you get a ‘life certificate’ from the UK Pension Service, you need to respond as soon as possible – your payments may be suspended if you don’t.

Pensions after the UK leaves the EU

The UK government will continue to pay State Pension, child benefits and disability benefits to those eligible in the EU after the UK leaves the EU. If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, you can read our guidance on pensions.

If the UK leaves the EU with a deal and you work and pay social security contributions in Finland, you will still be able to add your UK social security contributions towards your Finnish pension. This will happen even if you claim your pension after the end of the implementation period.

Benefits

You may still be able to claim some UK benefits like child and disability benefits if you live in Finland. You should:

• read our guidance on claiming benefits if you live, move or travel abroad
• use our tool to check which UK benefits you might be able to get while you’re abroad and how to claim them

If you’re abroad for more than 4 weeks, many income-related benefits such as Pension Credit and Housing Benefit cannot be paid to you.

You may be eligible to claim some Finnish social security benefits.

You can request proof of time you’ve worked in the UK from HMRC if you are asked for this.

Benefits after the UK leaves the EU

The UK Government will continue to pay child benefits, and disability benefits to those eligible in the EU after the UK leaves the EU.

If the UK leaves the EU with a deal and you work and pay social security contributions in Finland, your UK social security contributions will be taken into account when applying for Finnish contributions-based benefits. This will happen even if you claim contributions-based benefits after the end of the implementation period.

If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, you can read our guidance on benefits and pensions in a no deal scenario.

If you have questions on how the UK’s exit from the EU might affect your Finnish social security benefits, please contact Kela’s Centre for International Affairs.

Driving in Finland

If you are a resident in Finland, you should exchange your UK licence for a Finnish driving licence before the UK leaves the EU, as your UK licence may no longer be valid after the UK leaves the EU. You can still use your Finnish licence in the UK for short visits or exchange it for a UK licence without taking a test if you return to live in the UK.

Read the guidance on:

• driving abroad
• road travel in Finland
• driving licence renewal and exchange

Bringing a UK-registered vehicle to Finland

Read our guidance on taking a vehicle out of the UK.

You should read the EU’s guidance on car registration and taxes in Finland. You may be exempt from some of these taxes. If so you will need certificates of exemption.

Driving after the UK leaves the EU

If the UK leaves the EU with a deal, driving licence rules will stay the same during the implementation period.

Please read our guidance on driving in the EU after the UK leaves the EU.

Voting

You may be able to vote in some UK elections. You can:

• check if you are able to vote
• register as an overseas voter if you would like to vote

If you are resident in Finland, you can vote in local municipal elections and European Parliamentary elections.

Voting after the UK leaves the EU

Once the UK leaves the EU, UK nationals who are permanent residents in Finland will continue to be able to vote and stand in local elections. UK nationals will no longer be eligible to vote in European Parliament elections.

Births, deaths, and getting married

If your child is born in Finland, you will need to register the birth abroad.

If someone dies in Finland you can:

• read our guidance on what to do after someone dies abroad
• see a list of English-speaking funeral directors in Finland
• read guidance for UK nationals on bereavements in Finland

Find out how you can get married abroad.

Find out about notarial and documentary services for UK nationals in Finland.

Accommodation and buying property

Read guidance on how to buy or let property in Finland.

Pets

When the UK leaves the EU, you will still be able to travel to and from the UK with a cat, dog, or ferret but the rules will change. You can read guidance on pet travel to Europe after the UK leaves the EU for more information.

While the UK is still an EU Member State you’ll be able to travel with your pet to the EU under the current pet travel rules using your current EU pet passport. If you’re travelling with your pet for the first time you’ll have to visit your vet to get a pet passport.

Read guidance on returning your cat, dog or ferret to the UK. For moving pet horses and other equines read guidance on export horses and ponies: special rules.

Emergencies

Finland uses the European emergency number 112.

If you’re a victim of crime, have been arrested, or are affected by a crisis abroad, contact the British Embassy.

Returning to the UK

Tell the UK and Finnish authorities if you are returning to the UK permanently.

Check if your tax status will change if you return to the UK.

To move your pension to the UK, contact the International Pension Centre.

Read our guidance on bringing your pet to the UK and importing vehicles to the UK.

If you get healthcare in Finland through the S1 form, you must contact the Overseas Healthcare Team on +44 (0)191 218 1999 to make sure your S1 is cancelled at the right time.

Disclaimer

Please note that this information is provided as a guide only. Definitive information should be obtained from the Finnish authorities. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) will not be liable for any inaccuracies in this information.