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Kela registration and health insurance card eligibility for newcomers in Finland
Document Checklist
Y 77e
Application for Moving to Finland or employment in Finland (Form Y 77e)
Required: Online in OmaKela (e-service) or paper Form Y 77e published in English, Finnish and Swedish at kela.fi/forms
Where to obtain: OmaKela at oma.kela.fi after Suomi.fi e-Identification, or download Form Y 77e from kela.fi/forms
Cost: Free
The OmaKela e-service captures the same data as the paper form. Choose the paper route only when a Finnish e-ID credential is not yet available.
henkilötunnus · personbeteckning
Finnish personal identity code
Required: Original code issued by Digi- ja väestötietovirasto · Myndigheten för digitalisering och befolkningsdata
Where to obtain: Digi- ja väestötietovirasto in person or via the route published on dvv.fi and suomi.fi
Cost: Set by Digi- ja väestötietovirasto
Required for the OmaKela login and for the Kela coverage decision. The municipality of residence (kotikunta · hemkommun) is recorded by Digi- ja väestötietovirasto at the same step and feeds into the public-healthcare entitlement test.
Residence permit (where applicable)
Required: Valid residence permit issued by Maahanmuuttovirasto · Migrationsverket for non-EU/EEA newcomers; permit type weighs into the permanence determination
Where to obtain: Maahanmuuttovirasto via the enterfinland.fi e-service
Cost: Set by Maahanmuuttovirasto
EU, EEA, Swiss, and Nordic citizens do not need a residence permit; registration steps differ.
Finnish bank account details
Required: Finnish IBAN; Kela pays benefits electronically and not in cash
Where to obtain: Any Finnish bank that opens accounts for residents
Cost: Set by the bank
An application can be filed before the bank account is open, but benefit payouts cannot begin until Kela has account details on file.
Employment contract (employment route)
Required: Signed employment contract evidencing the monthly wage and start date
Where to obtain: Issued by the employer
Cost: Free
The employment route is gated on a published monthly wage threshold. Sickness allowance (sairauspäiväraha) is available under this route once the threshold is met; not all benefits available under the residence route open automatically.
A1
A1 certificate (EU coordination — posted workers)
Required: Original A1 certificate from the home Member State's social-security authority
Where to obtain: Home Member State social-security institution
Cost: Set by the home Member State
Posted workers covered by another EU/EEA Member State remain insured there. The A1 evidences home-state coverage and is decisive for the Kela determination.
S1
S1 certificate (cross-border / pensioner cases)
Required: Original S1 certificate where another EU/EEA Member State remains responsible for medical costs
Where to obtain: The Member State responsible for the medical-care costs
Cost: Set by the issuing institution
Not required for newcomers from a Nordic country or the United Kingdom per the Kela guidance on cross-border situations.
Quota-refugee status decision (quota-refugee route)
Required: Decision document supplied via the Finnish authorities placing the applicant
Where to obtain: Finnish authority handling the placement
Cost: Free
Eligibility under the quota-refugee route is immediate on arrival in Finland.
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