Finland moves to centralize passport, id issuance at foreign missions

The government of Finland has proposed amendments to the country’s legislation on passport and identity card services that would improve efficiency in issuing documents by the Foreign Service. The changes would allow the government to centralize decision-making on passports and identity cards issued to Finnish citizens abroad through Finnish diplomatic missions to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.

The amendments to the Finnish Passport Act and Identity Card Act were submitted by the Foreign Ministry last week, with comments due by June 10th, 2026. The law is expected to enter into force on 1 August 1st, 2027.

​The changes would align the Act with developments already underway in the Foreign Service and bring it into line with Finland’s constitution, according to the government. According to the Constitution, the civil service administration can only be carried out by civil servants lawfully appointed to their posts.

​Finnish missions would continue to accept applications for passports and ID cards and issue emergency passports and temporary passports. This also may include the processing of biometric identifiers and photographs, which are considered sensitive data. The Passport Act and the ID Card Act would also regulate the qualifications and criminal liability of employees of Finnish diplomatic missions who process applications.

The new amendments were prompted by the growing demand for consular services from Finnish citizens, which has put pressure on staff. Finland expects that the implementation of the eIDAS regulation and the arrival of European Digital Identity (EUDI) Wallets will likely reduce the demand for identity cards at Finnish missions in the future.​

The country is planning to release its national digital identity wallet by the end of 2026.

Article Topics

biometric passport  |  biometrics  |  digital ID  |  Finland  |  identity document