After You Arrive

Your Arrival Plan for Finland

A simple plan for your first day, first 3 days and first week in Finland. Do the government steps early, because banks and employers need your personal identity code (Finland's ID number for you).

Finland Arrival Timeline

Get to your housing: Keep your housing contract handy.
Collect your card: If you came on a D visa, watch for the message about where to collect it.
Save emergency numbers: 112 for emergencies, 116 117 for the Medical Helpline.

Priority
First 24 Hours: The Basics

Get to your home safely and keep your papers close.

Essential Tasks

Get to your housing: Go straight to your home and settle in.
Watch for your card message: With a D visa, you get a text or email with the address of your card's collection point.
Keep your papers safe: Your permit card proves you may live in Finland. Your passport proves who you are.

Quick Tips

Emergency contacts to save

Emergency number (police, ambulance, fire): 112
Medical Helpline, for advice before going to emergency care: 116 117
Poison Information Centre, 24 hours a day: (09) 471 977

First Day Advice

Keep your passport, permit card or D visa, bank statement and acceptance letter in your hand luggage.
Save 112 and 116 117 in your phone.
Take a photo of your housing contract and your acceptance letter.

First 3 Days: Get Set Up

Start the paperwork so the rest moves fast.

Campus & Administration

Visit the international office: Ask for a certificate of student status and whether DVV visits are booked for new students.
Send DVV's online form: Then you have 1 month to visit DVV in person.

Local Orientation

Find your nearest DVV office: DVV lists its service locations online. Book your visit there.
Install the 112 Suomi app (Suomi means Finland): It is free. When you call 112 through it, the operator sees your location.

First Week: Get Registered

Finish the official steps in your first week.

Official Registration

Register as attending: Tell your university you will study this term. The date you do this sets when you must pay Kela's fee.
Visit DVV: Bring your passport, residence permit card and certificate of student status.
Pay the student healthcare fee: Pay in OmaKela. Autumn term: pay by 15 November if you register as attending by 30 September. Spring term: pay by 15 March if you register by 31 January.

Social & Practical

Attend orientation: Your university runs welcome events for new students.
Learn how student health care works: The Finnish Student Health Service (FSHS) gives health care to degree students who have paid the fee.

Safety and Emergency Information

Save these numbers before you need them.

Emergency Numbers

Service	Number
Emergency number, free from any phone	112
Medical Helpline (its Finnish name is Päivystysapu)	116 117
Poison Information Centre	(09) 471 977

Safety Tips

Call 112 only when life, health, property or the environment is in danger.
For normal illness, call the Medical Helpline on 116 117 first.
The 112 operator speaks Finnish, Swedish and English. Say your language if you need an interpreter.
Do not hang up on 112 until the operator tells you to.