eng

EXPATRIATE BANKING
Non-Finnish nationals moving into Finland either permanently or for a
long period of time may need an account with a Finnish bank for their
and verify the customer’s identity, for
day-to-day banking or for the management of their assets in Finland. This
example when opening an account.
brochure gives information on the establishment of a customer relationship
and provision of day-to-day banking services to private individuals at
The following, currently valid
documents are considered reliable
Finnish banks.
evidence of identity for banking
purposes:
Any money deposited in a Finnish bank account is fully protected up to
€50,000 per bank or a banking group. Funds held in accounts with
1. National passport
foreign banks’ branches in Finland are protected as provided under the
• The passport must be issued
deposit protection scheme operated in the bank’s home country.
by an authority in the holder’s
country of residence or country
of stay.
PROVISION OF BANKING
Basic banking services can be made
SERVICES
available if the customer can be reli-
2. Alien’s passport or refugee’s
ably identified and if the customer
travel document issued by Finnish
Finnish banks offer their customers
has a justified need for establishing
authority
banking services in the framework
the relationship. If the customer has
• It may also be necessary to
provided in legislation and authori-
earlier breached a contract by e.g.
require other evidence, e.g. in
ties’ regulations. A customer rela-
overdrawing an account without au-
cases where an alien’s passport
tionship can be established and bank-
thorization, the bank may not be able
or refugee’s travel document
ing services provided only against
to open an account.
bears a mention to the effect
identification of the customer and
that identification of a foreign
verification of the customer’s identity
Banking services are available in
national has not been possible
by means of a reliable document such
Finnish and Swedish. No bank is
at the time the document was
as a photo-bearing identity docu-
required to serve customers in any
issued.
ment.
other language. Any interpretation
services that the customer may need
3. Other evidence of identity accep-
Any natural person legally staying
are acquired and paid for by the
table as travel document
in an EEA state is entitled by law
customer.
• An identity document issued
to basic banking services on certain

by national authorities, like the
conditions. In Finland, basic banking
new ID card that is accepted as
services comprise a current account
IDENTIFYING
travel document in the
which can be used for paying bills
THE CUSTOMER
Schengen area. Another
and receiving payments such as sala-
requirement is that the authen-
ries or other benefits. In addition,
According to the law governing
ticity of the document can be
basic banking services include a card
credit institutions, banks are required
reasonably established and the
such as a payment card which can
to identify and know their customers.
customer can be reliably identi-
be used for withdrawing cash from
Moreover, legislation on prevention
fied from the document.
ATMs and for paying for shopping to
of money laundering and terrorist
the debit of the bank account against
financing in Finland requires banks at
No other document, e.g. driver’s
verification of sufficient funds.
all times to identify their customers
licence issued outside Finland, is

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© 2009 Federation of Finnish Financial Services
accepted as evidence of identity at
bank may ask for information on
• The same information on any
Finnish banks.
the customer’s business activities
other persons that may be autho-
as well as the nature, number and
rised to operate the account
The identity document presented
monetary value of payments pass-
to the bank must be an original
ing through the account. Where
document, bearing a photo, valid
needed, the customer is asked
THE FINNISH FINANCIAL
for a fixed term, and equipped
for information on the source of
OMBUDSMAN BUREAU
with authenticity features which
funds deposited to the account.
the bank is able to verify. Failing
Moreover, the bank may check
Advisory services in banking
this, the bank may ask the cus-
the applicant’s credit history. Any
disputes are available to consumer
tomer for other documents to
information disclosed to the bank
customers at the Finnish Finan-
evidence the person’s identity. For
by the customer is treated in con-
cial Ombudsman Bureau (FINE).
instance, if the safety features of
fidence in compliance with what is
Open Monday to Friday from
a travel document acceptable in
provided in legislation and guide-
9.00 to 16.00, the Bureau serves
the Schengen area or its validity
lines about banking secrecy.
customers in Finnish, Swedish and
as a travel document cannot be
English.
reasonably verified, the bank may
Before it can open an account for
require the customer to present a
a customer, the bank needs at least
The bureau can be contacted by
passport.
the following information:
telephone (+358 9 6850 120), fax
(+358 9 6850 1220), and e-mail
• Name, personal identification
(info@fine.fi). Its street address is
KNOWING
code or another official code,
Porkkalankatu 1, 00180, Helsinki.
THE CUSTOMER
address in Finland and/or ab-
For further information, visit
road and place of residence of
www.fine.fi.
Besides identification, Finnish law
the person opening/holding the
requires banks to find out about
account
the customer’s financial position,
• If the customer pays taxes to
the extent of the services required
a country other than Finland,
and the purpose for which the
address in such other country
services are used. To this end, the

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