Redesigning the personal identity code system
The Ministry of Finance is redesigning the personal identity code system. Our task is to draft the necessary legislative amendments and to carry out comprehensive impact assessments.
The redesign of the personal identity code system will ensure that there are sufficient personal identity codes available, enable foreign nationals to use Finnish services more conveniently, enable the use of a new personal unique identifier and promote equality by removing information on gender from new personal identity codes.
The Government intends to submit its proposal to Parliament in autumn 2022. The proposed legislative amendment would enter into force on 1 September 2023. The amendments concerning gender-neutral personal identity codes would enter into force on 1 January 2027.
We will also work with the authorities and other participants to prepare instructions and specify practices for the appropriate use of personal identity codes.
The most urgent need for redesigning the system of personal identity codes is to ensure that sufficient personal identity codes are available. There are only a limited number of personal identity codes available per day and per gender, and it is estimated that primarily for people moving to Finland these codes will run out for certain dates in the next 2–3 years. To ensure that sufficient personal identity codes are available, additional characters will be introduced.
The redesign will improve the system for personal identity codes and address some of its problems. Your personal identity code will not change as a result of the redesign. Personal identity codes that have already been issued will remain unchanged.
Removing information on gender promotes equality
From the start of 2027, it would no longer be possible to deduce a person's gender from the individual number in the final part of their personal identity code. Currently, the individual number is an even number for women and an odd number for men. Personal identity codes issued after the change would have a random individual number.
Information on gender is rarely required when using services. Removing information on gender can improve equality. The EU's General Data Protection Regulation sets an obligation to process only information that is necessary for the particular purpose at hand. The current format of the personal identity code does not allow for this, because it indicates a person’s gender regardless of whether that information is necessary when using a service or not.
Information on gender is already listed separately in the Population Information System. Information on gender must be listed separately in registers where it is needed once it can no longer be deduced from the personal identity code.
The new personal unique identifier will not affect how citizens use services
The new personal unique identifier would contain no personal data at all. For example, it would not be possible to deduce a person's age from the identifier. The new personal unique identifier would be added to the Population Information System for every person who has a Finnish personal identity code.
The new personal unique identifier would not require citizens to take any action and would not affect how citizens use various public services provided by society.
The new personal unique identifier would provide various organisations the opportunity to use an identifier with better data protection either alongside the personal identity code or when an organisation is unable to process personal identity codes in its systems. The new identifier would also contribute to the development of a digital identity system, which will improve the ability of citizens to manage their own information.
Remote registration of foreign nationals will make work easier for organisations
The draft government proposal suggests that a new system of remote registration of foreign nationals be introduced, which would make it easier and faster for them to obtain a Finnish personal identity code. For example, with a Finnish personal identity code, work-based migrants would be better able to conduct their tax, healthcare and education affairs in Finland as soon as they arrive.
Foreign nationals, for example people moving to Finland to work or study, could register their information in the Population Information System using their own smartphone and receive a Finnish personal identity code. The identity of people registering themselves would be confirmed using the chip in their passport and facial recognition software.
This would make it easier for banks to accept foreign nationals as customers, as they would have a Finnish personal identity code. Furthermore, organisations would no longer have to introduce makeshift codes to identify people.
Organisations can get information on gender from the Population Information System
From the start of 2027, it would no longer be possible to deduce a person's gender from the individual number in the final part of their personal identity code. Currently the individual number is an even number for women and an odd number for men. Personal identity codes issued after the change would have a random individual number.
In the future, an organisation that needs information on a person's gender would get that information from the Population Information System, which makes the information available to parties that need it.
Use of new personal unique identifier voluntary for organisations
A new personal unique identifier will be introduced alongside the personal identity code. Companies and organisations can choose whether to start using the new personal unique identifier.
The new personal unique identifier would not replace the personal identify code. Instead, companies, organisations and authorities that do not want to process personal identity codes for data protection reasons or are unable to process them could voluntarily start using the new personal unique identifier as a way of identifying, for example, employees or customers.
Background of the redesign of the personal identity code system
The term of the project in the Ministry of Finance is from 1 December 2020 to 31 December 2022. In its final report, the working group on redesigning the system of personal identity codes and on state-guaranteed identities that preceded this project proposed that, starting from 2027, Finland should introduce a new form of personal identity code that would no longer indicate the person’s age, date of birth or gender, or other information on the individual.
Based on the consultation comments regarding the final report and on the further work carried out by officials at the Ministry of Finance, it is not considered possible to fully implement the working group’s proposals without alteration. Following the comments, the Ministry has focused on preparing more limited changes to the present format of the personal identity code.
The comments drew attention strongly to the significant operating and financial implications of the working group’s proposals. In the project that is now in progress, the aims are being pursued in stages. This should allow the impacts to be managed, and should give time for different parties to prepare for the various changes sufficiently in advance.
Contact information
Jarkko Levasma, Director General, Public Sector ICT
The Ministry of Finance, tel. 029553017, [email protected]
Henriikka Tammes, Senior Specialist
The Ministry of Finance, tel. 0295160939, [email protected]