Suomi.fi e-Identification will change, significantly increasing the number of recipients of digital messages from authorities
Published 7/2/2025
Updated 12.3.2025: the timetable for the change has been revised: the change will take place in May 2025.
Digital communication will become the primary means of communication with authorities in Finland. As of May 2025, users will be encouraged to activate Suomi.fi Messages when they use strong identification to identify themselves in public administration e-services. This change in Suomi.fi e-Identification may cause traffic in your customer service, and you should be prepared.
The change applies to 2.8 million people
In spring 2025, a prompt will be added to Suomi.fi e-Identification, encouraging the user to activate electronic messages from authorities. It will be easy to activate them immediately in connection with the identification.
The Digital and Population Data Services Agency estimates that in 2025, approximately 2.8 million people will receive this activation request when identifying themselves.
The prompt will be displayed to everyone who has not activated Suomi.fi Messages yet. It will appear every time the user uses strong identification in a public administration e-service (that is, uses Suomi.fi e-Identification to identify themselves).
According to the preliminary plan, the change will take effect in May. The Digital and Population Data Services Agency will set an exact date as the development progresses.
How will the activation prompt change identification?
In the spring of 2025, Suomi.fi Messages will not be activated automatically for the user. Instead, they will be asked whether they want to use electronic messages.
If the user decides to activate electronic messages at this stage, they must provide their email address and confirm it to activate Suomi.fi Messages.
The user may also change their mind later and elect to receive paper letters if they so wish.
The change may increase customer service traffic
The aim of this change is to increase the number of users of Suomi.fi Messages already during 2025 before 2026, when Finland will adopt a model in which Suomi.fi Messages will be activated without separate consent when the user uses strong identification in a public administration organisation’s e-service.
The prompt displayed in connection with Suomi.fi e-Identification may temporarily increase traffic in the customer service of organisations using Suomi.fi e-Identification and Suomi.fi Messages.
The Digital and Population Data Services Agency will update the Suomi.fi instructions and guide organisations on informing their clients about the change.
Participate in the Suomi.fi Messages support clinics (page in Finnish) and the Digi ensin information events for digital support providers and customer service personnelOpens in a new window. (page in Finnish)!
How the public will see the transition towards digital messages from authorities when they use strong identification in public administration organisations’ e-services through Suomi.fi e-Identification:
From spring 2025 onward | From the beginning of 2026 onward |
|---|---|
Suomi.fi Messages will not be activated directly; the user will be asked in connection with identification whether they want to activate electronic messages. They can skip the activation. | The user will no longer be separately asked to consent to receiving official mail electronically. Instead, a mailbox is created for them in Suomi.fi Messages in connection with identification. Any mail sent by authorities will then arrive electronically in Suomi.fi Messages instead of paper mail. |
When the user activates Suomi.fi Messages, they must provide their email address and confirm it within one hour to activate Suomi.fi Messages. The user will always receive an email notification when they receive new official mail through Suomi.fi Messages. They can also receive a notification of a new message in the Suomi.fi mobile application if they download the application. | Suomi.fi Messages can also be activated without providing an email address. The user must remember to check the messages they receive through Suomi.fi Messages themselves if they do not want to be notified of new messages via email. They can also receive a notification of a new message in the Suomi.fi mobile application if they download the application. |
The user may also change their mind and elect to receive paper letters by selecting paper mail as their preferred means of receiving official mail in the Suomi.fi Messages settings. | The user may change their mind and elect to receive paper letters if they so wish, but of Suomi.fi Messages may only be deactivated for a fixed period. If the user uses authorities’ e-services after this deadline, |
Additional information for organisations
Digital and Population Data Services Agency, Customer service for organisations, organisaatiopalvelut@dvv.fi,
tel. +358 295 535 115 (telephone service open Mon–Fri 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.)
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What does the transition to digital communication with authorities mean?
Finland will gradually shift to prioritising digital services in official services. From the beginning of 2026, citizens using digital services will primarily receive official mail digitally through Suomi.fi Messages. In this case, an electronic mailbox is created in Suomi.fi Messages for everyone using strong identification in authorities’ e-services if the user has not activated the service yet.
Citizens who are unable to use digital services will continue to receive official messages by paper mail, unless they decide otherwise. Digital messages can be stopped by notifying the authorities, after which official messages are sent again by paper mail. If a person who has selected paper mail continues to use authorities’ e-services, an electronic mailbox will be created for them after a fixed period to receive official mail.
The transition to electronic communication with authorities will save approximately EUR 50 million in public funds per year from 2026 onward. It allows citizens to receive mail from authorities quickly and easily in the correct place: official mail can be easily found in one place, and the messages will be always available.