Väestörekisteriin

Väestörekisteriin (to the population register) refer to the act of entering or updating a person’s information in Finland’s official population information system, commonly called Väestötietojärjestelmä. The system is maintained by the Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV), which operates the Population Register Centre and related services. Väestörekisteriin is one of the central mechanisms through which Finland keeps up-to-date records of residents.

Data stored in Väestötietojärjestelmä includes basic personal information such as name, date of birth, gender, and the personal identity code; as well as residence details like current address and municipality of residence. Other data may cover civil status, language, and changes to these attributes, such as moves, name changes, or death. Data enter the register from multiple official sources, including birth registrations, immigration and emigration records, and notifications of address changes.

The primary purpose of Väestörekisteriin is to enable the provision of public services and administrative functions. It supports identity verification, social security, taxation, healthcare, education, and statistical analyses conducted by Statistics Finland. Access to data in the population information system is regulated and limited to authorities and organizations with a legitimate need, in accordance with Finnish data protection laws.

Privacy and data protection are integral to the system. Data are protected under national legislation and the EU General Data Protection Regulation. Individuals have rights to access their own information, request corrections, and seek limitations on processing where applicable. The DVV oversees governance, security, and compliance to safeguard personal data within Väestötietojärjestelmä.