Applying for bank IDs and mobile certificates at a service point to require a passport or identity card

​From the beginning of next year, a driving licence will no longer be accepted as proof of identity when applying for strong electronic identification devices at a physical service point for the first time. Such strong electronic identification devices comprise online banking IDs, teleoperators' mobile certificates and citizenship certificates used in identity cards. Due to a change in legislation, the customer must have a valid passport of personal identity card granted by the police for initial identification conducted at the service point.
 
The purpose of the change in legislation concerning strong electronic identification is to improve the security of strong electronic identification. The change will not affect the process of electronic application for online banking IDs, teleoperators' mobile certificates and citizenship certificates used in identity cards A person may continue to apply for a new strong electronic identification device electronically if they already have one, and the issuer of the new identification device has enabled electronic application. The change in legislation will not affect the use of a driving licence in other contexts. A valid driving licence will qualify as proof of age and identity in many situations also after 1 January 2019.
 
For more information, see the following news release by the Finnish Communications Regulatory Authority