Extending the validity of passports to 10 years
The aim of this project is to extend the validity of Finnish passports to 10 years. The legislative project will prepare a government proposal for amending the Passport Act and other related legislation.
The project will also assess whether the validity period for identity cards could be extended to 10 years. If considered necessary, a proposal for amending the Identity Card Act will be prepared.
Extending the validity of passports is one of the Government's deregulation measures.
The government proposal will examine the security implications of extending the validity periods for passports and identity cards, as well as any potential new functionalities. It will also assess the impact on other legislative projects currently underway, such as the act on a digital identity application.
The aim is to submit the government proposal to Parliament during the autumn session 2025.
Frequently asked questions
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The period of validity is extended in order to reduce the burden on citizens when applying for passports. After the extension, the validity of Finnish passports and those of most other EU Member States will be the same.
Extending the validity of passports is one of the Government's deregulation measures.
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The period of validity is extended in order to reduce the burden on citizens when applying for passports. After the extension, the validity of Finnish passports and those of most other EU Member States will be the same.
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You can apply for the 10-year passport only after the amendment to the Passport Act has entered into force.
The amended act cannot enter into force until the authority issuing the passports has completed all the measures required by the amendment. The change may seem minor, but it will affect information systems, passport production, the competitive tendering of passport production, and the licence services.
The aim is to have the legislative amendment approved during 2026, but the entry into force still needs to be assessed during the course of the project.
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The project will assess the preconditions for extending the validity of identity cards to 10 years. This amendment would be implemented at the same time as the extension to passport validity, if possible and sensible.
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A decision to extend the validity of identity cards to 10 years has not yet been made.
The project will assess the preconditions for extending the validity period to 10 years. This amendment would be implemented at the same time as the extension to passport validity, if possible and sensible.
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It is still difficult to estimate the price of the new 10-year passport. It is likely that the price will rise from the current level.
The price of passports is determined by the cost of processing the applications. We learned from the COVID-19 pandemic that changing circumstances may cause sharp fluctuations in the demand for passports, which have an impact on the price. It is possible that during a longer period of validity, the price of the passport will vary more than at present, as applications may accumulate in some years while other years are less busy.
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A decision to extend the validity of identity cards to 10 years has not yet been made.
The project will assess the preconditions for extending the validity period to 10 years. This amendment would be implemented at the same time as the extension to passport validity, if possible and sensible.
If the validity of identity cards is extended to 10 years, the price of the new identity card cannot yet be estimated. It is likely that the price will rise from the current level.