Finland to Introduce 10-Year Passports With New Age Limit and Photo Rules
- Finland's government submitted a proposal to parliament on 28 May 2026 to extend the validity of passports and identity cards from five to ten years
- The 10-year validity will not apply to minors, whose documents will remain at five years due to rapid changes in children's facial features
- New rules will also require applicants to visit a police station in person and bar self-submitted passport photos
PAY ATTENTION: Mark Legit.ng as a preferred source, and our content will appear higher in your Google feed!
Finland is moving to bring its passport system in line with broader European standards, with the government submitting a legislative proposal to parliament on 28 May 2026 to extend the validity of passports and identity cards from five years to ten.
The proposal, put forward by the Ministry of the Interior, also covers identity cards and forms part of the government's wider deregulation agenda. If passed by parliament, the new rules are expected to come into force by early 2028 at the earliest, meaning current passports and identity cards will continue to be issued as normal until then.
Source: Getty Images
Age limit for Finland proposed 10-year passport
Children and young people will not benefit from the extended validity. Under the proposal, passports and identity cards issued to minors will remain valid for five years, given how significantly facial features change during childhood and adolescence. The government noted that the age and recency of a passport photo are critical factors in successful facial recognition.
Passports for minors would, however, carry a new addition: the details of a parent or legal custodian. This measure is intended to make it easier for authorities to verify guardianship, particularly when children travel internationally from Finland.
Finland 10-year passport photo and application changes
The proposal also brings notable changes to how applicants submit their passport photos. Under the new rules, facial images will only be accepted from entities registered with a business ID or an equivalent EU or EEA identifier, covering photographers, photo shops, and similar businesses. Applicants will no longer be allowed to submit their own photos.
Additionally, the existing simplified application procedure will be abolished. Every applicant will be required to attend a police station in person to apply, a step the government described as necessary for maintaining document security.
Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen commented on the broader intent of the changes, saying:
"Extending the validity of passports to 10 years is in line with general European practice. This change is also a concrete example of how we can make people's everyday lives easier and reduce the administrative burden."
Pricing for the documents will be set separately by a ministerial decree and will reflect the actual costs of preparation and delivery.
Legit.ng has also published residency years for foreigners who want to become Qatari citizens.
Citizenship: Australia mentions residency years for foreigners
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Australia's Department of Home Affairs outlined the residence requirement foreigners must meet before applying for citizenship.
Applicants must have lived in Australia on a valid visa for a number of years before the date they apply for citizenship.
The rules also specify how much time applicants are allowed to have spent outside Australia during that period.
Source: Legit.ng
