Police urge Finns to renew passports before 2027 rush

More than one million passports issued in Finland in 2022 are due to expire in 2027, and police are urging holders to renew them early to avoid seasonal queues, Yle reports.

The police recommend applying during the winter, ahead of the spring and summer holiday periods. Lapland Police chief superintendent Hannu Partanen said demand is expected to rise before the holidays, when some staff will be on leave.

Police say they are preparing extra staff to handle the expected volume of applications. Juhani Ruutu, a senior inspector at the National Police Board, said the force has sufficient capacity to manage demand without unusually severe delays.

Many applicants may be able to renew their passports online without visiting a police station. The simplified process requires a recent passport photo and an electronic application.

Passport applications surged in 2022 after travel restrictions imposed during the Covid pandemic eased. Monthly applications rose from about 56,000 in January to a record of roughly 191,000 in March. More than one million passports and over 400,000 identity cards were issued that year.

From January to September this year, passport issuance was 14 percent higher nationwide than during the same period a year earlier, and 6 percent higher in Lapland. However, the figures remain well below the 2022 peak.

Passports and identity cards are generally valid for five years. Ten-year passports are currently expected to become available in early 2028.