Finnish immigration authorities presented the new design of residence permit cards on Wednesday.
The Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) will start issuing the new cards by the end of September 2020.
In its last customer bulletin, Migri explained that this is not only a change of look but also an improvement in security.
The new card has a new design and new technical features. For example, they include a new type of chip, which is "more difficult to forge," the immigration agency says.
The chip of the residence permit card contains biometric identifiers, for example a facial image and two fingerprints.
The appearance and technical features of the new residence permit card are consistent with residence permit cards issued by other EU countries.
The current residence permit card. Image: Migri.
Replacement of old cards
Migri is encouraging holders of old residence permit cards to continue using them for as long as they are valid.
"You do not need to replace your current card with a new one. If you have, for example, recently been granted a permanent residence permit, your residence permit card will be valid for the following five years. After this, your card can be replaced with a new card. If you want your card to be replaced earlier, you must pay the processing fee for renewal of a residence permit card," the agency explains.
Both new and old cards are equally valid to travel in all countries.
