Finland’s Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV) is asking the market to help shape the next iteration of its digital identification service for people who do not have a Finnish personal identity code. The request for information outlines a mobile-first model that supports remote identity proofing and app-based credentials so foreign nationals can access Finnish public e-services.
DVV’s current Finnish Authenticator approach lets an eligible user register a foreigner’s identifier, complete remote verification by capturing an official travel document and a selfie, and then sign in with a PIN inside a dedicated app. The service is integrated with Suomi.fi e-Identification and is explicitly not classified as strong electronic identification. That distinction matters in Finnish and EU contexts where high-assurance tokens are still required for some government and financial tasks.
The RFI asks suppliers to comment on desired capabilities, developer tooling, and operational considerations that would make the next version more robust. The materials point to expected features such as SDKs and APIs for relying-party integration, document and liveness checks aligned with international standards, and support channels that recognize that frontline assistance is typically handled by the agencies operating the services themselves.
For cross-border use cases, the model solves a practical problem. Individuals and company representatives outside Finland who lack domestic eID can complete an initial remote onboarding step using a passport or EU/EEA national ID card. Once activated, the app functions as the sign-in instrument for those services that enable Finnish Authenticator, while role-based access for company representatives flows through Suomi.fi e-Authorizations.
Commercial notes published by DVV indicate per-user annual pricing to participating organizations rather than per-authentication fees, alongside a scheduled price change that takes effect on January 1, 2026. The technical notes reiterate that the authenticator does not have a defined assurance level under Suomi.fi, which means agencies should not treat it as a strong eID in contexts that require one.
The RFI is a signal that Finland intends to keep a lighter-weight, app-centric path open for foreign users who need access to public services, even as high-assurance national credentials continue in parallel. It also keeps DVV aligned with broader European developments around wallet-based credentials and cross-border recognition, while giving vendors a clear opportunity to influence requirements before a competition is launched.
Sources: DVV; Hilma RFI attachment
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By the Mobile ID World Editorial Team
