US embassy services in Finland: passports, voting and STEP

For Americans living in Finland, the US Embassy in Helsinki is the office for passports, citizenship documents for children born abroad, notarizations and help in a crisis. Most services run by appointment or by mail, and the Embassy steers routine questions to online tools. This guide explains what it does and how to use it, based on the Embassy's own pages and the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP).

How to contact the Embassy

| Need | Channel | |---|---| | Emergency involving a US citizen, any time | Main number +358-9-616-250 | | Questions on passports, CRBAs, notarials | US Citizens Services Navigator (online form) | | Appointments | Online scheduling system | | Visa questions (for non-Americans) | The official visa service provider |

The Embassy says the Navigator is the fastest way to get an answer on passports, Consular Reports of Birth Abroad (CRBA) or notarials not covered on its website.

Passports

### Renewing by mail

If you are eligible to use Form DS-82, you can renew your passport by mail without attending an appointment. The Embassy's guidance for mail renewals applies if you are 16 or older and replacing a 10-year passport issued less than 15 years ago.

Payment rules matter:

• pay the USD 130 passport application fee through the US government's secure payment site, Pay.gov;
• print the emailed payment confirmation and include it in the package to the Embassy;
• do not send cash; the Embassy also does not accept Finnish bank checks (pankkivekseli) or personal checks.

The Department of State's Passport Fee Calculator and fee schedule give the current fees for other services.

### Applying in person

Other applications, such as first passports and passports for children, require an in-person appointment. When applying for a child under 16, both parents must attend. If one parent cannot, Form DS-3053, a notarized statement of consent, is the usual route; the Embassy can notarize it.

### Urgent travel

Processing times vary with demand. If you are traveling within two weeks, see the Embassy's emergency passport information. A lost passport is not an after-hours emergency; the Embassy helps replace it during business hours.

Children born in Finland: the CRBA

A Consular Report of Birth Abroad documents that a child born abroad to a US citizen parent acquired US citizenship. The Embassy describes the process as simple: gather the required documents and submit them online. The application must be submitted before the child's 18th birthday. Adults over 18 who have a claim to citizenship but have never been documented apply as first-time passport applicants instead.

Apply soon after the birth. With a CRBA you can then apply for the child's first passport.

Notarial services

Consular officers act much like a notary public for documents to be used in the United States. Key rules from the Embassy:

• by appointment only, for all nationalities;
• bring the complete, unsigned document, including pages that need no signature;
• bring valid government ID, with the same name as on the document;
• arrange your own witnesses if needed; staff cannot witness;
• staff cannot explain the document's contents;
• you are told how to pay during the appointment; do not pay in advance.

The Embassy cannot provide a Medallion Signature Guarantee, which is a securities procedure, not a notary service. Contact your US financial institution for that.

### When neither parent can attend

If both parents are unable to appear in person for a minor's passport, the Embassy explains that they may sign a power of attorney designating a third party to apply on their behalf. The Embassy's notarial page covers both this power of attorney and the DS-3053 consent form, so a single notarial appointment can prepare the paperwork.

What belongs to Finnish authorities, not the Embassy

New residents sometimes ask the Embassy for help that only Finnish offices can give. The Embassy does not issue or extend Finnish residence permits; that is the Finnish Immigration Service. It does not register your address or personal identity code; that is the Digital and Population Data Services Agency. Finnish birth and marriage certificates come from Finnish registers, and InfoFinland advises having foreign documents legalized and, if needed, translated before you move. Knowing which office owns which document saves a wasted appointment.

Before any appointment

1. Book through the online system; walk-ins are not accepted except life-or-death emergencies.
2. Bring your current passport and any previous one.
3. Bring originals of supporting documents and a photocopy of each.
4. For passports, follow the payment instructions exactly, since unpaid or wrongly paid applications are delayed.
5. For notarials, leave documents unsigned until the officer asks.

Voting from Finland

Americans abroad vote absentee in their state of last US residence. FVAP explains the steps:

1. Send a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) to your local election office. It registers you and requests your absentee ballot. Send a new one every year, ideally early in January.
2. Receive your ballot. States send absentee ballots to overseas voters at least 45 days before federal elections. Many states let you receive the ballot electronically.
3. Return it by the method your state allows, before the deadline.
4. Use the backup. If your ballot has not arrived, use the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB).

FVAP's site walks you through the FPCA for your state.

STEP

The Smart Traveler Enrollment Program sends safety and security alerts and local updates to Americans abroad, and helps the Embassy reach you in an emergency. Residents should enroll as well as visitors.

Social Security questions

The Embassy does not handle Social Security. If you live in Finland and have questions about SSA services, you must contact the SSA Federal Benefits Unit in Norway, which serves Finland.

Other services the Embassy lists

• Attorneys: a link to the Finnish Bar Association's English pages and advocate finder; the Embassy takes no responsibility for the lawyers' services.
• Child abduction: assistance in cases of international parental child abduction.
• Renouncing citizenship: relinquishing US citizenship is a personal right that cannot be exercised on someone else's behalf.
• Adoption: the Embassy notes the process is governed by the laws of the countries involved, including US federal and state law.

Practical tips

1. Check your passport's expiry yearly; renew by mail early.
2. Keep a scan of your passport and Finnish residence permit.
3. Bookmark the Navigator and the appointment system.
4. Register the birth of any child born in Finland promptly.
5. Send an FPCA every January.
6. Enroll in STEP.

Common questions

Can I renew my US passport by mail in Finland? Yes, if eligible for Form DS-82. Pay the USD 130 fee on Pay.gov and include the printed confirmation; no appointment is needed.

How do I register my baby's US citizenship in Finland? Apply for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad online with the required documents, before the child turns 18.

Does the US Embassy in Helsinki notarize documents? Yes, by appointment, for documents mainly for use in the US. Bring the full unsigned document, ID and your own witnesses if needed.

Who handles Social Security questions for Americans in Finland? The SSA Federal Benefits Unit in Norway, not the Embassy.