Pension from abroad to Finland

You can apply on the same application form that you use to apply for pensions from Finland. Include the form Appendix U - Residence and employment abroad, ETK/Kela 7110e (pdf) with your application. Application instructions are available on the individual webpages for each type of pension. 

Most pension providers have online services where you can file your pension application.

When you apply for a pension from an EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom, there are several pension providers involved in the processing of your application. The pension providers send details of their pension decisions to a so-called contact institution. The contact institution keeps you informed of how the processing of your pension case progresses. If you live in Finland, the contact institution is the Finnish Centre for Pensions (etk.fi).

Finland has concluded social security agreements with certain countries. You can check these countries and the benefits covered by the agreements on the International legislation page (About Kela section).

If you wish to apply for a pension from a country that has a social security agreement with Finland, use the same application form that you use to apply for pensions from Finland. Application instructions are available on the individual webpages for each type of pension. Include the form Appendix U - Residence and employment abroad, ETK/Kela 7110e (pdf) with your application.  Most pension providers have online services where you can file your pension application.

When you have filed your application, the Finnish Centre for Pensions will send you application instructions and another pension application form that is connected with the social security agreement in question. If you wish to speed up the processing of your application, you can also visit the työeläke.fi website and print out the forms yourself.

If you apply for a pension from a country other than an EU or EEA country, Switzerland, the United Kingdom or a country that has a social security agreement with Finland, you must apply for the pension directly from the pension provider in the country in question. 

Information about these pensions and the application procedure is provided by the diplomatic mission in Finland of the country in question (um.fi, in Finnish or Swedish).

At regular intervals, the foreign pension providers need a certificate stating that the pensioner is still alive. If you live in Finland, contact Digital and Population Data Services Agency (dvv.fi) to confirm vital status in Finland. 

DVV offers two options for confirming vital status:

• Pension provider’s form: The pension provider sends the customer a form and the customer brings it to DVV where a notary public confirms vital status on the form with their signature. The customer then submits the form to the pension provider.
• A life certificate issued by DVV: In some cases, the pension provider may accept a life certificate issued by DVV that contains information registered in the Population Information System.

Contact your pension provider to check what kind of certificate it will accept as confirmation of vital status. DVV charges a fee for both services.

Kela does not confirm vital status.

As of 1 January 2026, Kela no longer confirms a pension recipient’s vital status to foreign pension providers

Kela has stopped confirming the vital status of pension recipients to foreign pension providers.  Customers can contact the Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV) instead for assistance with confirming their vital status.

Read more

 

Always remember to notify the Finnish Tax Administration of any pensions from abroad. 

Contact the Tax Administration (vero.fi) to check how pensions from abroad are taxed in Finland.