What is the electronic photo code?
The electronic photo code (kuvatunnus) links a photo taken at a studio to the Finnish police licensing system. Nearly all photo studios in Finland send passport and ID card photos directly to the police electronically, nothing is printed on paper and you don't deliver anything yourself.
Once the photo has been sent, you receive the code by text message or email. The code is the key that retrieves your photo from the system and attaches it to your application.
Using the code in the police e-service
If you apply for a passport or an ID card in the police online service, you enter the photo code in the application and the photo is attached automatically. If you visit a police station instead, you give the code to the permit officer.
If your passport or ID card was issued recently and its photo is less than six months old, the same photo can be attached to a new application, a new photo session may not be needed at all.
How long can the code be used?
The police accept a photo that is at most six months old, so use the code within half a year of the photo session. An older photo can no longer be attached, you'll need a new photo and a new code.
The same recent photo can be used for several applications, for example both a passport and an ID card.
Why the electronic photo is worth it
The police recommend electronic submission: a paper photo has to be scanned by hand, which degrades quality. An electronically submitted photo enters the system as-is, at full quality.
At our office in central Helsinki, the passport photo is taken to the police requirements and sent electronically into the police system, a passport photo with the electronic photo code costs €20. On the same visit you can also get visa photos for any country's requirements (from €10).
Passport photo and photo code from our office
We take the photo to the official requirements and send it electronically into the police system, you get the electronic photo code (€20).
See the photo service