Permit to establish a branch
Organisations or foundations from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) wishing to establish a branch in Finland have to apply for a permit from the PRH. See the European Economic Area (EEA) countries.
The PRH has normally granted a permit to a branch of a foreign trader if the parent body is duly registered in its home country.
See our instructions for start-up notification for branches.
On this page, you will find information on the following:
Representative
A branch of a foreign trader must have a representative referred to in section 6 of the Finnish Enterprise Act (565/2023). The representative is a person entitled to receive summons and other notifications on behalf of the trader.
The
representative must be resident in the EEA, if the trader is a foreign
corporate body or foundation that is founded under the legislation of an
EEA country and has its registered office (designated in the statutes),
central administration or head office in an EEA country. In other
cases, the representative must have a place of residence in Finland. See the EEA countries.
How to apply
You can apply for a permit in an informal letter written in either Finnish or Swedish. File your application using online or paper forms.
Provide the following information in your application:
- The applying organisation’s name, registered office, and country where it is based
- What permit you are applying for (permit to establish a branch)
- The name of the branch, and the business ID if the branch already has it
- Reasoning why the permit is necessary
Also enter the name of any representative or other contact person. The contact details in the application are needed for mailing the decision and invoice. The decision and the invoice will be sent by post. Enter the contact details of the contact person using the personal data form. Open: Personal data form (pdf, 197.3 kt). The contact details of the contact person are not public in applications initiated on or after 1 January 2025.
Enclose the following documents with the application:
- an extract from the register in which the foreign organisation is entered
- a copy of the organisation’s articles of association or rules
- a translation into Finnish or Swedish of any foreign-language document accompanying the application.
How to file your application using online forms
Log in to the online form “Notification to the Finnish Trade Register". Please note that the form is only available in Finnish and Swedish.
To log in, you need to have a Finnish personal identity code and additionally one of the following: personal internet banking codes, a mobile certificate, or an electronic identity card (HST card). What to do if you do not have a Finnish personal identity code.
After you have logged in, select the matter you want to file with the Finnish Trade Register. Fill in the company details. Add the application and the other required documents as PDF files. Send.
How to submit your application by post
Send the application and the other required documents by post to:
Finnish Patent and Registration Office
Trade Register
FI-00091 PRH
Finland
Signing of the application
Provide the date of applying in your application. It is signed by either a person entitled to represent the applying organisation, or a person he or she has authorised.
If an authorised person signs the application, a certified copy of a special power of attorney or the original general power of attorney must be enclosed.
Price
Application using an online form: EUR 140 + invoicing fee 6.50
Application by post: EUR 140 + invoicing fee 6.50
The PRH will send you an invoice after your application has been processed.
What to do if you do not have a Finnish personal identity code
If you do not have a Finnish personal identity code you can file your application in our online form if the following conditions are met:
- You are a citizen of an EU country and you don’t have a Finnish personal identity code.
- You use the means of identification of some other EU country.
- Your application concerns a limited liability company or a branch.
Log in to the online form “Identification method for foreign persons - Notification to the Finnish Trade Register". When you log in, select the country whose means of identification you use.
After you have logged in, select the matter to be filed. Fill in the company details. Add the application and other necessary attachments (see our instructions above) as PDF files. Send.
What to do after granting of the permit
Submit a certified copy
of the decision on the granting of the permit together with your
start-up notification for a branch. See our instructions for start-up notification for branches.