We’re seeing more and more people who are just starting to plan their move to Finland. Today, we want to explain why having a second bank account can solve specific problems and save you time.
🇫🇮 To open an account with a Finnish bank, you will usually need:
• Passport
• Residence permit
• ID card (henkilökortti)
• Finnish personal identity code (henkilötunnus / tunnus)
• Registration with DVV (even if you only have a temporary address)
⭐️ In Finland, there is no “perfect” bank for every need. So in practice, people often combine:
• OP / Nordea → main account (salary, proper online banking, strong authentication)
• S-Pankki → everyday spending (S-Group bonuses, easier to open)
⭐️ One of the main reasons people open an account with a Finnish bank is strong authentication.
It makes it much easier to use services like Kela, Vero, healthcare, and others. You can also log in using a henkilökortti. If your bank is slow to issue banking credentials, apply to open an account with another bank.
⭐️ Finnish banks are not very convenient for international transfers because of higher fees and slower processing.
That’s why a common setup is:
• a main account in a Finnish bank
• a second account with Revolut or Wise (more convenient for travel, lower conversion fees)
⭐️ Shared expenses are easier to manage for couples with a separate joint account for household spending.
This is standard practice, especially with S-Pankki. You top it up from your personal account and both people can use it.
⭐️ If you are opening a company
Business accounts in Finland are more complicated:
• lengthy compliance checks
• requirements related to turnover and the type of business
• possible refusals at the early stage
👉 That’s why, in practice, startup founders often begin with:
• Wise
• Holvi
This makes it possible to start operating faster while the account opening process with a traditional bank is still ongoing.