Child benefits for a child born in Finland: what Ukrainian families are entitled to
If a child is born in Finland to parents with temporary protection status, the family is entitled to several forms of state support at once. These include a one-time maternity grant and the monthly child benefit lapsilisä, which is paid until the child reaches the age of majority.
International Law Firm "Zahist" has been assisting Ukrainians with legalization and social support matters abroad for more than ten years and has its own representative office in Finland, so it knows Kela and DVV procedures from the inside, not from general articles on the internet.
Our experience shows that it is precisely child benefits in Finland that raise the most questions among young families. Confusion over application deadlines and residence status requirements leads to the loss of part of the benefits, which is then difficult to recover retroactively.
How a child’s birth is registered in Finland
If a child is born in a Finnish hospital or maternity ward, the doctors themselves transmit the birth information to Digi- ja väestötietovirasto (DVV) — there is no need to go and register the birth separately.
After the data are entered in the population register, the child automatically receives a Finnish personal identity code, henkilötunnus, which will be required to arrange all subsequent benefits and medical services.
The child’s name and native language must be reported to DVV within three months of birth, and if the child is not a Finnish citizen, the parents must confirm their citizenship in writing.
Who is responsible for child benefits in Finland
All main family benefits — lapsilisä, äitiysavustus and parental allowances — are awarded and paid by Kela, the Finnish Social Insurance Institution, not by the local municipality.
The municipality, for its part, is responsible for registration of place of residence (kotikunta) and access to local services — day-care centres, clinics and schools, which a young family will also need.
The division of powers between Kela and the municipality often confuses families arranging documents for a child for the first time, so it is worth understanding in advance which authority to contact on a specific matter.
Child benefit lapsilisä: who receives it and how much
Lapsilisä is a monthly benefit that Kela pays for every child residing in Finland until they turn 17, regardless of the parents’ citizenship.
For the first child, EUR 94.88 per month is paid, and for children under 3 an additional supplement of EUR 26 applies. The amount increases for each subsequent child.
Single parents are entitled to a separate supplement of EUR 73.30 per month for each child — it is credited automatically where the corresponding family status is recorded in the population register.
Maternity grant äitiysavustus: package or cash
Äitiysavustus is a one-time benefit for expectant mothers that can be received either as the classic äitiyspakkaus (a set of items for the newborn) or as a cash sum of EUR 210.
To receive the benefit, a medical examination must be completed by the end of the fourth month of pregnancy and it must be confirmed by a doctor or at a maternity and child health clinic that the pregnancy has lasted at least 154 days.
A mandatory condition is the existence of kotikunta, that is, an officially registered place of residence in Finland; without this status an application for äitiysavustus will not be accepted.
The kotikunta requirement and the new rules of 2026
In spring 2026, changes entered into force that specifically concern foreigners. A national of a country outside the EU, EEA or Switzerland must lawfully reside in Finland or hold a valid residence permit in order to receive residence-based benefits, including lapsilisä.
Tilapäinen suojelu (temporary protection) status is in itself a lawful basis for stay and therefore does not formally deprive a person of the right to child benefits, but obtaining kotikunta still requires separate processing through DVV.
Our experience shows that families that arrange kotikunta immediately after moving, rather than postponing this step, gain access to the maternity grant and other benefits significantly faster.
Medical care for mother and child
Pregnancy monitoring and the child’s first years of life are supported by the free neuvola — the municipal maternity and child health clinic, where one should register as soon as pregnancy is confirmed.
It is there that the certificate of gestational age required for äitiysavustus is issued, and it is also where the child’s development is monitored after birth.
Parental benefits and childcare
In addition to lapsilisä and äitiysavustus, parents may claim vanhempainpäiväraha — a parental allowance for the period of parental leave, the amount of which depends on previous income.
If one of the parents has not previously worked officially in Finland, the allowance is calculated at the minimum rate, but the right to receive it is retained provided the residence conditions are met.
After parental leave ends, the family may choose between a place in a municipal day-care centre and kotihoidon tuki — a home care allowance for a child cared for at home until the age of three.
Comparison of the main child benefits
| Benefit | Amount | Eligibility condition |
| Lapsilisä (1st child) | EUR 94.88/month | Child resides in Finland |
| Supplement under age 3 | +EUR 26/month | Child under 3 years of age |
| Single-parent supplement | EUR 73.30/month | Single-parent status |
| Äitiysavustus | EUR 210 or package of items | Kotikunta in place, examination by month 4 |
If the child was born before moving to Finland
If the child was born outside Finland and then moved with the parents, the registration procedure differs: a separate application must be made to DVV with a legalized birth certificate in order to enter the child in the population register.
Only after a Finnish personal identity code, henkilötunnus, is assigned can the child receive lapsilisä on the same basis as children born in Finland.
This process usually takes longer than automatic registration at the maternity hospital, so parents should submit documents to DVV as early as possible after moving.
Which documents need to be prepared
To arrange benefits, the child’s birth certificate, a document confirming the parents’ temporary protection status, and a certificate of registration of place of residence are usually required.
- Wait for automatic birth registration through the hospital and DVV
- Report the child’s name and native language to DVV within three months
- Arrange kotikunta if this has not yet been done
- Submit applications for lapsilisä and äitiysavustus via the Kela website or office
Where and how to submit applications
Kela accepts most benefit applications through the personal account on the official website, where document scans can be uploaded without visiting an office.
Logging into the personal account requires a Finnish bank identifier or a mobile ID, which can be obtained after receiving a henkilötunnus and a residence permit.
If electronic submission is not available, an application may be filed on paper at the nearest Kela service office — addresses and opening hours are listed on the authority’s official website.
What to do if a benefit is refused
A Kela refusal may be appealed within the prescribed time limit — usually 30 days from receipt of the decision; the exact deadline is always stated in the refusal document itself.
Our experience shows that a significant share of refusals is linked to an incomplete set of documents or the absence of confirmed kotikunta status, rather than to a genuine lack of entitlement to the benefit.
Before lodging an appeal, it is worth carefully rereading the reason for refusal in the Kela decision and, if necessary, submitting the missing documents before proceeding to a formal appeal.
Typical mistakes when arranging benefits
The first mistake is postponing the arrangement of kotikunta in the belief that this status will appear automatically together with temporary protection status, although these are two different processes and different authorities.
The second is missing the medical examination by the end of the fourth month of pregnancy, as a result of which the family loses the right to äitiysavustus regardless of other circumstances.
The third is failing to report a change in family status in good time, which may lead to incorrect calculation of the single-parent supplement and a subsequent recalculation of benefits.
How we help arrange child benefits
We support Ukrainian families at every stage — from confirmation of temporary protection status to the filing of applications with Kela — so that child benefits in Finland are awarded without delays and unnecessary correspondence with the authorities.
Our experience shows that a preliminary review of the full set of documents before filing an application shortens the processing time and reduces the risk of refusal on formal grounds.
If you are expecting a child or have already become parents in Finland and are unsure which child benefits in Finland you are entitled to, it is better to clarify the specific list of documents in advance rather than finding this out only after a refusal by Kela.
