The President of the Republic of Finland: FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How can the President be contacted?
Letters, cards and other mailings to the President of the Republic or the President's spouse can be sent to the Office of the President of the Republic, Mariankatu 2, FI-00170 Helsinki. The President's e-mail address is president@tpk.fi. Faxes can be sent to +358 9 638 247.
The President of the Republic receives thousands of letters and other messages a year and cannot answer all of them personally. The Office of the President of the Republic tries to answer as many messages as possible, provided they contain the sender's contact information.
How should the President be addressed?
The President should be addressed as "Madam President" at the beginning of a letter or speech, for example. The President's spouse should be addressed as "Dr Arajärvi".
How can an invitation or request for a meeting be sent to the President?
All invitations or requests to the President of the Republic or the President's spouse for meetings, interviews, greetings and patronage should be sent to the Office of the President of the Republic by mail, fax or e-mail.
The person sending an invitation or request will receive a response when the matter has been decided.
How can a pardon be petitioned from the President?
In an individual case the President of the Republic can remit a sentence or other criminal penalty imposed by a court. The President cannot waive obligations based on public or civil law, such as taxes, maintenance payments or bank loans. Anyone can submit a petition for a pardon, which does not require the consent of the person to whom it applies.
A petition for a pardon does not have to follow any special form. It must indicate the name and identification number of the person for whom a pardon is requested and the sentence or penalty which the petition concerns (court ruling and when it was issued).
A petition for a pardon should be sent to the Ministry of Justice at the following address:
Ministry of Justice
P.O. Box 25
FI-00023 Government
The Ministry of Justice processes petitions for pardons and requests statements from the Supreme Court. The Minister of Justice then submits petitions to the President of the Republic, who makes decisions on this basis. The petitioner and other concerned parties or authorities are informed of the President's decision.
The Office of the President of the Republic does not handle petitions for pardons and cannot answer enquiries concerning them. Enquiries should be addressed to Ministry of Justice.
More about the President's power to grant pardons
Can the President of the Republic grant a residence permit or influence the handling of applications for residence permits?
Citizenship and immigration matters do not fall within the scope of the President of the Republic. Citizenship matters are resolved by the Directorate of Immigration and matters concerning immigration, residence and work permits by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the Directorate of Immigration or the local police authority.
The Directorate of Immigration and other competent authorities exercise discretionary power which is based on legislation. The President of the Republic cannot give immigration officials instructions or alter decisions they have made within the scope of their authority.
Can the President of the Republic grant dispensations or exemptions from laws?
The President of the Republic does not have the power to grant exemptions from laws. Previous provisions concerning the President's power to grant exemptions have been repealed. For example, the granting of exemptions in marriage affairs has been transferred to the Ministry of Justice. The Office of the President of the Republic does not handle exemption matters and cannot answer enquiries concerning them. Enquiries should be addressed to the Ministry of Justice or whichever ministry has authority in the matter.
What is the procedure for proposing that the President grant a title or decoration?
The President of the Republic grants titles and decorations in Finland's Orders as well as the Public Service Medal and the Life Saving Medal. The Office of the President of the Republic does not handle these matters and cannot answer enquiries concerning them. Enquiries should be addressed to the appropriate body:
Matters regarding titles are handled by the Title Board, which operates in connection with the Prime Minister's Office, and enquiries should be addressed to the secretary of the Title Board.
Proposals concerning decorations are prepared by the Boards of Finland's Orders and enquiries should be addressed to their office.
Proposals concerning awards to outstanding mothers can be made to the state provincial office, which will forward them to the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health. Decorations are awarded by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health at a national celebration on Mother's Day. The Mannerheim League for Child Welfare is responsible for making practical arrangements and publishing the names of recipients.
Matters regarding the awarding of the Life Saving Medal are prepared by the Ministry of the Interior. Proposals can be made to the Regional State Administrative Agency, which will forward them to the Ministry of the Interior. The ministry publishes the names of recipients.
Applications for a Public Service Medal are made to a special committee. Persons who have been in the full-time service of the State for at least 30 years qualify for this award.
Where can one get a photo of the President?
Photos taken during Tarja Halonen's presidency are available on this website. High-resolution photos that are suitable for printing and publication are also available.
The President's official framed photo can be purchased at the Edita bookstore, online shop or by email: asiakaspalvelu.prima@edita.fi.
Is it possible to visit the Presidential Palace?
At the moment, it is not possible to arrange tours of the Presidential Palace. Visitors can admire the beautiful park at the President's summer residence Kultaranta through Naantali Tourist Service. Tours of Mäntyniemi are not arranged. You can find out more about the President's official residences and take a virtual tour of the Presidential Palace and Mäntyniemi on this website.
How can former Presidents be contacted?
Mail to President Mauno Koivisto and President Martti Ahtisaari can be sent to the Office of the President of the Republic.
President Ahtisaari's present office, the Crisis Management Initiative, has its own website at www.cmi.fi. Pages that relate to President Ahtisaari's period in office from 1994 to 2000 are online at www.tpk.fi/ahtisaari. These pages also include speeches given by President Ahtisaari as well as information on visits during his presidency.
The President's third Aide-de-Camp is assigned to the former Presidents.
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