Kela Y 38e: Moving Abroad from Finland Notification

What is Kela Y 38e - moving abroad?

Form Y 38e is the English version of Kela's notification of moving from Finland or employment abroad. On it you report work abroad or a stay abroad of more than three months, and Kela, the Social Insurance Institution of Finland, decides whether you are entitled to Kela benefits during that time.

Kela asks you to notify it that you are going abroad if you get benefits from Kela or if you have a European Health Insurance Card — in its OmaKela e-service or on this form. You should also notify the Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV). You need not use the form for a work assignment to another EU or EEA country, Switzerland, the United Kingdom or a social security agreement country: for that you apply to the Finnish Centre for Pensions for coverage.

FileIt guides you through Y 38e in plain English and prints your answers into Kela's own PDF, edition 05.24. It checks Finnish personal identity codes, prints dates as dd.mm.yyyy, and draws names, employers and schools with any European letters correctly. The finished PDF is saved in your vault; you can e-sign it and send it to Kela yourself.

Who fills it: Anyone covered by Finnish social security who moves abroad or goes to work abroad
When: Work abroad, or a stay abroad of more than 3 months
Given to: Kela, in OmaKela or by post
Signatures: The applicant
Edition: Y 38e 05.24, five pages, in English

Who needs to fill out Kela Y 38e - moving abroad?

People moving abroad for more than three months who get Kela benefits or have a European Health Insurance Card granted by Kela.
People who will work abroad while living in Finland, including remote workers for a Finnish employer.
Students going abroad for part or all of a degree, researchers and grant recipients.
Pension recipients moving abroad, and spouses moving abroad with a partner.
Parents moving abroad with children under 18, who list the children on the form.

When to use Kela Y 38e - moving abroad

Before or when you move abroad for more than three months.
When you start working abroad, even if you keep living in Finland.
Not for a posting to an EU or EEA country, Switzerland, the UK or an agreement country — apply to the Finnish Centre for Pensions (etk.fi) instead; for China, South Korea, India or Japan the form says to complete it as well.

What you need before you start

Your personal identity code, phone and e-mail.
The destination country and the dates of your stay (an estimate is fine if you don't know when you will return).
Your employer's name and how you will work abroad, or your school and degree, or your place of research and grant period.
Your spouse's or partner's name and personal identity code if you move as a spouse, and your children's details.
Earlier periods you lived, worked or studied abroad, if you haven't told Kela before.
Enclosures such as Kela form Y 38Te from a Finnish employer, a certificate of admission to your school, or grant documents.

What’s on Kela Y 38e - moving abroad

The 2024 edition has 5 pages. FileIt asks for it in 9 parts, and it is signed by Applicant:

1 Client's detailsApplicant
2 Country of destinationApplicant
3a Reason for residence abroad: workApplicant
3b EducationApplicant
3c-f Research, pension, moving as a spouse and other reasonsApplicant
4 ChildrenApplicant
5 Personal ties to Finland and earlier periods abroadApplicant
6 Enclosures and 7 additional informationApplicant
8 SignatureApplicant

How to fill out Kela Y 38e - moving abroad, step by step

1 1. Client's details

Your personal identity code, name, phone and e-mail. Kela gets your address from the population data system; if you haven't reported your stay abroad to DVV yet, give your address abroad in section 7.

2 2. Country of destination

The country you are moving to and whether you stay for a fixed period or indefinitely. If you will work abroad but keep living in Finland, tick that box and say whether you come back daily or at least weekly, or less often.

3 3. Reason for residence abroad

Complete the parts that apply: a. work — the employer and how you work (for a foreign employer, self-employed, posted, for the Finnish government, as an aid worker, for an international organisation, at sea, as a trainee or au pair, remotely for a Finnish employer, or looking for work); b. education; c. research and grants; d. a pension from another country; e. moving abroad as a spouse; f. any other reason.

4 4. Children

Each child under 18 moving abroad in your care and custody, with their personal identity code and the period of residence abroad.

5 5. Personal ties to Finland

If you live abroad for more than six months or keep going abroad for shorter periods, describe your ties to Finland, say whether you have social security coverage from another country, and list earlier periods abroad.

6 6–8. Enclosures, additional information and signature

Tick the enclosures you send, add further information with the section number, then give the place and date, sign and print your name.

Common mistakes to avoid

Using Y 38e for a posting to an EU or EEA country, Switzerland, the UK or an agreement country, where the Finnish Centre for Pensions decides coverage.
Forgetting to notify DVV of the move as well.
Leaving out the employer's form Y 38Te when a Finnish employer sends you abroad.
Typing a personal identity code with the wrong check character — FileIt checks each one.
Leaving out children who move abroad with you.

After you fill it out

Check the PDF and sign it, by hand or with FileIt's optional e-signature.

The form gives Kela's Centre for International Affairs, PO Box 78, FI-00381 Helsinki, as the postal address; you can also give the notification in OmaKela. FileIt does not send it for you.

Keep your copy in your FileIt vault and tell Kela about any changes, as the declaration you sign promises. Pair it with form Y 77e when you move back to Finland.

Fill out Kela Y 38e - moving abroad online with FileIt

Pick the person. Choose someone from People and FileIt fills in their name, date of birth, address and other details it already knows.
Answer plain-language questions. One part of the form at a time, with the official help text beside each question — 100 fields in all. Your answers save as you go.
Check the live preview. Watch your answers land on the real Social Insurance Institution of Finland (Kansaneläkelaitos / Kela) form, and let FileIt do any worksheet arithmetic.
Generate the official PDF. FileIt prints your answers into the agency’s own PDF and files it in that person’s folder in your vault. Sign it, or send it for e-signature.

FileIt fills the form — it never files or submits anything for you. Deliver the finished form to whoever asked for it, the way the form’s instructions say.

Start Kela Y 38e - moving abroad now — it’s free

Kela Y 38e - moving abroad: frequently asked questions

What is Kela form Y 38e?

Y 38e is the English form for telling Kela that you are moving abroad or working abroad. Kela then decides whether you can still get Kela benefits during your stay.

Do I need Y 38e for a short trip?

The form is for employment abroad or stays abroad longer than three months.

I am being posted to another EU country. Do I use Y 38e?

Usually not. The form says to apply to the Finnish Centre for Pensions (etk.fi) for coverage for a work assignment to another EU or EEA country, Switzerland, the UK or an agreement country — though for China, South Korea, India or Japan you must also complete this form.

Can I tell Kela online instead?

Yes, in the OmaKela e-service (in Finnish and Swedish). The PDF is the paper route.

Does FileIt send the form to Kela?

No. FileIt fills in Kela's official PDF and saves it in your vault; you send it yourself.

Official sources

Blank form (PDF), published by Social Insurance Institution of Finland (Kansaneläkelaitos / Kela): https://www.kela.fi/benefit-forms/Y38e.pdf
Official instructions and guidance: https://www.kela.fi/leaving-finland
Edition shown on this page: Y 38e 05.24 (checked 2026-09-28).

FileIt is not affiliated with or endorsed by Social Insurance Institution of Finland (Kansaneläkelaitos / Kela) or any government. This page explains the form in general terms and is not legal, tax or immigration advice. Always read the official instructions, and check that you are using the edition the recipient accepts. Page last reviewed 2026-09-28.