The demand of passports and identity cards is really big at the moment. The licence services in Western Uusimaa Police Department is very busy. However, slots are released into the service on a weekly basis, and cancellation times are also released every day.
Despite the congestion, Chief of Licence Services Leena Höysniemi's recommendation to customers is to book a time via police appointment booking service. Slots are released on a weekly basis and currently extend to a six-week period. Almost every day customers also cancel their appointments from different police stations, and these appointments become available for the next ones to book.
The guideline for customers is that the validity of your own travel document should be checked in time, and it is worth booking the time for renewal no later than 1-2 months before the document expires. It is a good idea to bring a previous passport or ID card to the police station, if your permit issue requires identification.
Queuing is intended primarily for handling urgent licence matters and for those who are unable to use electronic service
There are also long queues at the service point when visiting the police station without a booked time. Queuing is mainly intended for handling urgent licence matters and for those who are unable to book time online or use electronic service.
− If you come without an appointment, please be prepared for a long waiting time. For example, in Espoo there are from several dozens to more than two hundred customers on the queue every day. Our staff works very hard to serve everyone, but with this amount of customers, waiting time may be long, Höysniemi says.
In addition to the main police station in Espoo, licence services are also available at Lohja, Kirkkonummi and Raasepori police stations in Western Uusimaa. The opening hours of all police stations are displayed on the police website and can be booked at the appointment service. Those who visit Espoo Main Police Station should note that licence services are currently situated in temporary premises at Nihtisillankuja 4 A 4.
There is no domicile in the processing of travel documents (passports and identity cards), so you can take care of your licence matter at any police station you choose.
Trying to deal with the renewal debt
Chief of Licence Services Höysniemi says that the current situation is due to the renewal debt accumulated during the previous year and a half.
− Because of the current Corona situation, that debt is now being reduced at a rapid pace. For example, here in Western Uusimaa last year, about 33,000 passports had been applied for by the end of August, but this year the figure is already over 40,000 for the same period of time. My own bet is that the peak will continue at least for the rest of the year.
