Hygiene Passport – Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Hygiene Passport needed for?

When and where can I take a hygiene passport test?

How can I sign up for the hygiene passport test?

How much does the hygiene passport test costs, and what methods of payment are accepted?

What is the hygiene passport test like?

How can I prepare for the hygiene passport test?

What areas are covered in the hygiene passport test?

Do I have to participate in a course in order to get the hygiene passport?

Can I have a temporary hygiene passport right after the hygiene passport test?

What are acceptable forms of identification?

Can the questions of the test be interpreted for someone who does not understand the test language?

The person doing the test has dyslexia; can he or she have more time to do the test?

Are dictionaries allowed during the hygiene passport test?

I did not pass the hygiene passport test. Is it possible to go through my answers?

How long does it take to receive the certificate and Hygiene Passport?

For how long is my Hygiene Passport valid?

I have lost my Hygiene Passport; what do I do?

I have the another country's hygiene passport. Is this hygiene passport valid in Finland?

What do hygienepassport and hygiene passport certificate look like? 

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According to the National Food Act, an employee must have hygiene passport if his or her work tasks include handling unpackaged or perishable food products. Hygiene Passport is needed, for example, when working in coffee shops, restaurants, industrial kitchens, kiosks, fast food establishments, grocery stores, day care centres or factories that manufacture food products.

The Finnish Food Official Authority has a table of the situations when the Hygiene Passport is needed.

One must acquire a Hygiene Passport no later than within three months of starting a food related job. Any previous food industry work that requires a Hygiene Passport is also considered to be part of this three-month period.

Hygienepassport.fi organizes weekly Hygiene Passport Tests all over Finland in Finnish, Swedish and English. Tests translated to other languages like Chinese, Thai, Arabic, Russian, Estonian and Spanish are also arranged. Tests are arranged if there are at least five participants willing to join the test. It is also possible to arrange private tests and courses for groups at the agreed location in Finland. Ask for an offer!

Tests that are arranged by Hygienepassport.fi can be found on our website Hygienepassport.fi, where you can also sign up for our tests. At the moment, the system operates in Finnish and in English.

Hygiene Passport Test prices vary between different test types and payment methods. The tests open for everyone cost 40 – 120 €. Prices are shown next to each listed test when you click ''Register''.

The test can be paid via online bank or right before the test in cash (if the cash option is available). Invoicing for companies is available by an email request.

The receipt of the online payment and the cash payment will be sent to your email after the payment is completed.

The test is comprised of 40 true or false questions. To get a Hygiene Passport, one must answer a minimum of 34 questions correctly. The minimum time to do the test is 20 minutes. There is no maximum time limit to conduct the test (except normal tests*).

*Normal tests are in Finnish/Swedish/English language. The time limit for the test is 45 minutes. Special arrangement tests are all the other tests that are somehow different from normal test (for example, by language).

We recommend you to go profoundly through all seven subfields of food hygiene before the test (see the list below). In case food industry is new to you, it is highly recommended to familiarize yourself to the vocabulary and terminology in advance as well. Hygienepassport.fi sells useful written material in Finnish, Swedish, English, Arabic, Thai, Spanish, Chinese, Turkish, Russian and Estonian languages. You can purchase material from the Hygienepassport.fi online store. You can also practice for the test in Finnish/English on Trainify.fi.

Food hygiene subfields:

1. Microbiology
2. Food Poisonings
3. Hygienic Work Practices
4. Personal Hygiene
5. Sanitation
6. Own-check Practices at Food Premises
7. Finnish Food Legislation and Authorities

It is not compulsory, but it is highly recommended to participate to the course in order to enable the success of the test. The upcoming courses and registration can be found on Hygienepassport.fi Training section. 

You can also practice independently for the test via Trainify.fi. 

Yes. If you pass the test, you will receive the temporary certificate to your email by request. It is valid till you receive the actual Hygiene Passport by post. The temporary Hygiene Passport can be shown to your employer before receiving the official Hygiene Passport.

• An identification with a picture approved by an authority (Police) including an official identification card, passport and a Finnish driver's license (a moped license is also acceptable)
• An alien's passport and a refugee travel document
• A stamped document, given by the police or Finnish Border Guard, which proves your passport is in the possession of an official. The document must include a copy of the passport.
• Accepted by immigration office refugee, asylum seeker or other immigrant residence permit and resident card.
• A refugee centres client card, including a picture and refugee's ID number

Not valid proof of identity:

• An expired driver's license, passport or ID card
• A foreign driver's license
• A Finnish Kela card with no picture
• A Finnish military passport
• Photocopies of ID cards, passports or other documents
• Any form of identification in which it is easy to change the photo or does not have a name or a social security number.

Using an interpreter in a Hygiene Passport Test is possible if the participant can't take the normal Hygiene Passport Test and can't do the translated test in writing. There has to be very strong arguments why the interpreter is needed. If the Hygiene Passport Test is arranged with the interpreter, the instructor will first order a written translation for the test and then arrange an independent interpreter to the test. The tester will confirm there are no links (family, friendship, work) between the interpreter and the testee. The interpreter only reads the claims and cannot help the testee in any way during the test.

In an interpreted test the test fee has to cover the normal arrangement costs, written translation and the interpreters cost.

Yes, but only in special arrangement tests which have to be booked in advance.

Yes, but only in special arrangement tests which have to be booked in advance. The use of dictionary has to be agreed in advance. The dictionary must be handed to the instructor before the test.