Citizenship of Finland

Finland is a European Union country with a stable economy that provides social security to its citizens. A citizen's passport allows travel to more than 180 countries without the need for a visa, including the USA and Canada.

Finland is suitable for families with children, retirees, entrepreneurs, and other categories of foreigners who wish to reside permanently in a country with good environmental conditions and a high standard of living.

Interesting

Finland is well-suited for families with children, retirees, entrepreneurs, and other groups of foreigners who wish to live in a country with a clean environment and a high standard of living. Additionally, Finland offers excellent social security across all areas, from outstanding free education to healthcare.

Ways to Obtain Citizenship

According to the "Citizenship Act," one can obtain a Finnish passport based on the following criteria:

Naturalization.

Individuals who have legally lived in Finland for five years or more are eligible to apply for citizenship. The initial steps involve sequential applications for a residence permit and permanent residency.

By Right of Birth or Adoption.

Children born to at least one Finnish parent are eligible for citizenship through a simplified process. This also applies to minors adopted by Finnish citizens.

Marriage to a citizen.

After three years of marriage and cohabitation with a Finnish citizen, one can apply for Finnish citizenship, provided the marriage is genuine and the couple shares a household.

Refugee status or asylum.

Those who enter Finland and are granted refugee status or apply for asylum may eventually qualify for full citizenship.

Advantages of Finnish Citizenship

Finnish citizenship offers a number of benefits:

• Residence in the EU. A Finnish passport allows its holder to live not only in Finland but also in any EU country without the need for additional permits.
• Travel. Finnish citizenship provides the freedom to travel to most countries worldwide without a visa. This includes all EU countries, the UK, Canada, and the United States.
• Employment. Finnish employers are generally hesitant to hire foreign nationals, but citizenship allows for official employment in Finland. The average salary after taxes is around €3,000, with a minimum of €1,700.
• Education. Finnish universities offer free education, even in popular fields of study, although knowledge of Finnish or Swedish is often required.
• Social Security. The government strives to ensure that citizens have sufficient means for a decent life. Those earning below the minimum wage or unemployed are eligible for benefits. Pensions are provided for the elderly and disabled.
• Healthcare. Citizens receive free medical care and medications in public clinics, provided they have health insurance.
• Access to the European Banking Sector. Finnish citizens can open accounts, take out loans, and make investments in any bank within the EU.
• Business Opportunities. Finland offers favorable conditions for business, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises. Citizens can also engage in business throughout the EU.
• Inheritance of Citizenship by Children. Children born to Finnish citizens automatically receive a Finnish passport.
• Land Ownership. Citizens can purchase land for construction or other purposes. Foreigners typically require a permit, which is often denied.

The state does not require its citizens to reside permanently in Finland.

Dual Citizenship

Finnish law does not prohibit dual citizenship. This means that when obtaining a Finnish passport, one does not need to renounce citizenship of their home country.

However, it is important to understand that the foreign national’s country of origin may prohibit dual citizenship. To avoid legal issues, this should be clarified in advance.

Citizenship by Investment Program

It is not possible to obtain a Finnish passport through investment. Foreign nationals who purchase property within Finland or invest in active businesses can apply for a residence permit and permanent residency. Later, they may become full citizens through naturalization.

Attention

No privileges or expedited passport processing is provided for foreign investors.

Recent Reforms of the Citizenship Program

At the end of 2023, Finnish authorities decided to tighten the rules for obtaining citizenship. Soon, to qualify for citizenship status, one must reside in the country for at least 8 years on a legal basis, whereas previously, the required period was 5 years.

Additionally, the law now requires applicants to pass a high-level language proficiency exam. Previously, it was sufficient to have conversational proficiency in Finnish or Swedish.

The law will take effect in 2025.

Step-by-step application process

To obtain Finnish citizenship, several steps must be completed:

On average, obtaining Finnish citizenship currently takes 6-7 years. The timelines may vary depending on the grounds used for granting the status.

Along with the foreigner, their minor children are eligible to apply for citizenship. To do this, they must be included in the application.

Gathering of Documents and Applying

To apply for citizenship, several steps must be taken:

• Collection, Translation, and Certification of Documents: All documents must be translated into Finnish or Swedish and apostilled. Certification is done by the appropriate authority.
• Taking the Exam: Knowledge of Finnish or Swedish at an adequate level is required for citizenship. It is important to confirm this by passing an exam and obtaining the corresponding certificate.
• Filling Out the Application: On the Enter Finland website, you need to fill out the form and upload additional documents.
• Identification Verification: Within 90 days of filling out the application on the website, you must confirm your identity at any office of the country's Migration Service.
• Making an Appointment: After completing all the previous steps, you can book an appointment with the Migration Service online.
• Submitting Documents: At the appointed time, you should appear at the Migration Service office with all original documents and certified copies.

Identification and submission of documents shall be done by the applicant in person.

List of documents

To apply for Finnish citizenship, the following documents are required:

• application form;
• foreign passport;
• bank statement confirming sufficient funds for living expenses;
• certificate confirming the passing of the Finnish or Swedish language exam;
• certificate of no criminal record in the country from which the person has arrived.

Additionally, a document confirming the applicant's ownership or rental of housing in the territory of the state may be required.

Important

If the applicant for citizenship has minor children also applying, the document package must include their passports and birth certificates, translated into one of the official languages of the country and certified by an official authority.

Additionally, a state fee of 220 euros per adult and 100 euros for each child will need to be paid.

Review and Decision

On average, an application for granting Finnish citizenship to a foreigner is considered within 12 to 24 months. The status of the application can be tracked online through a special app.

In case of a denial of citizenship, the foreigner can appeal to the court for a review of their case and for a positive decision to be made. In this case, their documents will be re-examined by government authorities.