Finnish Citizenship Act Introduces New Residency Requirements Starting October 2024

As of October 1, 2024, new changes to the Finnish Citizenship Act will require candidates for Finnish citizenship to have resided in the country for a minimum of eight years, according to the Finnish Immigration Services. However, the agency has noted that the required residency time may be reduced in certain cases, depending on individual circumstances. Additionally, the rules regarding time spent outside the country have also been modified.

In a statement from the Finnish Immigration Services, it was explained that "in the future, a total of 365 days of residence outside of Finland will be accepted for the period of residence, of which a maximum of 90 days may be from the year preceding the citizenship decision. Any stay abroad that exceeds this is not counted as part of the residence time."

Applicants who submit their citizenship applications before October 1, 2024, will still be evaluated under the current rules, meaning that the recent changes to the Citizenship Act will not affect them. Under the old regulations, applicants are eligible for citizenship after five years of continuous residence in Finland. Alternatively, those who have lived in Finland for seven years, with the last two years being of continuous residence, also meet the requirements for citizenship.

For individuals who may qualify with less than five years of residence, certain conditions must be met, including:

- Strong language skills

- A Finnish spouse

- Holding a Nordic passport

- Having received international or humanitarian protection from Finland

- Being stateless

The Finnish Immigration Services has advised potential applicants to submit their citizenship applications promptly, as a significant backlog of approximately 28,000 requests is currently causing delays in processing. Authorities have noted a sharp increase in citizenship applications in recent years, with many submissions incomplete, further contributing to longer processing times.

"Processing times for citizenship applications have also increased because we have received many applications that do not meet the requirements. Make sure you meet all the requirements for citizenship before you apply for citizenship. If your application does not meet the requirements, you may receive a negative decision," warned the Finnish Immigration Services.

Authorities aim to clear the current backlog by 2027. The Citizenship Act is also expected to undergo reforms in three stages, with the first two already in effect. By fLEXI tEAM