Finnish citizens have rights and obligations

A citizen of a foreign country who resides permanently in Finland may acquire Finnish citizenship by submitting an application to the Finnish Immigration Service. The basic requirement for the acquisition of Finnish citizenship is the reliable establishment of the applicant’s identity.

The applicant must be 18 years old and meet the requirements concerning the period of residence, integrity and language skills laid down in the Nationality Act. An additional requirement is that the applicant has not materially failed to provide maintenance or to meet his or her pecuniary obligations under public law and is able to provide a reliable account of his or her means of support. 

Obtaining citizenship has a significant effect on the legal status of the individual. A citizen is accepted as a full member of society and has all the rights and obligations that such membership entails.
 A citizen of a country can, for example, vote in all elections and participate fully in political life and other societal activities. Finnish citizenship can also help foreigners permanently residing in Finland to integrate into Finnish society.

Finnish Immigration Service processes citizenship applications

The Finnish Immigration Service decides on the acquisition, retention and loss of Finnish citizenship and on the determination of citizenship status. Apply for Finnish citizenship by completing a citizenship application form and submitting the form and its appendices to the Finnish Immigration Service. The Finnish Immigration Service will process the application, decide on the matter and notify the applicant of its decision.

A former Finnish citizen may regain Finnish citizenship by submitting a declaration to the Finnish Immigration Service.

Read more about applying for Finnish citizenship on the Finnish Immigration Service's website.