Starting from October 1, 2024, Finland has made key changes to its Citizenship Act, increasing the required period of residence for citizenship from five years to eight years. The Finnish government hopes these new rules will strengthen applicants’ connections to the country before granting them citizenship.
Longer Residency Requirement for Citizenship
The revised law now requires most applicants to live in Finland for at least eight years before applying for citizenship. However, there are exceptions. For applicants who meet Finland’s language proficiency requirements, the minimum residency period remains five years.
Any applications submitted before October 1, 2024, will be processed under the old five-year rule. However, those filed on or after that date must meet the new eight-year requirement.
Rules on Time Spent Abroad
The updated regulations also change how time abroad is counted toward the required residence period. Applicants can now spend up to 365 days outside Finland without affecting their eligibility for citizenship. Out of those 365 days, no more than 90 days may come from the year just before the citizenship decision is made.
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If applicants spend more than the permitted 365 days abroad, the extra time will not count toward the required residence period. This change ensures applicants maintain a meaningful presence in Finland during their qualifying years.
Faster Citizenship for Refugees and Stateless Individuals
The new rules also improve the application process for refugees and stateless individuals. The Finnish Immigration Service will now treat their applications as urgent, ensuring decisions are made within one year of submission.
In addition, the way the residence period is calculated for refugees has changed. It will no longer begin from the date they applied for asylum. Instead, the count will start from the day they receive their first continuous residence permit (A permit).
Streamlined Online Application Process
The Finnish Immigration Service encourages applicants to use the Enter Finland online service, making the process easier and faster. In some cases, applicants can avoid visiting a service point in person if they meet specific requirements:
- They are at least 18 years old.
- They submit the application on their own behalf.
- They log in using strong electronic identification (such as Finnish online banking credentials).
- They pay the required fee before submitting their application.
Backlog of Citizenship Applications
Currently, the Finnish Immigration Service is managing a backlog of approximately 28,000 applications, leading to longer processing times. The surge in applications over recent years is partly responsible for the delays.
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Many applications have also been delayed due to applicants not meeting all the eligibility requirements, further slowing down the process.
To address the backlog, the Finnish Immigration Service aims to gradually reduce the waiting times, with the goal of clearing the backlog by 2027.
Finland’s decision to extend the residence requirement for citizenship reflects its goal of fostering stronger ties between applicants and the country. While the new rules demand a longer stay, they also streamline the process for refugees and stateless individuals and make online applications easier for eligible residents.
Although there is currently a backlog in citizenship applications, the Finnish Immigration Service is committed to clearing it in the coming years to ensure smoother processing in the future. These changes aim to make the system fair, efficient, and better aligned with the country’s long-term immigration goals.