The Finnish Parliament has approved a set of amendments to the Citizenship Act that will enter into force on December 17, 2025.
The amendments will introduce stricter requirements for acquiring Finnish citizenship. The amendments concern the requirement for sufficient financial resources, the integrity requirement, the establishment of identity and the loss of citizenship.
The new requirements will apply to applications submitted on December 17, 2025 or later. All citizenship applications that have been submitted before December 17, 2025 will be processed in accordance with the current Citizenship Act.
Requirement for sufficient financial resources
Applicants for Finnish citizenship must meet the requirement for sufficient financial resources. The applicant’s financial resources are not considered sufficient if the applicant has resorted to unemployment benefit or social assistance for longer than three months in total during the past two years. The applicant must provide a reliable account of his or her livelihood in Finland during the past two years. Exceptions to the income requirement can be made in certain cases.
Establishment of identity
Applicants who have been issued with an alien’s passport for obtaining a national passport are required to present a valid national passport or similar document to prove their identity.
Integrity requirement
Offences will have a more substantial impact on whether the applicant can be granted Finnish citizenship. The importance of national security will also be emphasized. The waiting periods resulting from offences will be longer. In future, a waiting period of one to eight years can be imposed in connection with a negative decision. Citizenship is not normally granted during the waiting period.
Loss of citizenship
The loss of Finnish citizenship will become more common in cases where the person has given false information or otherwise acted fraudulently when applying for citizenship. Serious offences, including terrorist, treason or high treason offences punishable by six years of imprisonment, can lead to the loss of citizenship.
It is important that applicants ensure they meet all the requirements for acquiring Finnish citizenship before applying. Those who apply for citizenship before meeting the requirements may receive a negative decision. A large number of citizenship applications that do not meet the requirements will make processing times longer.
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