How to Get Finland CitizenshipKey facts
- Residence for naturalisation
- 8 years
- Language
- Test or certificate
- Dual citizenship
- Accepted
- Civic test
- No civic knowledge requirement
- Criminal record
- A criminal record or good character condition applies
- Income condition
- Income or economic resources must be shown
- Dual citizenship in detail
- Accepted in both directionsNew citizens do not have to give up their previous citizenship.Citizens who naturalise abroad keep their citizenship.
- Available routes
- Region
- Europe
- Law in force as of
- 1 January 2024GLOBALCIT baseline, plus 1 later in-force change applied where the data records a new value.
- Last checked
- 5 November 2026
What changed since 2024
- In force
Residence requirement for naturalisation raised from 5 to 8 years; 2025-2026 amendments add financial self-sufficiency and a citizenship test.
The rule text in the sections below was coded for the law on 1 January 2024. 1 later in-force change in the timeline above takes precedence where it differs.
Naturalisation (residence)
This route covers foreign residents who seek citizenship after living in Finland, subject to the conditions below. Meeting the legal conditions does not guarantee approval, since authorities retain final discretion.
In force, 1 October 2024: Residence requirement for naturalisation raised from 5 to 8 years; 2025-2026 amendments add financial self-sufficiency and a citizenship test.
- Residence
- 8 yearsChanged on 1 October 2024. Previously: 5 years.
Rule text coded for 1 January 2024 (superseded on this point)
Person has been resident in Finland for 5 years uninterrupted, or 7 years since the age of 15 with the last 2 years uninterrupted. (In both cases the residence requirement can be shortened with 1 year if applicant meets language requirements.) Section 18: Exceptions to the period of residence. Section 18a: Exceptions to the period of residence when the language requirement is fulfiled.
- Previous citizenship
- New citizens do not have to give up their previous citizenship
- Language
- Required, with a test or certificate
Person has satisfactory oral and written skills in the Finnish or Swedish language or similar skills in the Finnish or Finland-Swedish sign language (language skills requirement). Section 18b: Exceptions to the language requirement.
- Civic knowledge
- No civic knowledge requirement
- Criminal record
- A criminal record or good character condition applies
Person has not committed a punishable act (unless the punishment has been a summary penal fee) nor has a restraining order been issued against him/her. A person meeting all requirements will not be naturalised if there is a justified reason for suspecting that naturalising the person jeopardises the State's security or public order, or the main aim of naturalisation is to take advantage of a benefit related to Finnish citizenship without any purpose to reside in Finland, or if naturalisation is otherwise against the interest of the State for a weighty reason and in light of the overall consideration of the person's situation. Section 19: Exceptions to the integrity requirement.
- Income or economic resources
- Income or economic resources must be shown
Person has not materially failed to provide maintenance or meet pecuniary obligations under public law, can provide a reliable account of livelihood.
Marriage or civil partnership
This route covers people married to a citizen of Finland, subject to the conditions below. Meeting the legal conditions does not guarantee approval, since authorities retain final discretion.
Person has been the spouse of a citizen for 3 years, with common household (in case the citizen has died, the spouses must have lived together for 3 years before death), and has 4 years of permanent uninterrupted residence in Finland, or 6 years of permanent residence since the age of 15, with the last 2 years uninterrupted. (A spouse means the husband or wife of the citizen or a person cohabiting with the citizen in a relationship resembling marriage. Provisions on a spouse also apply to a registered partner.) Other conditions: see the rules for ordinary naturalisation.
Descent (citizen parent)
Descent from a citizen parent is the basis of this route in Finland. Finland grants citizenship by operation of law, requiring no decision from any authority.
Descent (born in country)
Person is born in Finland in wedlock to a citizen, or out of wedlock to a mother who is a citizen. If the child has two mothers under the Maternity Act (253/2018), provision regarding the mother applies to the mother who gave birth and provision regarding the father whose paternity is established applies to the mother whose maternity is established.
Descent (born abroad)
Person is born abroad and in wedlock to a citizen, or out of wedlock to a mother who is a citizen.
Birth in the country
For people born in Finland, the rules below show when birth there leads to citizenship. Where the legal conditions are met, an application leads to a mandatory grant of citizenship.
Person is born in Finland, is an adult under the age of 23, and has had permanent residence in Finland for 6 years with the last 2 years uninterrupted. Residence in a Nordic country is equivalent to residence in Finland for the 5 years before the declaration was made to the extent that residence occurred before the age of 16. Person must not have been sentenced to imprisonment.
This text mentions 5 years and was written before the ordinary residence period changed from 5 to 8 years on 1 October 2024. Check this route with the official source.Child of a new citizen
For children whose parent becomes a citizen of Finland, the rules below set out what applies. Meeting the legal conditions does not guarantee approval, since authorities retain final discretion.
Transfer to a child
Person's parent or guardian is a citizen and makes an application on behalf of the minor person who lives with the parent or guardian. If these conditions are not met, naturalisation is possible on the basis of a weighty reason related to the best interests of the child. No further residence and language requirements if the child is under the age of 15 and permanently resident in Finland. If the child is 15, 16 or 17 years and permanently resident in Finland, he/she must have resided there for the last 4 years without interruption or a total of 6 years since the age of 7, with the last 2 years uninterrupted. 2 years of residence is sufficient if the child is a citizen of a Nordic country or a former Finnish citizen. Other conditions: see the rules for ordinary naturalisation.
Child coacquisition
Person is a minor under the age of 15, resident in Finland, and co-applicant in the parent's application for naturalisation. No further residence or language requirements. Other conditions: see the rules for ordinary naturalisation. If the child is 15, 16 or 17 years, he/she must have permanently resided in Finland for the last 4 years without interruption or a total of 6 years since the age of 7, with the last 2 years uninterrupted. Other conditions: see the rules for ordinary naturalisation. A co-applicant is defined as a child that is under the applicant's custody and for whom the applicant is applying for Finnish citizenship.
Adoption
Adoption by a citizen of Finland is the basis of this route.
Person is a minor under the age of 12 who is adopted by a citizen.
Person is a minor who is adopted by a citizen after the age of 12.
Other family members of citizens
For certain relatives of citizens, former citizens or new citizens of Finland, the rules below set out what applies.
Transfer from deceased citizen
Person is the spouse of a deceased Finnish citizen and the spouses have lived together for the minimum of 3 years before death and the applicant has 4 years of permanent uninterrupted residence in Finland, or 6 years of permanent residence since the age of 15, with the last 2 years uninterrupted. (FIN 22) (A spouse means the husband or wife of the citizen or a person cohabiting with the citizen in a relationship resembling marriage. Provisions on a spouse also apply to a registered partner. (FIN 2(1)(8)).
Transfer from deceased citizen
A child acquires Finnish citizenship by birth if the deceased father was Finnish citizen and married to the child's mother or the child is born in Finland the paternity of the deceased father, who was Finnish citizen, is established. What is said about the deceased father whose paternity is established also applies to a deceased mother whose maternity is established under the Maternity Act. (FIN 9(1)(3) and 9(3))
Spousal coacquisition
Person is the spouse of a Finnish citizen and the spouses have lived together for a minimum of three years and the applicant has 4 years of permanent uninterrupted residence in Finland, or 6 years of permanent residence since the age of 15, with the last 2 years uninterrupted.
Former citizens (reacquisition)
For former citizens of Finland, the rules below show when citizenship can be reacquired. Where the legal conditions are met, an application leads to a mandatory grant of citizenship.
A former Finnish citizen who has not lost her/his citizenship on the basis of annulment of paternity (mode L13a) or annulment of established maternity (FIN 32) or false information (mode L09) (FIN 33) or on the grounds of a treason, high treason, or terrorism crime (FIN 33a) can reacquire Finnish citizenship by declaration.
Citizens of specific countries
Holding the citizenship of a particular country is the basis of this route in Finland.
Person is a citizen of a Nordic country and has been permanently resident in Finland for the last 2 years without interruption. Other conditions: see the rules for ordinary naturalisation.
Finnish citizenship can be acquired by declaration if the person is a citizen of a Nordic country other than by naturalisation, has reached the age of 18 years, has been permanently residing in Finland for 5 years preceding application, and has not been sentenced to imprisonment during that time.
This text mentions 5 years and was written before the ordinary residence period changed from 5 to 8 years on 1 October 2024. Check this route with the official source.Residence during childhood
This route covers people who lived in Finland during childhood, subject to the conditions below. Where the legal conditions are met, an application leads to a mandatory grant of citizenship.
Person is an adult under the age of 23 and has had permanent residence in Finland for 10 years, with the last 2 years uninterrupted. Residence in a Nordic country is equivalent to residence in Finland for the 5 years before the declaration was made to the extent that residence occurred before the age of 16. Person may not have been sentenced to imprisonment.
This text mentions 5 years and was written before the ordinary residence period changed from 5 to 8 years on 1 October 2024. Check this route with the official source.Very long residence
This route covers people with an extended period of residence in Finland, subject to the conditions below. Meeting the legal conditions does not guarantee approval, since authorities retain final discretion.
Person has strong ties with Finland on the basis of a long period of lawful residence or for some other similar reason and has been permanently resident in the country for the last 2 years without interruption. In addition, one of the following three conditions must be fulfiled: i) it is unreasonably difficult to be engaged in permanent full-time work in Finland without citizenship, ii) person has, through no fault of his or her own, been considered a Finnish citizen for a minimum of 10 years as a result of such a mistake made by a Finnish public authority which has led to a serious consequence related to the rights and obligations of a Finnish citizen (see the rules for a related provision), or iii) there is otherwise special and weighty reason. Other conditions: see the rules for ordinary naturalisation.
Refugees
For recognised refugees in Finland, the rules below set out what applies. Meeting the legal conditions does not guarantee approval, since authorities retain final discretion.
Person is a recognised refugee, has a residence permit based on the need of secondary protection or humanitarian protection, and has been permanently resident in Finland for the last 4 years without interruption, or for a total of 6 years since the age of 15, with the last 2 years uninterrupted. (FIN 20) Other conditions: see the rules for ordinary naturalisation. Exceptions to the language requirement for naturalisation are possible if the person is 65 or older and has a refugee status, or a status as a recipient of secondary protection, or a residence permit based on the need of humanitarian protection. (FIN 18b(1)(2))
Stateless persons
This route covers stateless people and children who would otherwise be stateless, subject to the conditions below.
Foundlings
Person is found in Finland citizenship of a foreign State has not been established before the child reaches the age of 5.
Otherwise stateless (born in country)
Person is born in Finland is not able to acquire the citizenship of another country at birth. Or person is born in Finland to parents with unknown citizenship or out of wedlock to a mother with unknown citizenship and citizenship of another country has not been established before reaching the age of 5.
Otherwise stateless (born in country)
Person is born in Finland to parents who have refugee status (or similar status) there and the person does not acquire citizenship of either parent except through registration of his/her birth with the state of citizenship of the parents or through another procedure requiring the assistance of the authorities of that country. Additional requirement in case only one parent has refugee status in Finland: the person does not acquire citizenship of the other parent by birth, nor has a secondary right through birth to acquire it.
Stateless persons
Person is involuntarily stateless and has been permanently resident in Finland for the last 4 years without interruption, or for a total of 6 years since the age of 15, with the last 2 years uninterrupted. Other conditions: see the rules for ordinary naturalisation.
Not available in Finland: Ethnic or cultural affinity, Special achievements, Public or military service, Investment. This follows the GLOBALCIT coding, with in-force changes applied.
Dual citizenship
Dual citizenship is accepted in Finland for new citizens and for citizens who naturalise abroad.
- New citizens
- New citizens do not have to give up their previous citizenship
- Citizens who naturalise abroad
- Citizens who naturalise abroad keep their citizenship
Compare with neighbours
Across Northern Europe, the most common requirement is 8 years, and Finland sets the same period.
Check where Finland sits in the full residence ranking
| Country | Residence | Language | Dual citizenship |
|---|---|---|---|
 Denmark | 9 years | Test or certificate | Accepted |
 Estonia | 8 years | Required, no test | Citizens abroad only |
 Iceland | 7 years | Required, no test | Accepted |
 Lithuania | 10 years | Required, no test | Not accepted |
 Norway | 8 years | Test or certificate | Accepted |
 Sweden | 8 years | None | Accepted |
Official sources
This page was located by search and has not yet been checked by our team.
Naturalisation provisions: Nationality law: Art. 13, 14, 15, 18, 18(a), 18(b), 19, 19(a), 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 6.
Cite this page
TravelDecl. (2026, November 5). How to Get Finland Citizenship. https://traveldecl.com/citizenship/finland/
<a href="https://traveldecl.com/citizenship/finland/">How to Get Finland Citizenship</a> (TravelDecl, last checked 5 November 2026)
Sources and licence
Vink, van der Baaren, Bauböck, Džankić, Honohan, Manby (2025). GLOBALCIT Citizenship Law Dataset v3.1. Global Citizenship Observatory, https://hdl.handle.net/1814/73190. CC BY 4.0. Modified by TravelDecl.
Modified by TravelDecl: updated with changes after 1 January 2024.
GLOBALCIT codes the law as written. Fees, processing times, quotas and how officials apply the rules in practice are not in this dataset: check them with the official authority.
FAQ
How many years to become a Finnish citizen?
The nationality law of Finland sets 8 years of residence for ordinary naturalisation, along with further conditions.
Does Finland allow dual citizenship?
Yes. Finland accepts dual citizenship in both directions, as coded in the data.
Do I need a language test for Finnish citizenship?
The law of Finland requires language ability, shown by a test or certificate.
Is there a civic knowledge test for Finnish citizenship?
There is no civic knowledge requirement for Finnish citizenship.
Do I have to give up my current citizenship to get Finnish citizenship?
Your current citizenship does not need to be given up to get Finnish citizenship. The law of your current country may have its own rules on this.
Can I get Finland citizenship by marriage?
Yes. Marriage to a citizen is a route to citizenship in Finland. Procedure: discretionary.
Can I get Finland citizenship by descent?
Yes, Finland has a descent route. Procedure: automatic.
Can I get Finland citizenship by investment?
No. The data codes no citizenship-by-investment route for Finland.
Related pages
Also see: Finland passport, visa-free access and entry rules. Latest law changes.
Corrections to this page are handled by Sarah Kim, Fact-Checker.