According to Finnish law, all foreigners who come to the country for a period of more than 90 days, with the exception of EU citizens, must obtain a special residence permit – a temporary or permanent residence permit. Staying for 5 years in a legal status entitles you to apply for Finnish citizenship .
The easiest way to obtain citizenship is naturalization. Foreign citizens can go through the naturalization process:
- over 18 years of age;
- who have lived in the country continuously for at least 5 years;
- wishing to live in Finland in a permanent status;
- having family ties in the country;
- knowing Finnish;
- having a legitimate source of income;
- not violating the laws of the country, not having a criminal record and debts.
You can become a citizen of Finland automatically (if you have Finnish roots, family ties and by birth), upon application (citizens of Scandinavian countries, parents of adopted children from 12 years old, young people 18–22 years old who have lived in the country for at least 10 years) and petition (after 5 years of residence). The basis for obtaining citizenship is the preliminary residence status of a residence permit or permanent residence in Finland .
Residence permit in Finland
The right to issue a Finnish residence permit is given by: study, work, repatriation, family reunification or marriage, business immigration. In 2004, a law was passed regulating the procedure for obtaining a residence permit in Finland , according to which 3 types of residence permits are issued today.
These types include:
- Category “B”. Temporary residence permit (up to 12 months). The grounds for obtaining it are seasonal work, short-term studies, work on a short-term contract. If necessary, it can be extended until the end of the required period (work or study).
- Category “A”. A permanent residence permit, which, after 4 years of residence, serves as the basis for obtaining permanent residence in Finland.
- Category “P”. Permanent residence permit, which is assigned after category “A”.
Only government agencies are responsible for issuing residence permits. You must apply while still in your country. The first permit is issued for one year and is considered as a trial period. If the grounds that were earlier for its extradition are preserved and the foreign citizen did not violate the rules of stay, then it can be extended for another year, and in some cases for the entire remaining period.
A foreigner who has received a residence permit in Finland must not:
- to leave the country forever;
- be absent for more than 2 years in a row;
- provide knowingly false information;
- violate the laws of the country and the entire Schengen community.
If a person who has a Finnish residence permit violates the rules and is deported from any Schengen country, then his residence permit will be canceled.
Permanent residence in Finland
To obtain the status of a permanent resident of Finland, it is necessary to live in a country with a residence permit category “A” for 4 years, and the initial grounds for obtaining such a permit must remain the same. Obtaining permanent residence in Finland is a complex and step-by-step process, which can be accelerated only with very good reasons.
Such reasons may include marriage, repatriation and business immigration. Having received the status of permanent residence, a foreigner automatically acquires all the rights and freedoms of a Finnish citizen, except for the electoral one. The status of permanent residence and residence permit in Finland is a great opportunity to live in a wealthy and most environmentally friendly country in the world, and enjoy all its benefits: free medicine, education, social benefits and assistance from the state.
They can refuse to grant permanent residence in Finland if a person has shown himself to be unscrupulous and irresponsible:
- was convicted and prosecuted;
- has a bad credit history during the time he was in Finland;
- often applied for subsidies and other social benefits.
Such persons are unlikely to be able to become Finnish citizens . The authorities will try to send them out of the country as soon as possible.
