Sufficient language skills are one of the requirements for obtaining Finnish citizenship. Applicants must have sufficient Finnish or Swedish language skills, or sufficient skills in the Finnish or Finland-Swedish sign language.
In certain cases, an exception can be made to the language skills requirement. Such exceptions are made only on a case-by-case basis, not automatically. For this reason, applicants must enclose the relevant certificates and clarifications with their citizenship application.
When filing the request, please remember that
- handling a request for an exception takes time, which will also prolong the processing time of your citizenship application
- exceptions are not granted automatically, which means that the applicant may receive a negative decision due to not meeting the language skills requirement.
Why are language skills required?
Language skills form an important aspect of immigrants' integration into Finland. Meeting the requirements for Finnish citizenship demonstrates adaptation to Finnish society. High importance is attached to sufficient language skills, as they enable smooth interaction and functioning in society.
In 2013, the Finnish Immigration Service granted Finnish citizenship to 8,500 applicants. Fewer than 130 full exceptions and more than 240 partial exceptions were granted to the language skills requirement. More than 500 applicants received a negative decision due to not meeting the language skills requirement.
