Amendments to family reunification provisions will enter into force on June 2025

The Finnish Parliament has approved a set of amendments to the Aliens Act that will enter into force on 16 June 2025. The amendments tighten the requirements that must be met in family reunification cases.

Because the amendments are not yet in force, our customer guidance services cannot currently answer questions about them.

General changes:

1. In family reunification situations, both of the spouses must have turned 21 before the residence permit becomes valid.  This requirement does not concern sponsors who are Finnish citizens.
   • If the spouses have children in their joint custody, a residence permit application as the child's parent or guardian can be submitted even though the parent is under 21 years of age.
2. Family members of a minor who has been granted subsidiary protection or temporary protection are required to have sufficient financial resources, with certain exceptions. Sufficient financial resources are also required of other relatives of a minor who has been granted international or temporary protection, with certain exceptions.
3. Family reunification for beneficiaries of international protection requires two-year residence in Finland, with certain exceptions. 
4. The definition of when a child is considered a minor is adjusted to comply with the case-law of the Court of Justice of the European Union.

Applications submitted before 16 June 2025 and some of the applications for an extended permit submitted on or after 16 June 2025 will be processed in accordance with the old provisions of the Aliens Act.

For more details, see our new page: Amendments to family reunification provisions 2025. We will provide more information when the amendments have entered into force.

For further information

• Press release by the Ministry of the Interior: Regeringen föreslår strängare villkor för familjeåterförening (intermin.fi)
• Ministry of the Interior website: Changing the requirements for family reunification (intermin.fi)