During the first year that the new Nationality Act was in force a total of 3,011 former Finnish citizens or persons with a former Finnish citizen as a parent submitted a declaration in order to regain their Finnish citizenship. They represent a total of 78 different countries as regards their citizenship. The largest number of declarations were submitted by present citizens of the United States (644), Sweden (590), Canada (350), Australia (291) and Switzerland (277).
2,490 persons of those who submitted a declaration have already acquired Finnish citizenship. Finnish citizenship was granted to 1,569 former Finnish citizens and 921 persons with a Finnish citizen or former Finnish citizen as a parent. The new nationality act came into force on June 1, 2003.
The new act accepts multiple nationality ('dual nationality') to an increasing extent. This means that a Finnish citizen does not lose his or her Finnish citizenship on becoming the citizen of another country. A former Finnish citizen who has lost his or her Finnish citizenship may also regain his or her Finnish citizenship by submitting a declaration. Persons with a Finnish citizen or former Finnish citizen as a parent may also a acquire Finnish citizenship by declaration. The declaration must be submitted by May 31, 2008 at the latest.
Further information
Tiina Suominen, Director of the Nationality Division
22.6.2004
