Obtaining Finnish citizenship by application requires that the applicant demonstrates sufficient skills in Finnish or Swedish. Persons using sign language are required to demonstrate sufficient skills in Finnish or Finnish-Swedish sign language.
The above competence requirements for language skills will be unaffected by the amendment of the Nationality Act on 1 September 2011. The amendment will only affect the ways available for demonstrating language skills.
Language skills shorten residential period requirement
The period of residence in Finland required for citizenship will come down from 6 years to 5 years, assuming that the period of residence is uninterrupted.
Furthermore, the new Act contains an incentive for learning Finnish or Swedish: applicants satisfying the language skills requirement may be granted Finnish citizenship after four years of uninterrupted residence in Finland.
If you apply for citizenship after four years of residence in Finland but fail to satisfy the language skills requirement, the decision will generally be negative.
Language skills requirement does not apply to former Finnish citizens
The language skills requirement applies to foreigners applying for Finnish citizenship by application.
Former Finnish citizens, however, are not required to demonstrate skills in Finnish or Swedish for obtaining citizenship. They may apply to regain their Finnish citizenship by declaration.
31.8.2011
