Amendments to Aliens Act in June 2025

This page contains current information about the changes to the family reunification provisions of the Aliens Act. The proposed amendments, if they are accepted, are expected to enter into force on 16 June 2025.

We will update our website and customer instructions when the planned amendments enter into force. The most recent updates about the amendments can be found on the website of the Ministry of the Interior (intermin.fi).

New age requirement for spouses and partners

• In family reunification, the person who lives in Finland is called a 'sponsor'. When the spouse of a sponsor applies for a residence permit, both the spouse and the sponsor must be at least 21 years of age when the residence permit becomes valid. The spouse may be a wife or husband, a cohabiting partner or a partner in a same-sex registered partnership.
  • The new age requirement does not apply to sponsors who are Finnish citizens.
• The residence permit application may be submitted a maximum of 9 months before turning 21.
  • For an established family member (an 'old' family member), there is an exception to this rule. In such cases, the residence permit application may be submitted within 3 months of the sponsor being served with a decision on his or her refugee status if:
    • the family was formed before the sponsor’s arrival in Finland, or
    • the family was formed before the sponsor was admitted into Finland’s refugee quota, or  
    • the family was formed before the sponsor was granted refugee status on the basis family ties.
  • A student’s family member may submit a residence permit application on the basis of family ties at the earliest 90 days before turning 21.
    • The maximum processing time provided by law for applications submitted by students’ family members is 90 days. If the application is submitted earlier than 90 days before turning 21, the requirements for issuing a residence permit are not met.
• 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.

New period of residence requirement

• A sponsor who has been granted international protection must live in Finland with a residence permit for at least 2 years before his or her family member or other relative can apply for a residence permit on the basis of the family relationship.
  • This requirement applies to all family members of a person who has been granted subsidiary protection, the new family members of refugees, and the other relatives of a person who has been granted international protection.
  • The new requirement does not apply to established family members of refugees or the family members or other relatives of beneficiaries of temporary protection.
• An exemption from the period of residence requirement is possible if there are exceptionally serious grounds for such an exemption or if it is in the best interest of the child.

Changes to the definition of when a sponsor who has been granted international protection is considered a minor

• Granting a residence permit to a family member of an unaccompanied minor sponsor who has been granted asylum requires: 
  • that the sponsor was under 18 years of age on the day when he or she submitted the application for international protection, and
  • that the sponsor was granted asylum on the basis of that application, and
  • that the residence permit application on the basis of family ties is submitted within 3 months of the day when the sponsor was served with the decision that he or she has been granted asylum. 
• A sponsor who has been granted subsidiary protection or temporary protection or who has arrived in Finland as a quota refugee must be under 18 years of age when his or her family member applies for a residence permit.
• A parent or guardian who has custody of a child and has been granted asylum can apply for a residence permit for the child on the basis of family ties if: 
  • the child was under 18 years of age on the day when the sponsor, who has been granted asylum, submitted the application for international protection in Finland, and
  • the sponsor was granted asylum on the basis of that application, and
  • the residence permit application on the basis of family ties is submitted within 3 months of the day when the sponsor was served with the decision that he or she has been granted asylum. 

Changes to the income requirement

• The family members of a minor sponsor who has been granted subsidiary protection or temporary protection must meet the income requirement. They must have sufficient financial resources.
• The income requirement does not need to be met if the sponsor is an unaccompanied minor and has been granted refugee status in Finland. The sponsor’s refugee status may have been granted in the form of asylum or as a quota refugee. 
• Other relatives of a minor sponsor who has been granted international or temporary protection must meet the income requirement. They must have sufficient financial resources.
• In individual cases, a derogation may be made from the income requirement if there are exceptionally serious grounds or if the derogation is in the best interest of the child.

Applications submitted before 16 June 2025 will be decided in accordance with the old version of the Aliens Act

If you have submitted an application for a first or an extended permit on the basis of family ties before 16 June 2025, the changes to the Aliens Act do not affect your application. If you submit an application for a first residence permit on the basis of family ties on or after 16 June, the decision on your application will be made in accordance with the new Act. 

If you apply for an extended permit on the basis of family ties and submit the application on or after 16 June 2025, the decision on your application will be made in accordance with the new Act in the following cases:

• your previous permit was issued on grounds other than family ties
• you are applying for an extended permit on the basis of a different family relationship than for what your previous family permit was issued.