Citizenship declaration for a child born abroad (father or non-birth mother is a Finnish citizen)

• The child was born out of wedlock, and the parents have not married each other after the child was born.

In addition, ensure that:

• the child’s father or the non-birth mother is a Finnish citizen or was a Finnish citizen when the child was born; and
• the parenthood of the father or non-birth mother has been officially confirmed abroad or in Finland before submitting the declaration.

These requirements must be met at the time you submit the declaration.

• A document confirming that the father or the non-birth mother was a Finnish citizen when the applicant was born.
  • The document can be, for example, a copy of a Finnish passport and of a residence permit in the country of residence, or a certificate issued by a competent authority in the country of residence, showing that the father or the non-birth mother had not become a citizen of his or her country of residence.
  • This document is not required in the following situations:
    • The father or the non-birth mother has not resided outside Finland or has only resided in the Nordic countries.
    • The father or the non-birth mother has become a Finnish citizen on application and has resided in Finland until the applicant was born.
    • The father or the non-birth mother has become a citizen of another country on 1 June 2003 or later.
• Birth certificate stating the applicant’s parents and place of birth. The birth certificate is not needed if the child’s details have been entered in the Finnish Population Information System.
• A document proving the applicant’s citizenship (for example, a copy of a valid passport or another identity document that states his or her citizenship). Proof of citizenship is not required if the child’s details have been entered in the Finnish Population Information System.
• Document proving that the paternity or the maternity of the non-birth mother has been officially confirmed.
• Proof that the father or the non-birth mother has custody of the child if the father or the non-birth mother is submitting the declaration.
• Proof of appointment of a legal guardian if the guardian submits the declaration.

You can fill in the declaration online in Enter Finland. 

If you cannot use Enter Finland, fill in a paper declaration. You will find a link to the declaration at the bottom of this page.

To pay the processing fee in Enter Finland: pay the fee with a credit card or Finnish online banking credentials when you submit your declaration. 

To pay the processing fee for a paper declaration: pay the fee when you visit a Finnish embassy or consulate abroad or a service point of the Finnish Immigration Service in Finland to prove your identity.

For more information, see: Processing fees and payment methods

• If you are abroad, book an appointment to visit a Finnish mission (embassy or consulate).
• If you are in Finland, book an appointment to visit a service point of the Finnish Immigration Service.

For more information, see: 

• Handling your matters at a Finnish mission
• Handling matters at a service point of the Finnish Immigration Service

• If you applied online in Enter Finland, you will receive notifications of your declaration's progress and of any requests for additional information by email and text message.
• If you applied on paper, you will receive notifications of your declaration's progress and of any requests for additional information by email.

For more information, see: Processing of applications

You can use the Processing Time Checker to check the estimated processing time for your declaration. Read more about what affects the processing time of your application.