Citizenship for adults

To prove your identity reliably, you need to present:

• your passport or some other identity document, or
• reliable information about at least your name, date of birth, citizenship and family ties
  • When we are determining your identity, we will also take into account any information you have given earlier about your identity. 

Read more on the page Determination of identity.

You must have at least satisfactory oral and written skills in one of the following languages:

• Finnish
• Swedish 
  • Finnish Sign Language or Finland-Swedish Sign Language. 

You must have a certificate of your language skills before you submit a citizenship application. For a list of accepted certificates, see the page Language skills.

You need to have lived in Finland for

• the past 5 years without interruption (continuous period of residence), or
• if your continuous residence in Finland has been interrupted, for 7 years in total (accumulated period of residence) after reaching the age of 15.
  • Out of these seven years, you must have lived in Finland for the last two years without interruption.

In some cases, a shorter period of residence is sufficient. Read more on the page Period of residence.

Offences for which you have been punished by petty fines do not prevent you from becoming a Finnish citizen. Read more on the page Integrity.

You have paid your taxes, fines and child maintenance payments, for example. Read more on the page Payment obligations.

You must present reliable proof of your means of support. The proof that you present must cover the entire period of residence required of you.

• For example: If the period of residence required of you is five years, you must provide documents on the means of support you have relied on during this five-year period.

Read more on the page Means of support.

• the form KAN_LAPSK if your child is 12–14 years of age. The child must sign the form. Signature is requested in the section “Hearing of the child”.
• the form KAN_LAPSS if the child is 15–17 years of age. The child must sign the form. Signature is requested in the section “Consent of the child”.
• If your child has two parents or guardians, the other parent or guardian must give his or her consent to the child’s citizenship application. The other parent or guardian must fill in and sign the form KAN_HUOLTS. Signature is requested in the section “Consent of the other guardian”. If you are the child’s only parent or guardian, you do not need to fill in this form.

• Lapsen (kanssahakija) liitelomake, KAN_LIITELOMAKE (in Finnish) / Bilageblankett för barn (medsökande), KAN_LIITELOMAKE (in Swedish)
  • If your child is 12–14 years of age, the child must sign the section "Lapsen kuuleminen" / "Hörande av barnet" (Hearing of the child).
  • If the child is 15–17 years of age, the child must sign the section "Lapsen suostumus" / "Barnets samtycke" (Consent of the child).
  • If your child has two parents or guardians, the other parent or guardian must give his or her consent to the child’s citizenship application. The other parent or guardian must sign the section "Toisen huoltajan suostumus" / "Samtycke av barnets andra vårdnadshavare" (Consent of the other guardian). If you are the child’s only parent or guardian, you do not need to fill in this section.