Citizenship for adults
Apply for Finnish citizenship by submitting a citizenship application if:
- you are at least 18 years old and
- you meet the requirements for becoming a citizen.
If you have children under the age of 18 in your care, you can apply for citizenship for them as well.
You must be in Finland to apply for Finnish citizenship.
This is what you should do
1
Make sure you meet the requirements for becoming a citizen.
Make sure you meet the requirements for becoming a citizen.
2
Make sure you have all the attachments needed for the application and that they are up to date. If the documents are not in Finnish, Swedish or English, have them translated.
Make sure you have all the attachments needed for the application and that they are up to date. If the documents are not in Finnish, Swedish or English, have them translated.
3
Fill in your application in the online service Enter Finland. If you cannot use Enter Finland, fill in a paper application.
Fill in your application in the online service Enter Finland. If you cannot use Enter Finland, fill in a paper application.
4
Pay for your online application in Enter Finland. If you submit a paper application, pay for it at a service point of the Finnish Immigration Service.
Pay for your online application in Enter Finland. If you submit a paper application, pay for it at a service point of the Finnish Immigration Service.
5
Book an appointment for a visit at a service point. Bring with you your passport and the original documents needed for your application.
Book an appointment for a visit at a service point. Bring with you your passport and the original documents needed for your application.
6
Wait for the decision, the Finnish Immigration Service will contact you if necessary.
Wait for the decision, the Finnish Immigration Service will contact you if necessary.
Requirements
Make sure you meet the requirements for becoming a citizen before you submit an application.
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.
How to add your child as co-applicant
Your child may obtain Finnish citizenship at the same time as you if:
- your child is under the age of 18
- your child meets the requirements for becoming a citizen and
- you are the child’s parent or guardian.
Your child’s application is free of charge if he or she applies for Finnish citizenship together with you.
- 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.
Add the following documents to your application:
- a copy of your valid travel document or some other identity document if you do not have a travel document.
- a copy of the certificate of your language skills
- documentation of current and earlier income during the entire period of residence; you do not need to add documents on income from Kela.
- Jatkoselvitys matkoista / Fortsatt utredning om resor
When you visit a service point, bring with you the original documents.
If you request an exception to the language skills requirement:
- a statement from your employer confirming that you have a permanent full-time job in Finland that is unreasonably difficult to attend to without Finnish citizenship
- your own free-form statement explaining that there is a special and weighty reason why an exception to the period of residence requirement should be made in your case.
If you request an exception to the language skills requirement:
- a medical certificate
- a certificate of illiteracy
- a certificate of your language proficiency containing an assessment of your speaking and comprehension skills in the Finnish or Swedish language
- a certificate of regular participation in Finnish or Swedish studies
- a statement from your employer confirming that you have a permanent full-time job in Finland that is unreasonably difficult to attend to without Finnish citizenship, or
- your own free-form statement concerning the exception to the language skills requirement.
- Read more about exceptions to the language skills requirement.
You may avoid having to visit a service point if you apply for citizenship online in Enter Finland
You may avoid having to visit a service point of the Finnish Immigration Service if:
- you submit your application in Enter Finland;
- you pay for the application before you submit it; and
- you are applying for citizenship for yourself only.
- If you apply for citizenship for your children as well, you will need to visit a service point to prove your identities.
See the page Identification for more information on how to avoid having to visit a service point.
This website is part of the European Commission's Your Europe portal. Did you find what you were looking for? Give feedback to the European Commission! If you wish to give feedback to the Finnish Immigration Service, go to the page migri.fi/feedback.