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You need to apply for a residence card if you are not an EU citizen but are a family member of an EU citizen or of a citizen of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland

The following persons are considered to be family members of an EU citizen:

  • spouses and cohabiting partners
    • Persons living continuously in a marriage-like relationship in the same household, regardless of their sex, are comparable to cohabiting partners if
      • they have lived in the same household for at least two years or
      • they have a child in their joint custody or
      • there are other weighty reasons.
  • a child who is under 21 years of age or dependent on an EU citizen
    • The child must be under 21 years of age or dependent on an EU citizen or his/her spouse, and his/her direct descendant, for example a child or a grandchild.
  • dependent older relatives
    • A relative in a direct ascending line, for example a mother, a father or a grandparent, who is dependent on an EU citizen or his/her spouse.
  • his or her guardian, if the EU citizen is a minor
  • other relatives
    • Other relatives are treated as family members of EU citizens, regardless of their citizenship, if
      • the relative is, in the country of departure, dependent on an EU citizen who has the primary right of residence, or the relative lived in the same household with the EU citizen in question. Other relatives of an EU citizen’s spouse are not usually treated as the EU citizen’s family members.
      • or, serious health grounds absolutely require that the EU citizen in question must personally take care of the relative.

If you are a citizen of an EU Member State, Liechtenstein or Switzerland, you do not need a residence permit to stay in Finland.

This Application Finder helps you find the right application. Answer the questions, and the Application Finder will take you to a page that explains the application requirements that you need to meet. On the same page, you will find a list of the documents you need to attach to your application.

We built the Application Finder to help you. Your answers will not be recorded or saved.