Processing of citizenship applications
This page contains current information about the processing of citizenship applications. The data on this page will be updated once a month on Tuesdays in the first full week of the month. The latest updates may occasionally be missing from this page due to technical issues with the statistical service. In such a case, we will update the data as soon as possible.
Processing times
We currently have a backlog of citizenship applications. Approximately 17,600 citizenship applications are waiting for processing. The backlog has built up because the number of incoming applications has been exceptionally high in recent years.
You can check the average processing times for citizenship applications on the page Processing times.
Processing situation for applications submitted by 31 December 2023
We have allocated more resources to process applications that have been submitted on 31 December 2023 or earlier.
- On 8 April 2025, 7,634 applications are waiting for processing.
- Since 1 April 2025, we have decided 154 applications in total.
We also constantly start to process applications that have been submitted on 1 January 2024 or after that date.
Processing times vary
As we are working on clearing the backlog of citizenship applications, the processing times vary more than usual and all applications are not processed in the order in which they arrive at the Finnish Immigration Service.
For this reason, it is very important that you do not submit your application before you meet all the requirements for acquiring citizenship.
An application will start waiting for processing after the applicant has proved his or her identity. If you are not required to prove your identity, your application starts to wait for processing when you have submitted your application in the online service Enter Finland.
An application can be decided quickly if:
- all requirements are met and the decision is positive
- it is obvious that at least one of the requirements is not met and the decision is negative.
Wait for the decision
Our aim is to make a decision on your application as soon as possible. We will send you automated messages by email when the processing status of your application changes. We will contact you if we need additional information from you. Our customer service cannot give you exact information about when you will receive the decision.
Need help? See the ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ page
You can find answers to frequently asked questions about applying for citizenship on our website:
