Citizenship in Finland

After living for 5 years or more here (depending on the situation), a foreign citizen may become eligible for citizenship in Finland. This implies obtaining a Finnish passport by naturalization. However, this is not the only way through which one can become a citizen of this Northern European state.

Below, our immigration lawyers in Finland explain all the options one has as a foreigner to obtain citizenship. You can rely on us for support in the application process.

Routes to citizenship in Finland in 2026

Just like other countries, Finland too is quite flexible allowing for different pathways through which foreigners can become its citizens. These are:

• citizenship by birth, descent, or ancestry;
• citizenship by adoption;
• citizenship by declaration.

Each has its requirements and implies a different set of documents to file with the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri). It is worth noting that in some cases Finnish residency must be obtained first.

Our lawyers in Finland will explain what each of them entails. 

How to get Finnish citizenship by birth

Finnish passport by descent can be obtained by children whose mother or father is a citizen of Finland. However, an important condition is for the father to be married to the child’s mother. If a child is born in Finland, has a father who is a citizen of Finland at the time of the child’s birth, and the father’s paternity is confirmed, the child also gains Finnish citizenship.

There are also cases where a child who is born in Finland but whose parents are not citizens of this country can become a citizen without their parents attaining citizenship. In this situation, the child acquires Finnish citizenship only if he or she would otherwise be stateless.

If you need more information to better understand how citizenship by ancestry can be sought in Finland in 2026, you can get in touch with our immigration specialists.

How to apply for citizenship in Finland for children

According to the Nationality Act, a child is an unmarried person who is younger than 18 years old. It is possible for those who immigrated to Finland and acquired citizenship to proceed to the same application for nationality for their children.

A child can become a citizen of Finland:

• if the child’s parent or legal guardian applies for Finnish citizenship via declaration, based on the mother’s, father’s, or both parents’ citizenship by descent as a co-applicant;
• by notification to the Digital and Population Data Services Agency if the child is born outside of Finland.

You can list your child as a co-applicant when you apply for a Finnish passport, either on notification or via declaration. You must have custody of the child, who must be under the age of 18. If you include your child as a co-applicant, both of you can become citizens of Finland at the same time. The child who is a co-applicant for citizenship must also reside in Finland if you are applying for citizenship through application.

You can rely on our Finnish lawyers to enquire with Immigration Service in order to determine a child’s citizenship status if you wish to know if they have Finnish citizenship by way of mother or father. Here is also an infographic on this subject:

 Who can obtain citizenship by declaration?

Finnish citizenship by declaration is available for any of the following categories of citizens:

• a former citizen of Finland
• a national of a Nordic state (Sweden, Denmark, Norway or Iceland);
• a child born out of marriage outside of Finland to a Finnish father or a Finnish mother;
• an adopted child between the ages of 12 and 17;
• a young person between the ages of 18 and 22 who has lived in Finland sufficiently.

A Nordic citizen who has reached the age of 18 and whose permanent residence and domicile have been in Finland for the previous 5 years without interruption can also be granted citizenship by declaration.

Living here for 5 years implies being granted residency in Finland first, which is another matter in which our immigration can help.

Citizenship by naturalization or application in Finland in 2026

A foreign national may apply for Finnish citizenship if he or she is at least 18 years old and have lived permanently in Finland for the past 5 years if he or she meets the Finnish or Swedish language requirement (otherwise 8 years), with total absences of up to 1 year. Since 1 October 2024 there is no 4-year route; citizenship may be awarded only if the candidate proves a good knowledge of the Finnish or Swedish language.

Our immigration lawyers in Finland are at your service if you decide on this pathway, which is also the most common way of acquiring a passport for this country.

How to obtain citizenship by descent in Finland

You should note from the beginning that Finnish citizenship by descent can be obtained if you have a Finnish parent (Finnish grandparents can give access to a residence permit on the basis of Finnish origin, not directly to citizenship). You may be able to apply for a Finnish passport and a passport without needing to live in Finland if you meet the qualifying requirements.

In case you have ancestors you want to track down, you can rely on our law firm in Finland for guidance.

When it comes to citizenship by descent in Finland in 2026, a child automatically becomes a citizen if a parent is a Finnish citizen (birth in Finland alone is not enough). When the Citizenship Act of 1 June 2003 was passed, it allowed for the transmission of Finnish citizenship through the paternity line.

A child obtains citizenship automatically if they meet the following requirements:

• the child was born in Finland, and their father is a Finnish citizen whose paternity was established on or after June 1, 2003;
• the child was born in Finland, and their other mother is a Finnish citizen whose motherhood was established on or after April 1, 2019;
• the child’s mother is a citizen of Finland.

If your parents or grandparents were or are Finnish citizens, which is evidence of Finnish heritage, you may qualify for a residence permit on the basis of Finnish descent and later for citizenship. In this case, citizenship can also be awarded if the respective relatives are no longer citizens of Finland.

Descent can also be invoked by applicants who were evacuated from Ingria, who formerly possessed Finnish citizenship, or who served in the Finnish army during World War II.

If you need guidance on applying for citizenship by descent in Finland, do not hesitate to ger in touch with our lawyers.

Documents to supply when applying for Finnish nationality

Citizenship applications must be filed through the Enter Finland service. You must fill out the standard submission form and attach a few more documents, such as:

• a accepted form of personal identification document (valid ID, passport, or Finnish residence card);
• proof of your proficiency of Finnish language;
• bank reference as proof of self-sufficiency.

After that, you have 3 months to go and confirm your identification after submitting an application to the service. The Immigration Service allows you to schedule an appointment for a service location. You will have to have a personal identification document and the original copies of the application appendices with you when you go to confirm your identity.

Determination of citizenship in Finland

You may request that the Finnish Immigration Service determine your citizenship in the following circumstances:

• you wish to find out if you are a citizen of Finland;
• you are interested in learning what type of citizenship Finland you have, or you can be eligible for;
• you are a citizen of a different state than the one shown in the Population Information System, so your citizenship information is incorrect;
• you want to find out if a minor child under your care is a citizen;
• you want information regarding your past citizenship in Finland;
• you are interested in knowing if Finland considers you to be stateless.

Such inquires can be useful before starting the nationality application procedure as it can help you understand the most suitable option for you. This is a matter in which our law firm in Finland can help you.

Determination of identity for the purpose of obtaining citizenship

You can use official identity documents, such the following, to confirm your identity:

• a current passport issued by the country of origin;
•  another formal identity document issued by the country of origin, such as birth certificate.

If you don’t have such documentation, the Finnish Immigration Service will look into your case and verify your identification. Officials will investigate the statements you have made regarding your:

• name;
• birthdate;
• declared citizenship;
• and familial relationships.

You have 3 months from the time you submit your application to the service to provide identification. You will need to have the original copies of the application appendices and a personal identity document when going to confirm your identity.

Why is it important to establish one’s identity for the purpose of securing a passport for this country? This is often the case of citizenship by descent in Finland which does not require holding Finnish residency (in which case the residence permit can be used as an official document).

This may also be the case of refugees who entered the country undocumented. Feel free to address our lawyers in Finland for guidance in either situation.

Does Finland have a citizenship by investment program?

Finland does not have a direct citizenship by investment program. However, the two options under which a so-called passport by investment can be obtained are the entrepreneur’s residence permit and the start-up entrepreneur’s residence permit (Finland has no investor visa).

When it comes to the start-up entrepreneur’s permit, there are specific requirements to meet, among which having a minimum amount of money to invest. On the other hand, foreign nationals who work for themselves must possess a residence permit in order to carry out business operations within the nation. If a foreign national is a general partner in a limited partnership or personally runs their own business, they are eligible to work as self-employed workers.

Please address our lawyers in Finland if you are interested in any of these of these options.

Dual citizenship in Finland

Multiple citizenship is also accepted in Finland. Stated differently, a person who resides in Finland may also hold citizenship in another nation.  The Finnish authorities can verify if you hold one or more passports in addition to your Finnish citizenship. However, it is important to note that you also need to verify in the other states if this status is accepted.

A citizen who also holds citizenship in another country does not lose their Finnish citizenship. The acquisition of a passport here does not result in the loss of citizenship for a citizen of another country. However, we advise caution in such matters, as problems may arise in the country of origin of an applicant.

To determine whether you qualify for dual citizenship, you can rely on our law firm in Finland.

Here is also a video on this subject:

Rights after obtaining citizenship in Finland

No matter if you obtained citizenship by descent or naturalization in Finland, you will get the following rights:

• the freedom to enter Finland;
• the freedom to move around the EU and work there;
• the right to vote in legislative and presidential elections if you are at least 18 years old;
• the possibility to be appointed to jobs in the state requiring citizenship in Finland.

Loss of citizenship

When a person acquires citizenship in another country, they retain their Finnish citizenship. Provided that one is a citizen of another country and has not maintained ties to Finland by the time he or she turns 22 years old, the risk losing citizenship.

Population statistics in Finland

According to preliminary figures from Statistics Finland, the population of Finland was 5,656,394 at the end of November 2025. Between January and November, the population grew by 20,423. Net migration was the only source of growth. With 46,856 foreign arrivals and 14,057 departures, Finland saw a net migration increase of 32,799 people. Additionally, emigration dropped by 1,719.
In terms of internal migration, between January and November, there were 267,647 internal relocations between Finnish municipalities. Compared to the same months in 2024, this was 181 more. According to other demographics, there was an 11,584 birth deficit during that time due to 53,831 deaths and 42,247 births.

By 2030, the country’s population is expected to reach 5,592,051 nationals, a 0.11 % decline compared to 2025. The number of migrants is also predicted to reach 11,236 in the same year. However, Finland is one of the best countries to live in the world, with a life expectancy of 82.08 years.

If you need support in applying for a passport for Finland, please contact us!