Travelling abroad during Finnish citizenship application

[RDJ2484]

Hi,

This is my situation. I have been living in Finland for the last 9 years (Visa type B for 5 years and Visa type A for 4 years). I submitted my citizenship application in January 2018, and had the interview at the Immigration office (MIGRI) on March 3rd 2018. According to the official calculator at MIGRI. the decision is supposed to be made between August and October 2018. Unfortunately, I have to travel out of the European Union to take a course until December 2018. At migri, they told me that (if I leave) I should inform them so they will make the decision only after I come back. Obviously, I don't want to wait until January 2019 and be anxious all these months. My questions are:

1. If I leave the country without informing them, am I breaking a rule?
2. Can MIGRI get information from the border police that I left the country?
2. If I am abroad and I get a positive decision, can I still use my residence permit to come back to Finland?
3. If I am abroad and I get a positive decision, can I get the passport from a Finnish Embassy?

If you had heard of or been on a similar situation, I would appreciate you could share your story with me!

Thanks a lot for any info you may provide.

[betelgeuse]

1. If I leave the country without informing them, am I breaking a rule?

You are required by law to inform the population register when you leave the country for longer than three months.

2. If I am abroad and I get a positive decision, can I still use my residence permit to come back to Finland?

No. It's not valid any more.

3. If I am abroad and I get a positive decision, can I get the passport from a Finnish Embassy?

Yes.

[betelgeuse]

2. Can MIGRI get information from the border police that I left the country?

Yes.

Notwithstanding the provisions of confidentiality, the Finnish Immigration Service is entitled to receive, in addition to what is otherwise provided, free of charge in the manner agreed with the competent registrar, the information necessary to establish the grounds for acquiring, retaining, losing or being released from Finnish citizenship or for determining citizenship status, in order to perform the functions laid down for it by law, as follows:
4) information from the operational data system of the Border Guard;
5) information from the register of fines; and
6) information on the income and assets of taxpayers and other information on taxation
from the information systems of the Tax Administration.

https://www.finlex.fi/fi/laki/kaannokse ... 070974.pdf