Anybody applied for Finnish citizenship in 2009 and got it?

[Iris_Hel]

Well what we seem to attract is people then whining here they cannot find jobs.

That is not true. Just take a look at the statistic of unemployment among foreign born population. There are more than 60% (even 70% depends on calculation) of immigrants do find job! There are also immigrants who are working in some sort of form, but recognized as unemployed, because there are some special setups in Finnish welfare system that are NOT really promoting employment.

there is only little percentage of immigrants are refugees. There are only small percentage of immigrants are here by human traffick. I mention them because there has been a while almost all immigrants are treated as refugees, if not, then illegal immigrants, human snack and all sorts. Finns has enough imaginary ability to put dirt on any faces that is not the same as dudemäki or dudenen. I even heard from a woman who shortly worked in some Finnish ambassy abroad boasting among her later university classmates that how skillful she can push every foreign applicants to corner by her arbitrary language skill.

Admit it, there are rather some system problems than just blame individuals. Many of immigrants come from countries where have much lower unemployment rate than Finland. Most immigrants had a long career before they came to Finland. Bigger percentage of immigrants had already sufficient education background for employment.

[anas93]

Just for the one who asked about the status of 2009 applicatons, I have just received a positive decision last week. I sent the application in 2009.

As far as immigration to Finland is concerned, I agree with Iris_Hel. In my view, one major problem is that immigration is badly exploited in the political debate, The media is also to blam. They focus mainly on the negative side of immigration, sometimes protarying the immigrant as the uneducated refugee who only exaust the country welfare system. They never highlight any success story of those educated immigrants who build a good career, paying tax and serving the society. And they are so many. As a result, the average Finn adopt the current negative attitude about immigrants. Nobody explains pedacologically to the average Finn for instance how the current age structure will affect the economy of Finland and his own welfare and the one of his/her children.

[desert nomad]

Congratulations man! wonderful news, so it took 21 months,, geez that's a lot

[Pursuivant]

That is not true.

No, take a look in Jobs & Entrepeneurship and count all the "jobs offered" ads vs. "job wanted".

[anas93]

Congratulations man! wonderful news, so it took 21 months,, geez that's a lot

Thanks. Yes it took a lot knowing that my case should be clear. When I called them few weeks ago they blamed the police for sending them the applicaion material quite late. So starting from the date they said it reached them it took 17 months! but I feel that the priority they gave to clear up the declaration affected a lot the 2009 applications in terms of processing in addition to the slowness.

[desert nomad]

By the way, did you also get the phone call (or mail) asking about your employment situation and travel during processing?

[anas93]

No they did not ask for that information.

[Iris_Hel]

I applied Finnish citizenship in 2007. It was required to send all travel outside country info an dpension insurance record, which clearly state every employment you had and salary info. So I guess there is no separated material needed.

[Iris_Hel]

That is not true.

No, take a look in Jobs & Entrepeneurship and count all the "jobs offered" ads vs. "job wanted".

right. But it is normal that people look for job, even when they are study, when they are having some job but not yet fully satisfied, when they have some sort of embitous in career development, etc. It is rather to show that how eager immigrants are for job. unemployment will not be a long term "problem" for the ones who are willing to work and willing to develop their skills to fit in job reqirement.

[Pursuivant]

No, its rather a show of how many people come here looking for a nonexistant job.

[Keplerinvaimo]

I came here today to ask about 2010 applications, after reading the previous posts, I think I'll just sit back and wait. I was told minumum 18 months for any type of decision when I lodged my application back in May.

There's probably a myriad of reason why it takes so long. My in-laws and friends are amazed that it is such a lengthy process. They have the luxury of being in the system already! I daresay that some applications are more difficult to verify than others... coupled with short staffed department that has to ask collect and verify every single one of the facts from your application form.

It's a privilege, not a right.

[Vera]

I applied in May 2009, got my citizenship in November 2009.

[desert nomad]

I applied in May 2009, got my citizenship in November 2009.

You don't see that very often do you! Then why do others take so long if its possible to complete it in six months and please don't say the queue because it somehow majestically dissolves in some cases such as here.

[Keplerinvaimo]

Some cases are more straightforward than others? And the information can be easily double checked...

[Rip]

Some cases are more straightforward than others? And the information can be easily double checked...

I'd expect most of the cases be pretty simple (sure, somebody who entered here as an asylum seeker without proper ID could be an exception). She must have got them expedite handling of her case from some more specific reason.