I have a unique situation and am hoping to get some advice.
I am a US citizen currently in the US.
My girlfriend is Finnish and she's currently in Finland.
We have a rental contract in Finland starting on 1 June 2020, but due to the current travel restrictions I'm not sure if I qualify as a "family member" as defined at https://www.raja.fi/current_issues/qa.
We have been together for more than 2 years but not always in the same household. We have lived together part-time in various locations/Airbnbs around the world including Finland and the US. But we've also spent time apart in our home countries. Now we're planning to live together full-time in Finland.Q: Who is considered to be a family member?
A: Finnish citizens’ family member
- The spouse of a person residing in Finland
- Unmarried children under 18 years of age over whom the person residing in Finland or his or her spouse had guardianship are considered family members.
- Persons living continuously in a marriage-like relationship within the same household regardless of their sex are comparable to a married couple. The requirement is that they have lived together for at least two years. This is not required if the persons have a child in their joint custody.
I do not yet have Finnish residence. I'm planning to apply for the Intimate Relationship permit as soon as I arrive in Finland.
Do you think I have a chance to qualify as a family member and therefore pass through border control? What documents should I bring with me if I decide to fly to Finland before the travel restrictions are lifted?
Thanks for any suggestions.