Debt and Residency Permits

[popsieposies]

Hey guys!

I'm looking for a little advice. I've been living in finland for about 3.5 years now and I'm currently on my second residency permit, which is valid until 2022. By 2021 I'll have met the qualifications to get a permanent residency permit BUT...the end of last year I was diagnosed with a severe chronic illness and lost my ability to work.
I took out loans to try surviving the immediate few months until I could get help from kela but as time (and money) passed I grew unable to repay the loans, and some of my other payments as well. I'm now in debt and it's about to go to court but I'm just wondering if having a black mark on my record means I won't be eligible for permanent residency? I know citizenship applications look at these things but I'm not sure about permanent residency..and if my debt means I'm not able to get permanent residency, will I be able to extend my current residency permit (based on family ties) or will that be in danger as well?
Also! One more question, if I get permanent residency and in the far future manage to get my debts paid off, will I be able to get citizenship or is it more of a one or the other with permanent residency vs citizenship?
Also, do you think I'll be able to apply for citizenship once my debts are paid off or do you think the fact that I ever had debts will get me a rejection?

[FinlandGirl]

I took out loans to try surviving the immediate few months until I could get help from kela but as time (and money) passed I grew unable to repay the loans, and some of my other payments as well. I'm now in debt and it's about to go to court

What kind of other payments?

Are you simply not paying, or are you in debt counselling and trying to repay to the best of your abilities?

I'm just wondering if having a black mark on my record means I won't be eligible for permanent residency? I know citizenship applications look at these things but I'm not sure about permanent residency..and if my debt means I'm not able to get permanent residency, will I be able to extend my current residency permit (based on family ties) or will that be in danger as well?

Either you are eligible for the extension or you are not.
If you are eligible for an A extension then you get P.

Is your family member a Finnish citizen?

Also! One more question, if I get permanent residency and in the far future manage to get my debts paid off, will I be able to get citizenship or is it more of a one or the other with permanent residency vs citizenship?
Also, do you think I'll be able to apply for citizenship once my debts are paid off or do you think the fact that I ever had debts will get me a rejection?

https://migri.fi/en/payment-obligation

[popsieposies]

I had a payment plan through a few places. I went to debt counselling but the guy I saw said they couldn't help me until more time had passed and since I had absolutely no income to put towards debt to just not pay. It seemed weird but I guess if he's the expert? I also contacted the companies I had debt through but they couldn't change anything either.

I do have an A permit and the grounds it was granted on haven't changed. I got it based on family ties, I married a finnish citizen and we're still married. This is my second permit, I'm not sure if the first was A or B, so I'm unsure if I've already gotten an A extension? Even if I haven't though, based on what the page for getting a residency permit extended, I meet the qualifications needed as far as I'm aware. So are you saying if I'm eligible to get an extension I'm eligible to get permanent residency?

I've seen the payment obligation thing but it only mentions things like fines and taxes and other people have said consumers debt doesn't matter as much as those things and might not be taken into consideration, and it doesn't really answer what would happen if I get it paid off.

[FinlandGirl]

So are you saying if I'm eligible to get an extension I'm eligible to get permanent residency?

Yes.
You are eligible for P if you have lived the last 4 years on A, and are eligible for an A extension.

I've seen the payment obligation thing but it only mentions things like fines and taxes and other people have said consumers debt doesn't matter as much as those things and might not be taken into consideration,

It's payment obligations to the government and child maintenance payments that matter.

[popsieposies]

Are first permits usually A as well? Or in the case of family ties? If I have to wait 4 years on just an A permit then I'll have to finish my current permit, apply for a new one, and THEN apply for permanent residency. I was kinda hoping I could use the 1 year from my first permit plus 3 years from my current one.

I don't have any debt that could be to the government like student loans, medical debt, fines, taxes, etc. No children either so no worry about child maintenance fees.

[heretostay]

I think the bigger problem is not working for an extended period of time and how migri will see that.

[popsieposies]

I worked for a bit of time but then with the chronic illness became unable. It's to an extreme severity and kela has recognized that and I currently get disability payments. I'm physically not capable of work and all of my medical information states that. I'm not sure I'm *that* worried since I have a lot of paperwork to prove why I haven't

[FinlandGirl]

I think the bigger problem is not working for an extended period of time and how migri will see that.

It is not relevant for a family ties with a Finnish citizen residence permit and it is not relevant for citizenship.