My dad and sister are Finnish citizens through declaration

[alexnicolas]

My dad and sister are Finnish citizens through declaration. I was one year too old during that limited time to qualify to get Finnish citizenship when my father did. My grandparents were Finnish. My father lived and worked in Finland for 20 years, but was an American born Finn. I was born in Finland, but gained U.S. citizenship at birth while we lived in Finland. Are there any options for me now to get Finnish citizenship. I couldn't get it during that amnesty period because I was one year too old. I'd love to buy a home in Helsinki if I could get citizenship first. I am slightly jealous my sister has a Finnish citizenship and Passport yet I am the one who was born and lived there and speak Finnish and she does not.

[betelgeuse]

My dad and sister are Finnish citizens through declaration. I was one year too old during that limited time to qualify to get Finnish citizenship when my father did. My grandparents were Finnish. My father lived and worked in Finland for 20 years, but was an American born Finn. I was born in Finland, but gained U.S. citizenship at birth while we lived in Finland. Are there any options for me now to get Finnish citizenship. I couldn't get it during that amnesty period because I was one year too old. I'd love to buy a home in Helsinki if I could get citizenship first. I am slightly jealous my sister has a Finnish citizenship and Passport yet I am the one who was born and lived there and speak Finnish and she does not.

You will be entitled to a continuous residence permit through your grandparents:

http://www.migri.fi/remigration/descend ... sh_citizen

You do not need citizenship to buy a home. Since you speak Finnish you can naturalize in five years:

http://www.migri.fi/finnish_citizenship ... nce_period

Within Finland there's not that many differences for a continuous residence permit and citizenship. Depending on your age and views on conscription, you might even be better off without citizenship. The biggest thing for citizenship is the right to vote.

[betelgeuse]

Since you speak Finnish you can naturalize in five years:

Actually you since you were born here, you probably achieve accumulated period of residence faster. This will take at least two years.

[betelgeuse]

I think it might also be possible to re-acquire your citizenship if it's what you really want. The current law has no restriction based on you having another citizenship by birth.

My understanding from the post was that the OP never had Finnish citizenship.

[Rip]

I'm on a smartphone, so no online checking, but assuming your father wasn't a citizen at the time of your birth, you can't get a citizenship directly. You can get a residence permit though, and after living here for four years be naturalized.

[Rip]

Since you speak Finnish you can naturalize in five years:

Actually you since you were born here, you probably achieve accumulated period of residence faster. This will take at least two years.

That most likely is true.

[alexnicolas]

So I am debating about filling out the KAN7 form and trying that route before the permanent resident route maybe. Would KAN7 out of the declarations be my best bet?

I've filled it out online partially so far including my Henkilotunnus (personal identity number). I'll include my dad's Henkilotunnus and finnish citizenship information (although my dad got his citizenship by declaration because of his dad being a Finnish citizen along with my sister who was a dependent at the time), and maybe by luck I can get it as well. Any thoughts?

I get so many mixed thoughts from people on whether I can get the citizenship by declaration or not.

[alexnicolas]

My other alternative I guess is this form: Residence permit application for former finnish citizens, OLE_EN


I am not sure if there is another KAN form besides KAN7 that could possibly work for me if I try the declaration route first?


Was hoping with me being born there, living there during my younger years, having a Henkillotunnus and now that my Dad is a Finnish citizen alone with my sister, maybe I could possibly get it.

If I need to go through the route of residence permit through my Grandfather being a Finnish citizen, is there a way I could find out how long it would take to naturalize?

[Rip]

So I am debating about filling out the KAN7 form and trying that route before the permanent resident route maybe. Would KAN7 out of the declarations be my best bet?

Based on what you wrote here, your father was NOT a Finnish citizen at the time of your birth and you are not a former Finnish citizen.

[Rip]

If I need to go through the route of residence permit through my Grandfather being a Finnish citizen, is there a way I could find out how long it would take to naturalize?

First of all, do you actually plan to move in here? If so, then it would be four years. Alternatively six minus the time you've already lived here since turning 15 if this corresponds to shorter time (but no less than two years even in that case).

[alexnicolas]

So I am debating about filling out the KAN7 form and trying that route before the permanent resident route maybe. Would KAN7 out of the declarations be my best bet?

Based on what you wrote here, your father was NOT a Finnish citizen at the time of your birth and you are not a former Finnish citizen.

Right, he was not at the time of my birth. He applied prior to a deadline some years back now with my sister on his declaration as he was never a Finnish citizen, only his father and mother.

[alexnicolas]

If I need to go through the route of residence permit through my Grandfather being a Finnish citizen, is there a way I could find out how long it would take to naturalize?

First of all, do you actually plan to move in here? If so, then it would be four years. Alternatively six minus the time you've already lived here since turning 15 if this corresponds to shorter time (but no less than two years even in that case).

Yes, but I would travel back and forth between the states and Finland. Is that 6 years minus time after 15 if you don't live in Finland when issued a continuous Resident Permit based on my grandfather?

[Rip]

The four years should be "continuous" (as defined in http://www.migri.fi/finnish_citizenship ... de_finland ). The alternative six year period should include last two years of "continuous" (also defined on the same page) at the end, the rest can be from separate intervals, starting from age of 15.

[alexnicolas]

The four years should be "continuous" (as defined in http://www.migri.fi/finnish_citizenship ... de_finland ). The alternative six year period should include last two years of "continuous" (also defined on the same page) at the end, the rest can be from separate intervals, starting from age of 15.

Thanks for all the help! I'm going through with filing for the continuous resident permit based on the grandfather linkage.

[Upphew]

Thanks for all the help! I'm going through with filing for the continuous resident permit based on the grandfather linkage.

So other grounds? http://www.migri.fi/coming_to_finland_on_other_grounds