Permanent residence, 2 years cohabitation

[soma]

Hi, I’d be glad if you can advise me whether I can get a permanent stay in Finland based on family ties. I’m an EU citizen registered as temporary due to studies right now. With my Finnish boyfriend we were living together 10 months in my home country, then 2 months in Finland, then 4 months separately – me in my home country, he in Finland plus several visits, and finally 8 months in Finland. Would that be enough to prove 2 years of cohabitation in order to get permanent right of residence, or do those 4 months when we weren’t living together because of studies make a difference? Should I wait four months or another 16 months so that the cohabitation would not be interrupted? Thanks for any advice

[rinso]

If you now have a temp permit there is no rush to get a new one. Just wait till you have the two years (all documented) under your belt and then apply.
Trying now would have a high chance of rejection.

[Beep_Boop]

The only thing I'm liking about this year's election in the UK is that all big parties agree on introducing a cool-off period between moving in and receiving welfare benefits, averaging about 2 years with UKIP going as far as 5.
I really hope they introduce something like that in Finland.

[Beep_Boop]

Like it or not, Finland needs educated taxpaying immigrants.

I like it, and it's a good thing.. except for one little part where you're wrong in what you said just before that:

If she intends to settle here as a permanent resident, she will likely become a taxpayer.

This is sooo not true! Many many people register here permanently without ever becoming taxpayers (outwith VAT, of course)

I wish I have solid stats on this, but there's an abundance of anecdotes from very close friends, coupled with my own personal experience with some people around me, that shows me so many cases where what you're saying is simply not true.
By name, I know at least 13-14 of those cases (moved here permanently to be with a spouse) and ended up not paying 1 euro in income tax because they never worked a day in their life in Finland.

Long-term taxpayer? Fantastic, get what you need! Just arrived yesterday and you want unemployment and other Kela money? Yeah.. nope.

With the PS holding strong position in the new government, hopefully we'll get some restrictions in that area. However, I my hopes aren't that high on it.

[Rosamunda]

The ones that swan in and don't contribute tax in the short term - take Kela money - but provide offspring who will work in 20 years' time. Distasteful to think of it that way, isn't it?

Yep, the doctors, nurses, lawyers and accountants of the next decade. That is exactly what happened in the UK and it is already happening here. I know children of immigrants who are studying to be teachers, engineers...

I do have a MIL in a care home and she is looked after by nurses from Sweden, Philippines etc but they all speak fluent Swedish. That might be one good reason for keeping Swedish in the school curriculum - access to healthcare in your old age!

[soma]

Thanks for responses. Of course, life would be easier with Kela benefits, as we are both students, so bit short of money. After our studies, staying in Finland seems the most probable. And I don't get, why shouldn't I be paying taxes at that point? Of course I plan to find a job and pay taxes, that's why I'm studying in the first place.
Anyways, if we decide to wait, should it be 4 months, so we have 2 years in total, or 16 months, so that the cohabitation is continuous?

[soma]

Thanks for responses. Of course, life would be easier with Kela benefits, as we are both students, so bit short of money. After our studies, staying in Finland seems the most probable. And I don't get, why shouldn't I be paying taxes at that point? Of course I plan to find a job and pay taxes, that's why I'm studying in the first place.

Aren't we all Many international students don't stay after they graduate. So I like the way you think.

I wouldn't stay, if I didn't have a partner here, but in that case I wouldn't be studying in Finland anyways
Thank for advice, I guess I'll ask at the police station or maistraatti.

[soma]

It's Police for you - you are EU - so you are not after a residence permit, you are only looking to register your right to live here as an EU citizen.
Therefore, Police. Not Maistraatti, unless you are asking for a marriage license

Ok, I was just thinking that I was at the Police first, then Maistraatti and there I was asking when and under which conditions I can change the temporal residence to the permanent one. I think she told me to come there when I have the needed documents, but I may remember it wrong.

[betelgeuse]

It's Police for you - you are EU - so you are not after a residence permit, you are only looking to register your right to live here as an EU citizen.
Therefore, Police. Not Maistraatti, unless you are asking for a marriage license

Family member registration is not available to family members of Finnish citizens (unless the Finnish citizen is moving back from another EU country under free movement). This means the OP is indeed looking for a residence permit if she wants to be eligible for Kela benefits.

[betelgeuse]

Oh good point. I assumed she would be registering as EU with the boyfriend as the means of support. I guess registering as a family member for a residence permit means it's Migri to be in contact with. And they are less flexible And they are very expensive. If you don't think you satisfy their requirements exactly, then I suggest you wait rather than getting a rejection.

http://www.migri.fi/moving_to_finland_t ... habitation

The decision on the family member residence permit would still be made by the police:

https://www.finlex.fi/fi/laki/ajantasa/ ... 0301#L4P68

You could still ask the police in person what they think of registering as EU instead, using him as means of support.

The OP said they are both students. Showing enough funds is probably hard. Even then I would find it weird if the purpose of the restrictions on student financial aid could circumvented with the following process:

1. Be accepted to a Finnish university
2. EU register in Finland using the funds of a stranger (in the eyes of the law) as someone not in need of benefits
3. Use the EU registration as a non student to apply for student benefits