Post
by peroxisome » Sat Jan 05, 2019 11:48 pm
Yes, in response to the OP, there are two scenarios.
one- May's deal is agreed, and there is a transition period. In this case, Uk citizens in Finland will mostly have the same position up until the end of 2020 (though extensions of transition period, etc). After that you have to worry.
two- a no deal brexit. In that case, we will be citizens of a third country from then on, with all that follows from that. i.e. we will not be EU citizens.
Various countries are planning for citizen's rights after a hard brexit, but it depends on what the UK offers, and I am not clear that Finland has finalised its position on how it will treat UK citizens afterwards.
However, up until the 29th March, you are an EU citizen, and you can make use of the rights available to you. You can apply for a Finnish driving licence and swap your UK licence for a Finnish licence. You can apply for a registration of your permanent residence here (if you have sufficient time here), which would then be valid after the UK leaves.
I would imagine it is sensible to keep very good documentation of your status in Finland, to be able to prove when you arrived, where you stayed, income, basis on which you stayed, etc. Even if there are opportunities which the Finnish state provides, it will likely be necessary to show you are eligible for those opportunities.
good luck
david
