Applying for Citizenship 2024

[browndude]

Background Information:

Hi everyone,

I applied for citizenship back in February this year, and I have a question about the travel period allowed during the waiting time for a decision. Based on forum feedback, this period can be quite long.

Currently, I have secured a contract that allows me to work remotely from outside Finland for up to six months. I have been working with this company for the past six years.

However, the Migri website states the following about traveling during the citizenship application process:

"You can travel outside Finland while your citizenship application is being processed. However, please note that absences affect your period of residence. A requirement for citizenship is that you live in Finland and that you have done so for a sufficient length of time."

The phrase "absences affect your period of residence" is confusing to me because I have already met the residency requirements when I applied for citizenship. My concern is that the period of residence is not only the 4-year rule (according to the current regulations) but also includes rules for continuous residence, which are as follows:

Trips that last a maximum of one month do not interrupt your continuous period of residence.
A maximum of six periods of absence lasting 1–2 months each.
A maximum of two periods of absence lasting 2–6 months each.

Before applying for citizenship, I have already used the two periods lasting 2–6 months and four of the periods lasting 1–2 months, mainly during the COVID-19 pandemic when I could work freely from anywhere.

Question to the Community:

Am I allowed to travel freely while waiting for the citizenship decision, for example, work abroad continuously for 3-4 months (exceeding the 1-2 month rule, which is the only one I still have available)? Or do I need to adhere to the continuous residence rules, meaning I can still travel for two periods lasting 1–2 months, and after that, I can only take trips that last a maximum of one month until I receive the decision?

Thanks!

Based on what you have written, you seem to have spent a large amount of time outside Finland. i.e.

"Before applying for citizenship, I have already used the two periods lasting 2–6 months and four of the periods lasting 1–2 months, mainly during the COVID-19 pandemic when I could work freely from anywhere."

Have you checked if you even fulfil the 4 year continous residency requirement?

[betelgeuse]

The phrase "absences affect your period of residence" is confusing to me because I have already met the residency requirements when I applied for citizenship.

You must satisfy the conditions on the day they make the decision, not on the day of submitting the application.

[farhad.void]

Hei,

my diary number is 17xxx/310/2023, any people around this number already received a decision,
Thanks in advance,

Hi,
My diary number is also 17xxx/310/2023. But not received any decision. Hope to get a decision in few months, if not trapped in long queue. May I know on which date or which month did you visit migri service point?

[MAR1]

I applied 23rd December 2023, didn't need to visit service point, Received diary number 4th of Jan 2024, 17xxx/310/2023,still "Waiting for processing"
what about you?

[MAR1]

Hei,

my diary number is 17xxx/310/2023, any people around this number already received a decision,
Thanks in advance,

Hi,
My diary number is also 17xxx/310/2023. But not received any decision. Hope to get a decision in few months, if not trapped in long queue. May I know on which date or which month did you visit migri service point?

I applied 23rd December 2023, didn't need to visit service point, Received diary number 4th of Jan 2024, 17xxx/310/2023,still "Waiting for processing"
what about you?

[UncleSam]

The phrase "absences affect your period of residence" is confusing to me because I have already met the residency requirements when I applied for citizenship.

You must satisfy the conditions on the day they make the decision, not on the day of submitting the application.

Thanks for the info, do you have any trusted source referring to this clause?

[riku2]

Hei,
my diary number is 17xxx/310/2023, any people around this number already received a decision,
Thanks in advance,

My diary number is 169xx/310/2023 and I visited the service point on Dec 28 so you will be after me and right in the very last hours of 2023.
Based on the previously published charts I would expect a decision in august - but that will put it right in the summer holiday period. So i'm expecting something in September.

[UncleSam]

Background Information:

Hi everyone,

I applied for citizenship back in February this year, and I have a question about the travel period allowed during the waiting time for a decision. Based on forum feedback, this period can be quite long.

Currently, I have secured a contract that allows me to work remotely from outside Finland for up to six months. I have been working with this company for the past six years.

However, the Migri website states the following about traveling during the citizenship application process:

"You can travel outside Finland while your citizenship application is being processed. However, please note that absences affect your period of residence. A requirement for citizenship is that you live in Finland and that you have done so for a sufficient length of time."

The phrase "absences affect your period of residence" is confusing to me because I have already met the residency requirements when I applied for citizenship. My concern is that the period of residence is not only the 4-year rule (according to the current regulations) but also includes rules for continuous residence, which are as follows:

Trips that last a maximum of one month do not interrupt your continuous period of residence.
A maximum of six periods of absence lasting 1–2 months each.
A maximum of two periods of absence lasting 2–6 months each.

Before applying for citizenship, I have already used the two periods lasting 2–6 months and four of the periods lasting 1–2 months, mainly during the COVID-19 pandemic when I could work freely from anywhere.

Question to the Community:

Am I allowed to travel freely while waiting for the citizenship decision, for example, work abroad continuously for 3-4 months (exceeding the 1-2 month rule, which is the only one I still have available)? Or do I need to adhere to the continuous residence rules, meaning I can still travel for two periods lasting 1–2 months, and after that, I can only take trips that last a maximum of one month until I receive the decision?

Thanks!

Based on what you have written, you seem to have spent a large amount of time outside Finland. i.e.

"Before applying for citizenship, I have already used the two periods lasting 2–6 months and four of the periods lasting 1–2 months, mainly during the COVID-19 pandemic when I could work freely from anywhere."

Have you checked if you even fulfil the 4 year continous residency requirement?

Hi, yes checked and the Migri officer looked into the application and confirmed that everything is fine. In fact, as clarified in the background info and what you quoted from my text, all the travels made were in light of the allowed travel period not to disrupt the continuous residency rules. In fact as long as you travel and obey these rules, the time spent outside the country will be counted towards the 4 years time. Only if you stayed longer than 6 months continuous, then the whole period will not be counted. If you stay more than 12 months continuous, then you disrupt the continuous residency rule and move to the accumulated period calculation

[Oussbe7]

My diary number 12267/310/2023 , last time I checked my queue it was 5020 , I applied the 1st of October , my application still on stage 1 , married to Finnish wife my daughter is Finnish citizen, I work as manager , I am from Morocco , I hope to get an answer Soon .

Hei,

my diary number is 17xxx/310/2023, any people around this number already received a decision,
Thanks in advance,

Hi,
My diary number is also 17xxx/310/2023. But not received any decision. Hope to get a decision in few months, if not trapped in long queue. May I know on which date or which month did you visit migri service point?

[Boston_MA]

The phrase "absences affect your period of residence" is confusing to me because I have already met the residency requirements when I applied for citizenship.

You must satisfy the conditions on the day they make the decision, not on the day of submitting the application.

Hey -

Could you provide a link or the web address to where it is stated that you must satisfy the conditions on the day the make the decision and not on the day of submitting the application. It would be a great help.

Thanks!!!

[X6InhEswsi7lLAQ]

Hey -

Could you provide a link or the web address to where it is stated that you must satisfy the conditions on the day the make the decision and not on the day of submitting the application. It would be a great help.

Thanks!!!

https://finlex.fi/fi/laki/ajantasa/2003/20030359#L3P13

Ulkomaalaiselle myönnetään hakemuksesta Suomen kansalaisuus, jos hakemusta ratkaistaessa:

[Boston_MA]

Hey -

Could you provide a link or the web address to where it is stated that you must satisfy the conditions on the day the make the decision and not on the day of submitting the application. It would be a great help.

Thanks!!!

https://finlex.fi/fi/laki/ajantasa/2003/20030359#L3P13

Ulkomaalaiselle myönnetään hakemuksesta Suomen kansalaisuus, jos hakemusta ratkaistaessa:

Many thanks!!!

[Maaria]

Hey -

Could you provide a link or the web address to where it is stated that you must satisfy the conditions on the day the make the decision and not on the day of submitting the application. It would be a great help.

Thanks!!!

https://finlex.fi/fi/laki/ajantasa/2003/20030359#L3P13

Ulkomaalaiselle myönnetään hakemuksesta Suomen kansalaisuus, jos hakemusta ratkaistaessa:

This is interesting. I remember someone posted here that she/he got negative decision, because of submitting the application, if I remember it correctly, 2 days before the residence requirement was fulfilled.

[approw1903]

Hey -

Could you provide a link or the web address to where it is stated that you must satisfy the conditions on the day the make the decision and not on the day of submitting the application. It would be a great help.

Thanks!!!

https://finlex.fi/fi/laki/ajantasa/2003/20030359#L3P13

Ulkomaalaiselle myönnetään hakemuksesta Suomen kansalaisuus, jos hakemusta ratkaistaessa:

This is interesting. I remember someone posted here that she/he got negative decision, because of submitting the application, if I remember it correctly, 2 days before the residence requirement was fulfilled.

I think what X6InhEswsi7lLAQ is trying to say is that not only we must satisfy the conditions on the day we submit, but all along the days subsequently until they make the decision, unless I did not understand it correctly.

[betelgeuse]

Hey -

Could you provide a link or the web address to where it is stated that you must satisfy the conditions on the day the make the decision and not on the day of submitting the application. It would be a great help.

Thanks!!!

https://finlex.fi/fi/laki/ajantasa/2003/20030359#L3P13

Ulkomaalaiselle myönnetään hakemuksesta Suomen kansalaisuus, jos hakemusta ratkaistaessa:

This is interesting. I remember someone posted here that she/he got negative decision, because of submitting the application, if I remember it correctly, 2 days before the residence requirement was fulfilled.

They can make a negative decision at any point before the requirements are satisfied. Once they are satisfied they can't point back. This means applying early is always a risk. See question 7:

https://migri.fi/en/faq-finnish-citizenship