I have searched the various threads regarding applying for citizenship and have located and printed out an application.
I believe that in the terms discussed, I qualify: my father is Finnish. I am also aware of the 2008 deadline.
However, and in order not to waste the substantial application fee for nought, I wish to know about any specific conditions that might be required, e.g.:
- residency in Finland (I have none),
- knowledge of Finnish (I have none),
- "citizenship" test like the one given to applicants for US citizenship,
- professional skill requirements,
and any other specific issues that might arise.
Finally, I would appreciate any contact info for anyone who might help me out with the process (i.e. at least fluent in Finnish) located around Berkeley, CA.
Eric M. Rydman
Conditions for Citizenship
See these pages:
http://www.uvi.fi/netcomm/content.asp?p ... anguage=EN
http://www.uvi.fi/netcomm/content.asp?p ... anguage=EN
Last edited by kay30 on Fri May 02, 2008 9:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.
-
gegenschein
- Posts: 56
- Joined: Sun May 14, 2006 10:39 am
- Location: seattle, wa
i have found the los angeles consulate to be extremely helpful. here is a page with most of the information i think you may need.
http://www.finland.org/doc/en/consular/descendants.html
http://www.finland.org/doc/en/consular/descendants.html
-
Mumintroll
- Posts: 45
- Joined: Thu Jan 04, 2007 2:54 am
You should be able to get citizenship very easily via the declaration procedure for former Finnish citizens and children of current or former Finnish citizens. This is a different way with different criterium to the application method.
I am also using the declaration method at present (made the declaration about a week ago, so it is being processed, which takes about 7 weeks apparently... so it is also MUCH quicker than the application route). You don't need to either have lived in Finland or to be able to speak Finnish or Swedish to get this, so you will be fine. There is no citizenship test and there is no discretion on granting it... as long as everything is in order, in the declaration method of granting citizenship they can not decline it. You may be called up for military service, but if you live abroad permenantly with another citizenship you can get an exception by writing a letter to the defence forces which your local Finnish embassy/consulate will authenticate (with a photocopy of your "other citizenship" passport).
The UVI website has the form (UVI 11 I think is the one you need from memory, but check). The form I think has even an English version, as this was offered to me, but I had already filled it in in Swedish.
I think the main documents you will need to support your declaration are your passport, your Finnish father's passport, proof he is your father (i.e. birth certificate).. that is I assume your father is in the Finnish population register. You can check by contacting the Magistrate office in Jakobstad (tel. +358 6 781 4000) if you don't know where and if he is registered to check what details they have on him. They handle enquiries where you are uncertain of the home municipality, if you do know where your father is registered then you should contact that Magistrate directly (their addresses are on their website http://www.maistraati.fi).
Good luck if you decide to do it!
I am also using the declaration method at present (made the declaration about a week ago, so it is being processed, which takes about 7 weeks apparently... so it is also MUCH quicker than the application route). You don't need to either have lived in Finland or to be able to speak Finnish or Swedish to get this, so you will be fine. There is no citizenship test and there is no discretion on granting it... as long as everything is in order, in the declaration method of granting citizenship they can not decline it. You may be called up for military service, but if you live abroad permenantly with another citizenship you can get an exception by writing a letter to the defence forces which your local Finnish embassy/consulate will authenticate (with a photocopy of your "other citizenship" passport).
The UVI website has the form (UVI 11 I think is the one you need from memory, but check). The form I think has even an English version, as this was offered to me, but I had already filled it in in Swedish.
I think the main documents you will need to support your declaration are your passport, your Finnish father's passport, proof he is your father (i.e. birth certificate).. that is I assume your father is in the Finnish population register. You can check by contacting the Magistrate office in Jakobstad (tel. +358 6 781 4000) if you don't know where and if he is registered to check what details they have on him. They handle enquiries where you are uncertain of the home municipality, if you do know where your father is registered then you should contact that Magistrate directly (their addresses are on their website http://www.maistraati.fi).
Good luck if you decide to do it!
i have the same challenge ahead
i am relocating from netherlands to finland
(i am half german, hald finnish by nature - and came to netherlands
because the job required it.)
- my dad is finnish, my mum is german - we moved away
from finland almost 30 yrs ago, i had both german and finnish
citizenship by heritage.
for reasons beyond my understanding we had to
choose the german citizenship for myself, and drop the finnish one.
now i am in the situation where i would like to get
back the finnish citizenship for certain reason such as..
..i think it helps to get a load from the bank in order to
buy a house near salo where i am supposed to work.
--
also i wonder how problematic it will be to get my "partner"
(we are not married, but a couple since 6 years, we have a doughter
carrying my name) in.
she will be mother and housewife.
---
all this was no issue in the netherlands, they tried us like a marriaged
partnership, proven by a common bank account.
we got the dutch citizen permit in a few weeks, even though
it was not really required by the EU-Law (if i am informed correctly)
...
is there a agency that help me with all these formalities?
i am still abroad, and my job requires all of my ressources....
i wonder if there are agents that can cover some of the paperworks
for me...
----
minulle se on kotimaa
i am relocating from netherlands to finland
(i am half german, hald finnish by nature - and came to netherlands
because the job required it.)
- my dad is finnish, my mum is german - we moved away
from finland almost 30 yrs ago, i had both german and finnish
citizenship by heritage.
for reasons beyond my understanding we had to
choose the german citizenship for myself, and drop the finnish one.
now i am in the situation where i would like to get
back the finnish citizenship for certain reason such as..
..i think it helps to get a load from the bank in order to
buy a house near salo where i am supposed to work.
--
also i wonder how problematic it will be to get my "partner"
(we are not married, but a couple since 6 years, we have a doughter
carrying my name) in.
she will be mother and housewife.
---
all this was no issue in the netherlands, they tried us like a marriaged
partnership, proven by a common bank account.
we got the dutch citizen permit in a few weeks, even though
it was not really required by the EU-Law (if i am informed correctly)
...
is there a agency that help me with all these formalities?
i am still abroad, and my job requires all of my ressources....
i wonder if there are agents that can cover some of the paperworks
for me...
----
minulle se on kotimaa
Hello zoolkhan
double citizenship is something complicated when it comes to Germany. That is probably why your parents dropped one. You could also get into problems with the Germans if you now become Finnish again. If you speak German here a link concerning this:
http://www.auswandern-aktuell.de/beratu ... pass0.html
But in general what I have heard is: If you are German stay only German, if you want to adopt a different citizenship take that one and drop your German one to avoid problems.
double citizenship is something complicated when it comes to Germany. That is probably why your parents dropped one. You could also get into problems with the Germans if you now become Finnish again. If you speak German here a link concerning this:
http://www.auswandern-aktuell.de/beratu ... pass0.html
But in general what I have heard is: If you are German stay only German, if you want to adopt a different citizenship take that one and drop your German one to avoid problems.
-
Hank W.
- The Motorhead
- Posts: 29973
- Joined: Sat Jul 06, 2002 10:00 pm
- Location: Mushroom Mountain
- Contact:
Yes, zoolkhan, if you have not noticed Finland is a part of the EU, so the only slight worry you might have if your partner is non-EU by nationality, but then even its a "family member of EU national" and you can easily fufill the 2-year cohabitation rule. The bank does not care if you are Finnish citizen or not, your credit record depends on your residence in the country.
The registration process is really easy, youjust need to have the right papers in the right order because you first have to have this to get a that, and then with this and that you get into the computer and after that nobody asks any papers.
The registration process is really easy, youjust need to have the right papers in the right order because you first have to have this to get a that, and then with this and that you get into the computer and after that nobody asks any papers.
Cheers, Hank W.
sitting here like a lemon looking for a gin.
sitting here like a lemon looking for a gin.
-
Mumintroll
- Posts: 45
- Joined: Thu Jan 04, 2007 2:54 am
Yes, I think Hank is right. From my experience of at least the citizenship declaration, it is very very simple and takes very little time. The form is easy to fill in and the supporting documents are nothing at all out of the ordinary (you almost certainly have them all sitting in a drawer or cupboard already!). I was in and out of the embassy I made the declaration at in 10 minutes. Bear in mind that the fee is 270 €.
Hope that reassures you that at least from the citizenship re-gaining side of things, there is no paperwork pain to be gone through. (That is if there aren't complications due to you being German, which I am afraid I know nothing of).
Good luck!!
Hope that reassures you that at least from the citizenship re-gaining side of things, there is no paperwork pain to be gone through. (That is if there aren't complications due to you being German, which I am afraid I know nothing of).
Good luck!!
Hank W. wrote:Yes, zoolkhan, if you have not noticed Finland is a part of the EU
I can confirm that, yesterday i payed my beer in EURO's when i
boozed in helsinki
...and that belongs to the things i am worried about.Hank W. wrote: , youjust need to have the right papers in the right order because you first have to have this to get a that, and then with this and that you get into the computer and after that nobody asks any papers.
Thank's all for the feedback; after cosidering everybodys input
it looks as if i should see how far i get w/o applying for the finnish
citizenship. (Wife is also EU citizen)
I do not have problems at all with not having the Finnish citizenship and living here. Since I am an EU citizen and married with a Finn I got my residence permit and KELA card and ... with no problems. Actually the authorities back in Germany are causing me more trouble than the ones here (taxes of course mostly being the reason). The bigger problem is that my Finnish ***** (don't wanna say that here). This causes me way more problems than not having the Finnish citizenship.zoolkhan wrote:
Thank's all for the feedback; after cosidering everybodys input
it looks as if i should see how far i get w/o applying for the finnish
citizenship. (Wife is also EU citizen)
-
Hank W.
- The Motorhead
- Posts: 29973
- Joined: Sat Jul 06, 2002 10:00 pm
- Location: Mushroom Mountain
- Contact:
Have you seen those old Johnny Weissmüller Tarzan Movies?zoolkhan wrote:Thank's all for the feedback; after cosidering everybodys input
it looks as if i should see how far i get w/o applying for the finnish
citizenship. (Wife is also EU citizen)
Tarzan at Police:
Me Tarzan, Me work in Salo, Look here my emploument contract. This jane, this our cheetah, oongawa!
Tarzan at Salo magistrate:
Me Tarzan, this Jane and cheetah. Me have police register paper, we want live in Salo, want personal number, oongawa!
Tarzan at Tax office:
Me Tarzan, Look here my employment contract, look here my personal number, give me tax paper, oongawa!
Kreeagh bundololo and so forth...
Cheers, Hank W.
sitting here like a lemon looking for a gin.
sitting here like a lemon looking for a gin.
-
mrshourula
- Posts: 344
- Joined: Mon Sep 05, 2005 3:21 am
- Location: United States
-
Meri-Tuuli
- Posts: 355
- Joined: Mon Jan 16, 2006 2:25 pm
- Location: Finlandia
Well I'm totally confused now.
I was under the impression to get dual nationality that you had to prove that you have had significant ties with finland still, ie came here holiday all the time, took finnish lessons back home, etc etc. At least thats what I had to do to get my finnish nationality - my mother is finnish and my father is british. I mean, we came here regularly on holiday and things, so it wasn't a problem. But then, why did we have to do all this, if you guys don't? I don't quite understand, although to be honest, I was only about 12 when my mother applied for the citizenship so I don't remember any of the technical details.
Any ideas?
I was under the impression to get dual nationality that you had to prove that you have had significant ties with finland still, ie came here holiday all the time, took finnish lessons back home, etc etc. At least thats what I had to do to get my finnish nationality - my mother is finnish and my father is british. I mean, we came here regularly on holiday and things, so it wasn't a problem. But then, why did we have to do all this, if you guys don't? I don't quite understand, although to be honest, I was only about 12 when my mother applied for the citizenship so I don't remember any of the technical details.
Any ideas?
-
Mumintroll
- Posts: 45
- Joined: Thu Jan 04, 2007 2:54 am
Meri-Tuuli,
Your confusion is quite understandable. I guess you are referring to the whole "how to keep your citizenship after 22 years" thing when you are a dual national. As far as I am aware, people still have to come up with the proof of significant ties etc as you did for this to keep Finnish citizenship beyond 22.
However, under the new Nationality Law of Finland since June 2003 dual nationality is allowed by Finland. For an interim period since then and until 31/5 -2008 only, persons who were former Finnish citizens and the children of current or former Finnish citizens can make a "declaration" (as opposed to an "application" which e.g. a completely non-Finnish person can make if he's been living in Finland for x years etc) to regain/acquire Finnish citizenship. This declaration option is the one we've been talking about in here.
I suspect that the Immigration Directorate explain it all much better than me here: http://www.uvi.fi/netcomm/content.asp?p ... anguage=EN (the second bullet point section refers to the declaration method we've been discussiing).
Your confusion is quite understandable. I guess you are referring to the whole "how to keep your citizenship after 22 years" thing when you are a dual national. As far as I am aware, people still have to come up with the proof of significant ties etc as you did for this to keep Finnish citizenship beyond 22.
However, under the new Nationality Law of Finland since June 2003 dual nationality is allowed by Finland. For an interim period since then and until 31/5 -2008 only, persons who were former Finnish citizens and the children of current or former Finnish citizens can make a "declaration" (as opposed to an "application" which e.g. a completely non-Finnish person can make if he's been living in Finland for x years etc) to regain/acquire Finnish citizenship. This declaration option is the one we've been talking about in here.
I suspect that the Immigration Directorate explain it all much better than me here: http://www.uvi.fi/netcomm/content.asp?p ... anguage=EN (the second bullet point section refers to the declaration method we've been discussiing).
-
Meri-Tuuli
- Posts: 355
- Joined: Mon Jan 16, 2006 2:25 pm
- Location: Finlandia
Ah, I see thanks for explaining that!
But then, when I was younger, why couldn't we just 'declare' it like these other folks do? I mean, it doesn't seem fair that we had to do the prove the whole 'maintaining significant ties' thing whilst someone now who has never even visited Finland can get dual nationality??
I'm just curious why its much stricter one way, and another way not so.
Hmm.
But then, when I was younger, why couldn't we just 'declare' it like these other folks do? I mean, it doesn't seem fair that we had to do the prove the whole 'maintaining significant ties' thing whilst someone now who has never even visited Finland can get dual nationality??
I'm just curious why its much stricter one way, and another way not so.
Hmm.