Immigration Curiousity Question

[rob34]

I was reading a thread that said it takes 6 years for an immigrant to Finland to attain citizenship.

Why does it take so long? Bureaucracy?

I was under the impression that you have to:

1) Live and work in Finland for 2 continuous years
2) Pass the language test
3) Serve in the military if under 28

Does it take 4 years just to process the paperwork or what?

Am I wrong, or am I mixing up the Kela unemployment stuff with the citizenship stuff or something?

If you give in to your HBS and marry the blonder less hairy nordique, does that affect citizenship "speed"? (I think in the USA it's basically an automatic passport).

[Hank W.]

What do you think a citizenship is, some sort of toilet paper?

Its six years permanent residence (less in case of marriage), having a good character(=no criminal record) and passing a Finnish or Swedish test ( attaining the level in 6 years is quite possible).

After one is granted a citizenship then there may be some obligations, such as military service.

As Tiwaz said in another thread:

Reality is, easier it is to get citizenship/permit more likely it is to be abused. If it is hard to get, you trying to get it shows you are in it for keeps. Not to get better passport which would get you somewhere else much more easily. Finns have to maintain certain level of quality on their passport holders to maintain their value. Since we cannot deny that percentage of native population who are imbeciles or just lazy the passport, only way to maintain high quality is to cherrypick only best candidates from ranks we can deny.

So they want to be sure the person surely wants to be a Finn - and not run giggling to the airplane before the ink has dried

[rob34]

What do you think a citizenship is, some sort of toilet paper?

Its six years permanent residence (less in case of marriage), having a good character(=no criminal record) and passing a Finnish or Swedish test ( attaining the level in 6 years is quite possible).

After one is granted a citizenship then there may be some obligations, such as military service.

As Tiwaz said in another thread:

Reality is, easier it is to get citizenship/permit more likely it is to be abused. If it is hard to get, you trying to get it shows you are in it for keeps. Not to get better passport which would get you somewhere else much more easily.

Huh, I wonder where I got this 2 years idea from. Probably the Kela benefits...?

So what constitutes the six years? Is it just where your domicile is registered? Can it be broken up 3 here and 3 there? What if you attend school abroad in Sweden or Denmark or something? I mean, I carry a Euro passport so how does the eye of sauron really know if I'm in the country?

Hmm... interesting stuff.

[Hank W.]

Its the last 6 years. And the eye of sauron knows because you must have a paper with the mark of the white hand if you want to get your Nordic benefits in Sweden or Denmark... (in principle, you must report any move of domicile within 7 days) So if you inform one computer you are this, then you can't make another computer believe you are that.