Residency by marriage (but not while living in Finland)

prince_capri · Post by **prince_capri** » Thu Feb 18, 2010 10:23 pm

Hi,

Sorry if this question comes across as a bit naive or ignorant.

I am considering future prospects with my Finnish girlfriend, and need some clarification about something. I am Indian national currently working in England, and she is native Finnish, planning to move to England to study. If we were to marry in the future, would it be possible for me to apply for Finnish nationalisation from UK? Or do we have to go to Finland? Or India?

If we have to go to Finland, is there a stipulated time period that we have to stay there for? Or can we come back to England after an application has been submitted?

Thanks!

**Sponsor:**

Upphew · Post by **Upphew** » Thu Feb 18, 2010 10:49 pm

http://www.migri.fi/netcomm/Default.asp?language=EN

interleukin · Post by **interleukin** » Thu Feb 18, 2010 10:50 pm

If she moves back to Finland and gets herself registered as a resident again, you can apply to stay here also based on family ties with her (if you are married or if you can prove you have lived together for two or more years). You can not apply to live in Finland based on family ties if she is not living here.

If you want to become a Finnish citizen, you have to live here (and be registered as a real resident) for a number of years first. Plus pass a language test.

prince_capri · Post by **prince_capri** » Thu Feb 18, 2010 10:59 pm

Thanks for the replies.

My question was more along the lines of a Finnish (EU) passport. So citizenship equates to passport I guess? Or can Finnish passport be obtained through marriage?

Also, she wouldn't be rescinding her Finnish residency, only moving to England to study, would that not be same as residing (I can see the obvious meaning of the word, but just wondered!).

Thanks for the link Upphew, will check it out.

interleukin · Post by **interleukin** » Thu Feb 18, 2010 11:18 pm

I answered you about the citizenship already. You need to live here for 5 (or something like that) years as a permanent resident and pass a language test to become a citizen and get the right to apply for a Finnish passport. Marrying a Finn does not change that. It only makes it easier for you to actually be allowed to live in Finland.

Either she lives in Finland and is a resident of Finland, or she lives in the UK and is not a resident of Finland. She will always be a citizen but if she does not live in Finland she does not live in Finland...
If you are this desperate to get an EU passport why don' t you find a job in the UK and live with her there and apply for a UK citizenship when you fulfill the criteria?

prince_capri · Post by **prince_capri** » Thu Feb 18, 2010 11:29 pm

Don't think desperate is the right word.

Nevertheless, I am living and working in UK at the moment, and if we marry, it would be in 2-3 years time. However, I want to take all aspects into account, as we might have to move to India for a couple of years due to some family issues, sometime next year perhaps.

We have future plans (moving to Swiss and all that..) and an EU passport would make me more mobile, that's all. As mentioned, the trip to India would affect our plans, so I wondered if marrying in India/England would help in re-adjusting the lag created due to Indian trip.

Pursuivant · Post by **Pursuivant** » Thu Feb 18, 2010 11:48 pm

Yes well being married etc. it would help you getting a leave to enter Finland as they wouldn't look at it as a scam to get an EU passport. Finnish citizenship is a privilege to be earned, not something given out like a magazine subscription. And then being married to an EU citizen gives you a leave to enter as a spouse in other EU countries. Then again regardless of where you have kids, they will be entitled to Finnish citizenship by birth from a Finnish citizen mother, but may loose it at age 22 if they're dual citizens without connections to Finland.

prince_capri · Post by **prince_capri** » Thu Feb 18, 2010 11:53 pm

Thank you Pursuviant.

Basically as I see, the plans can be:
Plan A: Stay in England for next 3 years, get married during that time. Possibly move to India for 2/3 years, come back to Europe (Swiss etc depending on jobs)
Plan B: Move to India for next 3 years, marry there. Move to Europe after that.

Has to be one of these plans. Its just that when we try to move in Europe, I want to be able to do that freely, understandably, would need her help with that, so wondered what the smoothest course of action was...

prince_capri · Post by **prince_capri** » Thu Feb 18, 2010 11:54 pm

Pursuivant wrote:Finnish citizenship is a privilege to be earned,

Also I completely agree with that. I think Finland offers a high (albeit expensive) quality of life. Although the other half would like to live everywhere bu Finland. So I can't say much about that

Pursuivant · Post by **Pursuivant** » Fri Feb 19, 2010 12:11 am

Ah you know, grass being greener etc. But basically with the EU laws of free movement etc. as a spouse of an EU citizen you're pretty well set,

prince_capri · Post by **prince_capri** » Fri Feb 19, 2010 12:19 am

Thanks for all the advice here everyone

Hemuli · Post by **Hemuli** » Fri Jul 09, 2010 11:38 pm

- If you want Finnish citizenship, you have to be a permanent resident in Finland.
- Before getting permanent residency, you will need temporary residence permit.
- If you want to get temporary residence permit via family ties, it takes 249 working days to process your application (according to Finnish immigration web site). If you want to get it via employment, then you have to find a job. Without Finnish language skills, you will find limited number of companies, which you can work for.
- If you want to apply for Finnish citizenships you have to live in Finland at least 6 years (4 years if married to a Finn) and pass Finnish language test with at least level 3, which is intermediate level. There are also other requirements that you have to fulfill. You need to check migri.fi for more info
- After submitting your citizenship application, it takes 1,5 yrs or more to process your application.

Altogether you will live at least 6-7 years to get your Finnish citizenship. If you can make it, pay your taxes/bills, read/write/speak Finnish and no crimes and then you deserve Finnish citizenship, which is a privillage not given to everyone who asks

Someone also posted saying that "spouse of an EU citizen you're pretty well set". I don't think you will be allset or wellset in other EU countries as long as you hold Indian passport (or any other non EU passport). You will run into problems as you have to apply for your residence permit in other EU countries as well.

prince_capri · Post by **prince_capri** » Mon Aug 23, 2010 2:14 am

Hey,

Thought I'd resurrect this one, as I have a few more questions and I would love them to be answered (tried looking through migri, but no direct answer).

So my girlfriend has moved back to Finland (to continue her studies there) and we are still on course to getting married here in England (she will have to come and book and date once we have the paperwork sorted).

My permit in England expires in October, don't think UKBA would take it kindly to me overstaying (even if I am married to EU national, though I have to confirm this...), so I cannot stay here and apply for Finnish residency here. Which means I have to go back to India. This is fine, BUT, a residency application there will take 6 months. This is way too long.

So I wondered that if it is possible for me to enter Finland on a Schengen tourist visa (with my marriage certificate in hand), and then apply for residency permit while in Finland.

Would that be ok? Or would it be complicated?

Basically, I want to process it such that it takes the least amount of time (so that I can be with my partner in Finland) and lesast hassle (like avoiding overstaying in UK even if I am married to EU resident..need to check this).

Any suggestions?

Also, my partner wondered whether being married to a non-EU national would have any implications on her? Would she be obligated (by marriage) for anything more than she otherwise would have been had she married a Finn?

Thanks!

rinso · Post by **rinso** » Mon Aug 23, 2010 8:03 am

prince_capri wrote: BUT, a residency application there will take 6 months. This is way too long.

It is about the shortest you can expect for a non-EU foreigner.

So I wondered that if it is possible for me to enter Finland on a Schengen tourist visa (with my marriage certificate in hand), and then apply for residency permit while in Finland.

Would that be ok? Or would it be complicated?

In principle it is possible, but it is not the quickest or trouble free route.

Basically, I want to process it such that it takes the least amount of time (so that I can be with my partner in Finland) and lesast hassle

Best and quickest option isto apply from your home country.
All other "smart moves" create confusion and it will take (much) longer. It even could cause doubt about the intention of marriage (resulting in a refusal).

Also, my partner wondered whether being married to a non-EU national would have any implications on her? Would she be obligated (by marriage) for anything more than she otherwise would have been had she married a Finn?

Can't she search herself?

prince_capri · Post by **prince_capri** » Mon Aug 23, 2010 11:23 am

rinso wrote: In principle it is possible, but it is not the quickest or trouble free route.

Thanks for your responses rinso. On the above point, I don't mind if it is not the quickest as long as I am in Finland with my partner. Even if it takes 6 months there, I am ok with that.

In terms of trouble or confusion, could they deny Schengen visa at the first instance if I claim to be seeing a friend and visiting the country for 2 months? I am trying to envisage the kind of problems there would be..

Cheers.

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