Finnish citizenship requirements in 2027, including the new test
Vishwen Labs
To be granted Finnish citizenship by application you need established identity, to be 18, a period of residence in Finland of eight years or five in listed cases, satisfactory Finnish or Swedish, integrity, your payment obligations met, and means of support. From 1 March 2027 applicants aged 18 to 64 also need civic knowledge, shown by the new citizenship test or by a Finnish- or Swedish-language matriculation examination or degree from Finland. Migri's advice is to apply only when you meet all of them.
Period of residence
Since 1 October 2024 the general requirement is eight years of continuous, legal residence in Finland immediately before the application, with a valid permit or right of residence throughout. Five years is enough if you meet the language requirement when you apply, if you have a Finnish spouse, if you are a Nordic citizen, a Finnish diplomat's spouse or stateless, or for other special reasons Migri lists. Absences count against you: up to 365 days abroad can be included in the period, at most 90 of them in the final year, and a continuous five years abroad restarts the count. Migri asks you to calculate the period yourself before applying, from the date of your first permit and your days abroad.
Language
Satisfactory oral and written skills in Finnish or Swedish, normally a YKI certificate at level 3 or an equivalent. Exceptions exist for applicants over 65, for health reasons and for illiteracy, with documentation. The language guide covers the rules and how they relate to the test.
Integrity, payment obligations and means of support
Integrity means no serious offences or restraining orders, with waiting periods after convictions that Migri assesses case by case. Payment obligations means that you have paid taxes, fines and maintenance, or have a payment plan. Means of support means that you can show how you live in Finland: work, business, benefits, savings or a spouse's income. These requirements were tightened in December 2025, separately from the test, and Migri's pages on each are the reference.
Civic knowledge, from 1 March 2027
The new requirement applies to applicants aged 18 to 64 who apply on or after 1 March 2027. Three ways to meet it: pass the citizenship test; hold a Finnish- or Swedish-language matriculation examination completed in Finland; or hold a Finnish- or Swedish-language higher education degree from Finland, a university bachelor's or master's or an AMK or YAMK degree. Derogations exist for health, disability or other very serious reasons. The test is digital, on site, multiple choice, in Finnish or Swedish, with most answers required correct; its format, fee and places are published in autumn 2026, and the first test is expected in March 2027.
Timing your application
Migri's rule is simple: an application submitted before 1 March 2027 in Enter Finland or at a service point is decided under the current Act, without the test, even if the identity appointment comes later; one submitted on or after 1 March needs civic knowledge too. Its warning is equally simple: apply before you meet the requirements and you may receive a negative decision, and any request for more documents slows processing. Count your residence days, check your YKI result and the other items, and if they are all in place before March 2027, apply. If one is not, the test is a requirement you can prepare for, and there is time.
Kansalaisuuskoe is an independent study aid and is not affiliated with the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) or any other Finnish authority. Migri will publish the official learning material for the citizenship test before the first test in March 2027, and the test's questions will be based on it; the app's lessons and questions are its own, written from the civic orientation and InfoFinland material that the official material will draw on.
Questions people also ask
How many years do you need to live in Finland for citizenship?
Eight years of continuous legal residence, or five if you meet the language requirement when you apply, have a Finnish spouse, are a Nordic citizen or stateless, or in other special cases Migri lists. Up to 365 days abroad may be included, at most 90 in the final year.
Does the citizenship test replace the language test in Finland?
No. They are separate requirements. Language is normally shown with a YKI certificate at level 3; civic knowledge, from 1 March 2027, with the citizenship test or a Finnish- or Swedish-language matriculation examination or degree. The test is answered in Finnish or Swedish, which is why the language requirement comes first in practice.
