Finland Enforces Stricter Family Reunification Rules from June 2025

As of June 16, 2025, Finland has officially implemented stricter eligibility rules for family reunification residence permits. These changes are part of a broader effort by the Finnish government to manage migration more tightly and ensure that residents are financially and socially stable before sponsoring family members.

The new rules apply only to applications submitted on or after June 15, 2025. Applications submitted before this date will be processed under the previous criteria. Additionally, individuals who were granted residence permits earlier but are now applying for an extension will not be subject to the updated requirements—provided their original application was filed before the rule change.

New Minimum Age Requirement for Applicants and Their Spouses

Under the new law, both the applicant and their spouse must be at least 21 years old at the time the residence permit becomes valid. This condition is designed to ensure a higher level of maturity and stability in spousal sponsorship cases.

However, there are exemptions. For example:

• If the spouses have joint custody of a child, a parent under 21 may still apply as the child’s guardian.
• The minimum age requirement does not apply to the Finnish citizen sponsor, but it still applies to their spouse. For instance, a 21-year-old non-citizen spouse can be granted a permit even if their Finnish spouse is younger.

“The age requirement aims to reduce forced and underage marriages and support integration,” said Riikka Parviainen, Process Owner of the Family Reunification Process.

Financial Requirements Expanded for Certain Categories

The updated legislation also introduces income requirements for family reunification in more cases:

• Family members of minors with temporary or subsidiary protection must now show proof of sufficient financial resources.
• The income requirement does not apply to family members of unaccompanied minor refugees, or when older family members apply within three months of the sponsor’s asylum decision.

Minimum Residency Period Introduced for Sponsors

Under the new rules, sponsors who are refugees or hold subsidiary protection status must have lived in Finland for at least two years before their family members are eligible to apply for reunification.

Exemptions to this rule include:

• Family members who previously lived with the sponsor in the same household before arrival in Finland.
• Applications involving children’s best interests or exceptional humanitarian circumstances.

These policy changes follow the Finnish Parliament’s approval in May 2025, reflecting the government’s ongoing focus on limiting migration and strengthening integration outcomes. Authorities have emphasized that the measures are meant to align Finland’s family reunification policies with those of other EU countries, particularly in terms of age, income, and residency thresholds.