(FINLAND) — Finland’s Ministry of the Interior issued a decree raising processing fees for residence permit applications from January 1, 2026, increasing the cost of applying for a Permanent residence permit to €380 electronically and €600 on paper.
Fee increases and timing
The fee hikes, the decree said, reflect higher processing costs. They come as application volumes have fallen amid Finland’s economic situation, pushing up per-case expenses for the Finnish Immigration Service (Finnish Immigration Service (Migri)).
- An electronic permanent residence permit application will rise from €240 to €380.
- A paper permanent residence permit application will rise from €350 to €600.
Migri’s 2025 fee list showed permanent residence at €240 (electronic) and €350 (paper), confirming the increases.
Fees will also rise for a first residence permit for adults:
– Electronic application: from €530 to €750
– Paper application: from €580 to €800
Across most categories, the increases range from €50 to €250, the Interior Ministry said. Applications for international protection will remain free, though extensions will cost €53.
Plan ahead: if you hope to qualify under the current four-year rule, aim to meet it by December 17, 2025, then use the six‑month transition window to apply under the old terms.
The decree will be in force until December 31, 2026, setting a one-year schedule of higher charges while Migri processes applications under a cost model tied to workload and volumes.
Changes to eligibility rules for permanent residence (effective January 8, 2026)
Separate changes to eligibility rules for permanent residence permits take effect one week later, on January 8, 2026. The Interior Ministry said these rule changes were set out as part of the Government Programme and aim to promote integration, work, and language skills.
Interior Minister Mari Rantanen (Finns Party) linked the tighter criteria to expectations of work, language acquisition and compliance with Finnish laws:
“In line with the Government Programme, applicants will be required to comply with the rules of society, and to work and to study the language.”
Key points of the new permanent residence framework:
– The required period of legal residence will be lengthened (described in some sources as six consecutive years, up from four).
– Time on student or short-term permits will count only if followed by two years of full-time work.
From January 8, applicants must meet at least one of three routes:
- Income route
- Minimum annual income: €40,000
- Education-and-work route
- A master’s or postgraduate degree recognized in Finland
- Two-year work history in Finland
- Language-and-work route
- High proficiency in Finnish or Swedish
- Three-year work history in Finland
- Under this route, unemployment security and social assistance would be limited to a maximum three months.
The ministry also flagged:
– Higher integrity standards
– Finnish or Swedish proficiency requirements, including references such as CEFR A2 level
Transition arrangements and tools
Applicants already close to qualifying under the current four-year residence rule were given a transition window:
– Those who meet the old requirement by December 17, 2025, can apply under the prior terms within six months.
Migri plans to publish an online eligibility calculator by January 2026 and will update forms in the Enter Finland service on January 8, 2026, at 12:00 a.m. Finnish time.
Practical implications for applicants
The planned changes create two pressure points at the start of 2026:
1. Higher fees for submitting an application from January 1, 2026.
2. Tighter eligibility standards for securing permanent status from January 8, 2026.
Starting January 8, 2026, permanent residence criteria tighten. Even with higher fees from January 1, 2026, applicants must meet one of the new routes, or risk a denial under stricter rules.
Migri’s processing pipeline will operate under the new fees through the end of 2026, as the decree runs until December 31, 2026.
Important deadlines to note:
– December 17, 2025: cutoff to meet the old four-year residence requirement
– Six-month grace window after meeting the old requirement to file under prior terms
Citizenship reform proposal (planned for 2027) and consultation
While permanent residence requirements are being tightened and application fees increased, the Interior Ministry is also preparing a broader reform of citizenship rules that would add a new civic knowledge requirement.
- The proposed citizenship test is planned for introduction in 2027, not January 1.
- Draft amendments to the Citizenship Act have been sent for public consultation.
- Consultation feedback deadline: February 6, 2026.
The ministry said the changes would add civic knowledge to existing requirements of residence, income, and a clean record. Rantanen framed the test as reinforcing the link between citizenship and integration:
“Citizenship already requires a sufficient period of residence, financial self-sufficiency and a clean record. The new test reinforces the principle that citizenship should only be granted to those who have successfully integrated and understand the values of Finnish society.”
Test design and administration:
– The test is designed as multiple-choice and true/false on topics such as Finnish society, laws, the democratic system, human rights, cultural heritage, equality, gender equality, public institutions, and rights and duties.
– Study materials would be publicly available in Finnish and Swedish.
– Migri would administer the test electronically, with the exam developed in cooperation with a university.
– Exemptions would be available for applicants who have completed the Finnish or Swedish matriculation examination or a higher education degree in those languages.
Note key deadlines: December 17, 2025 (old-rule cutoff); six months to apply under old terms after meeting it; January 1, 2026 (fee increase); January 8, 2026 (new eligibility rules and forms update).
The citizenship test is part of a three-stage Citizenship Act reform that:
– Tightens residence, integrity, and financial requirements
– Adds the civic knowledge test
The consultation is the next step before the planned 2027 introduction.
Overall policy context and other fee changes
The policy package arrives as Finland balances processing costs and administrative workload against a government push to make long-term status more conditional on employment, language ability and compliance with rules.
- The Interior Ministry described the fee changes as a cost-driven response to reduced applications.
- The eligibility rule changes are presented as a separate effort tied to integration goals.
Applicants preparing for 2026 will need to account for both:
– The filing cost increase effective January 1, 2026
– The substantive eligibility rule changes effective January 8, 2026
Finally, the ministry noted separate fee changes outside the residence permit system, including a decrease for passport and identity card fees:
– Electronic passport fee: €42.
Finland is raising processing fees and tightening eligibility for permanent residence permits in early 2026. Costs for electronic applications will rise to €380, while residency requirements will generally extend to six years. Applicants must satisfy specific income, education, or language criteria. Additionally, a new citizenship test is proposed for 2027 to ensure applicants understand Finnish society, democratic values, and human rights.
