Finland will introduce a citizenship test in March 2027, requiring applicants aged 18 to 64 to demonstrate sufficient knowledge of Finnish society, either through the new examination or recognised educational qualifications. The measure is the final stage of a broader reform tightening the requirements for obtaining Finnish citizenship.
The Finnish Immigration Service (Maahanmuuttovirasto), also known as Migri, confirmed the arrangements on 9 October.
Although the amendments to the Citizenship Act formally enter into force on 1 January 2027, the new requirement will apply only to applications submitted from 1 March 2027.
What will the citizenship test cover?
The examination will consist of multiple-choice questions covering Finnish legislation, fundamental and human rights, equality, gender equality, and the country’s history and culture.
The test will be conducted digitally, in either Finnish or Swedish. Applicants will need to answer most questions correctly to pass.
The University of Helsinki is developing the examination and its accompanying study materials through a multidisciplinary team of experts. These materials will be made publicly available on Migri’s website around the turn of the year, allowing applicants to prepare in advance.
The first examinations are expected in spring 2027, with testing locations planned in the Helsinki metropolitan area, Tampere, Turku, Oulu, Vaasa, Kuopio and Rovaniemi.
However, not everyone covered by the new requirement will have to take the test. Applicants who have completed a Finnish- or Swedish-language matriculation examination or higher education degree in Finland can demonstrate their knowledge through those qualifications instead.
According to Migri’s official guidance, exemptions may also be granted for health reasons, disabilities or other particularly serious circumstances.
The final stage of stricter citizenship rules
The new examination is part of a wider tightening of Finland’s citizenship legislation. Previous reforms have already changed residency requirements and introduced stricter conditions concerning applicants’ financial resources and criminal records.
Migri Director-General Ilkka Haahtela described the test as the concluding stage of these changes.
“The requirements for obtaining citizenship have been tightened several times during this government’s term, and introducing the citizenship test is the final part of this reform.”
The agency also reported receiving approximately 46,600 citizenship applications between 2023 and 2025, with earlier legislative changes prompting surges in applications as people sought to apply before the stricter rules took effect.
Finland’s decision also brings it closer to the citizenship requirements already established elsewhere in the Nordic region. Denmark and Norway have long required applicants to demonstrate knowledge of their societies through citizenship examinations or equivalent tests.
Sweden introduced its own citizenship test on Swedish society in August 2026, although the separate Swedish-language examination is being introduced later.
Finland will therefore become the latest Nordic country to make formal civic knowledge assessment part of its citizenship process.
