Finland: Information on whether a person born in Vyborg who lived there until annexation by the Soviet Union in the late 1930s has a right to Finnish nationality, and whether the Soviet-born children of this person are eligible to Finnish citizenship
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 December 1994 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | FIN18768.E |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Finland: Information on whether a person born in Vyborg who lived there until annexation by the Soviet Union in the late 1930s has a right to Finnish nationality, and whether the Soviet-born children of this person are eligible to Finnish citizenship, 1 December 1994, FIN18768.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6abcb2c.html [accessed 21 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
According to a representative of the embassy of Finland in Ottawa, if the person remained in Vyborg after the Soviet Union annexed that part of the country in 1940, that person and her/his children must go through naturalization procedures in order to become citizens of Finland (25 Nov. 1994). The representative stated that in order for a person to be granted Finnish citizenship, he/she must have lived in Finland for at least five consecutive years prior to applying for citizenship, but former Finnish citizens can receive Finnish citizenship in less than five years (ibid.). The exact length of time a former Finnish citizen would have to wait before applying for Finnish citizenship would be determined on a case-by-case basis (ibid.). For further information on the acquisition of Finnish nationality, please refer to the attached copy of the Finnish Nationality Act, which was passed on 28 June 1968 and amended on 10 August 1984. According to the embassy representative, this act is currently in effect (ibid.).
Please note that because of the number of variables involved, the DIRB cannot provide information on the application of the citizenship law of Finland to a specific case.
This response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.
Reference
Embassy of the Republic Finland, Ottawa. 25 November 1994. Telephone interview with representative.
Attachments
Department of External Affairs, Ottawa. 10 August 1984. "Information on changing the citizenship act as given by the Ministry for the Interior." Translated by the Department of External Affairs.
Finland. Finnish Nationality Act. 10 August 1984.
Finnish Features [Helsinki]. August 1991. "Finnish Citizenship in Five Years." (Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
