To become Finnish nationals, migrants face slightly unfavourable eligibility and conditions. First-generation migrants must live in Finland for six continuous years before they can apply for citizenship. Only spouses and partners/co-habitees of Finns have slightly shorter residence requirements. The Finnish-born descendants of migrants must still fulfil conditions to access Finnish nationality. During a potentially long and expensive procedure, migrants must pass checks on their language, income, criminal records and ‘good character.' Naturalised Finns have the third most favourable security of status after Swedes and Czechs, and tied with Switzerland and the Netherlands. Their application can be refused or their citizenship withdrawn on a number of grounds. However, they cannot lose their citizenship if it would make them stateless or if they have lived as a citizen for five years (see box). Naturalising migrants are allowed to be dual nationals, though children born to migrants are not at birth.
