Finland plans to impose stricter conditions for family reunifications, as permitted by the EU Family Reunification Directive. The new condition would be added to the Finnish Aliens Act, where the spouse acting as the sponsor must be at least 21 years old.
Authorities would reintroduce the requirement for sufficient funds for family members in cases when the sponsor is a minor who has obtained international protection. In this context, the family member refers to the person who has custody of the minor.
Sponsors who have obtained international protection would also be required to have a minimum period of residence. This project will explore the possibilities of limiting the definition of the family applied in family reunification so it only includes children and spouses in all situations.
At present, individuals who can apply for family reunification include an international spouse of a Finnish citizen, a family member of a foreigner working or studying in Finland, or a family member who has received international protection from Finland.
These new rules are based on the EU Family Reunification Directive, which specifies the minimum conditions for the exercise of the right to family reunifications by third-country nationals living lawfully within the territory of the Member States.
