Finland Other Relative Family Reunification 2026: Complete Guide to Dependency, Close Family Life and Exceptional Requirements

1. Who can be an 'other relative'?

Migri gives examples such as the parent of an adult person, an unmarried sibling of an adult, an adult child and certain minor-sibling situations. Relatives of the sponsor's spouse/partner do not qualify as the sponsor's other relatives.

Because this is outside the ordinary nuclear-family definition, a single fact such as loneliness or financial support is not enough.

2. Full mental and physical dependency

Full dependency, mental and physical, on the relative in Finland is one of the two bases Migri names for the other-relative permit, whether the sponsor is a Finnish citizen or has international or temporary protection. Migri explicitly states that financial dependence alone is insufficient.

Old age, severe illness or disability may contribute to dependency. However, medical need alone will usually not justify a permit if appropriate treatment or care is available in the home country.

3. Close family life must have continued

The second basis, for both sponsor types, is close family life that genuinely existed before and has not ended, for example through adulthood, marriage or the establishment of a separate family. Migri treats dependency and close family life as alternatives, but a file that shows both is the stronger one.

If applicant and sponsor have lived independent lives for years, later financial or health difficulties alone may not recreate the required close family life. Shared household history, daily care and continuous dependency can be important.

4. Why must a negative decision be unreasonable?

For an other-relative application involving a protection sponsor, dependency and close family life are not enough by themselves; granting the permit also requires that a negative decision would be unreasonable in the circumstances.

Alternative care, support networks in the home country, the sponsor's ability to assist from abroad, the applicant's level of independence and the feasibility of maintaining family life elsewhere can matter in the overall assessment.

5. If the sponsor is a Finnish citizen

The Finnish-citizen sponsor must live in Finland. The applicant must establish full mental and physical dependency or continuing close family life, and that a refusal would be unreasonable.

Migri's income guidance exempts other relatives of Finnish citizens from the income requirement. If granted, the permit gives an unrestricted right to work. As a family member of a Finnish citizen, a first permit may in certain cases be filed from Finland, provided the applicant is lawfully staying there.

6. If the sponsor has protection status

The sponsor may have refugee, subsidiary-protection or temporary-protection status. The applicant must show full dependency or continuing close family life, and that a negative decision would be unreasonable.

An income requirement generally applies. For applications filed on or after 16 June 2025 it also covers other relatives of a sponsor under 18 who has international or temporary protection: the earlier exemption for a minor sponsor no longer applies on this route. A two-year residence requirement applies to other-relative cases with refugee/subsidiary-protection sponsors, but not to temporary-protection sponsors. Migri lists limited exceptions to the two-year requirement, so check whether one fits before filing.

7. Which evidence really matters?

Proof of family relationship is only the starting point. Medical statements, disability/functional-capacity evidence, care history, shared-household history, dependency evidence, continuity of contact, financial transfers and the absence of alternative carers can all matter.

A health statement should do more than list diagnoses; it should explain why the applicant is specifically dependent on the sponsor in daily life and what alternative care exists.

8. Filing location and work rights

A first residence permit is generally filed from abroad. Limited exceptions, such as certain family-member-of-Finnish-citizen cases, can allow filing from Finland if the applicant is lawfully staying there.

Once an other-relative family permit is granted, it provides an unrestricted right to work. A pending application or family invitation alone does not create work rights.

9. Other-relative eligibility checklist

This route requires much more than proving kinship: strong dependency and exceptional family-life need must be established.

10. Fee, decision and appeal

A first residence permit on the basis of family ties costs an adult EUR 750 online or EUR 800 on paper in 2026, and an applicant under 18 EUR 400 online or EUR 430 on paper. The fee is charged for processing, so it is not refunded if the permit is refused.

A refusal states its own appeal instructions. The appeal goes to the Administrative Court within 30 days of the decision being served, and the court fee is EUR 310, which is not charged if the court changes the decision in the appellant's favour. If no appeal is filed in time the decision becomes final, and only a fresh application with new evidence remains.