Cohabitation means an arrangement in which an unmarried couple lives together. As cohabitation is less regulated than marriage, it does not affect the partners’ rights and responsibilities in the same way as marriage.
Cohabiting partners do not have rights to each other’s property. When your relationship ends, both of you will keep your own property.
However, you may disagree about how your shared property, such as personal property in your apartment, is distributed. In such a situation, either one of the partners may demand separation of property.
A partner can request separation of property if one of the below conditions is met:
In connection with the separation of property, one of you may be entitled to compensation from the other partner. Read more about the division of property at the end of the relationship on the Divorce or separation guide.
Cohabiting partners also do not have a right to their partner's property if one of them dies. If you want your cohabiting partner to receive an inheritance when you die, you have to make a will. The division of inheritance is explained in more detail on the guide Death of a close family member.
Cohabitation, or living together, may affect housing allowance and many other benefits that you apply from Kela. However, cohabitation does not entitle you to certain benefits in the same way as marriage.
Read more about how living together affects benefits from Kela.Opens in a new window.
You can apply to the Digital and Population Data Services Agency for a common surname, if one of the below conditions is met
In a cohabitation partnership, the common surname or compound surname is formed in the same manner as in a marriage.
If the mother and father are not married when the child is born, the father’s paternity will have to be confirmed separately. When a female couple has a child with the help of fertility treatment, the non-biological mother can be confirmed as the child’s other mother.
In both cases, parenthood must first be acknowledged either at the maternity clinic or by visiting the child welfare officer. Read more about acknowledging and confirming parenthood on the page Confirmation of parenthood.
If a citizen of another country lives together with a Finnish citizen and the couple lives in Finland, the person may be granted a residence permit on the basis of family ties. In this case, one of the following conditions must be met:
The My spouse is in Finland page on the Finnish Immigration Service’s websiteOpens in a new window. explains in more detail when and how it is possible to get a residence permit on the basis of family ties.
Note that if you are a citizen of an EU state, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland, you do not need a residence permit. In that case, it is usually enough, that you apply for the registration of your right of residence.