Authorisation for the transfer of Skolt holdings
- Permit or other obligation
- Nationwide except the Åland Islands
- Public service
The transfer of Skolt holdings that are subject to the restrictions referred to in section 3 of the Skolt Acts (273/1955 section 3, 611/1984 section 12 and 253/1995 section 36), or the transfer of a part thereof (sale, donation, partitioning, division, exchange, lease), is subject to authorisation by the ELY Centre. Should you fail to apply for an authorisation, the transfer shall be considered nu ...
Do the following
Send a free-form application requesting authorisation for the transfer to the Lapland Ely Centre or to the Rural Livelihood Authority of Inari. The Inari Rural Livelihood Authority will issue a statement and send the application and the statement to the ELY Centre. You can also use the ELY Centre's application form.
Please attach a document proving that the conditions for transfer are fulfilled (preliminary purchase agreement, deed of donation, deed of partition, deed of distribution of inheritance, etc.). The reasons for the transfer must also transpire from the document.
If you do not have a buyer yet but are planning to sell a Skolt holding or a part thereof, you should make dependable inquiries regarding potential buyers among other Skolts before filing the application for authorisation. You should make your intent to sell known to the Rural Livelihood Authority of Inari and to the Skolt Trustee, orally or in writing. You should publish a sale advertisement in the newspaper Inarilainen. The advertisement should mention that the property is a Skolt holding or a part thereof. Attach a copy of the sale advertisement to your application.
To whom and on what terms
Owners of Skolt holdings that are subject to the restrictions referred to in the Skolt Acts must apply for an authorisation to transfer their holdings. Transfer restrictions are in force either 1) 50 years, as stated in section 3 of the Act on the Relocation of Certain Skolts (253/1955), 2) 30 years, as stated in section 12 of the Skolt Act (611/1984), or 3) 20 years, as stated in section 36 of the Skolt Act (253/1953), from the date when the bill of sale for the holding or the supplementary land has been signed.
If you are uncertain whether your Skolt holding is encumbered by transfer restrictions, you should consult the abstract of the charges register or the extract from the land registry to see if there are any restrictions as referred to in the Skolt Acts mentioned there. If any doubts remain, you can consult the ELY Centre in the matter.
Authorisation will be granted if the recipient is a Skolt, of age, resident of Inari and does not already own a property as referred to in the Skolt Act, or if the recipient is a person who could inherit the transferer. If that is not the case, authorisation can only be granted if there are compelling reasons to do so.
Processing time
An average of 1–2 months. Please note that the ELY Centre requests statements from the Rural Livelihood Authority of Inari and possibly also from the Skolt Council, which requires time.
Period of validity
Unless stated otherwise, the authorisation is valid indefinitely.