Exemption from alternative civil service for dual nationals
- Service
- Nationwide
- Public service
If you are a Finnish citizen and also a citizen of another country, you can apply for exemption from alternative civil service.
Do the following
If you apply for exemption on the basis of national service completed in another country, send a free-form application to the Civilian Service Centre along with details of your citizenships and evidence of having completed a minimum of four months of peacetime national service.
If you are applying on the grounds of dual citizenship but you have not completed national service in the other country, send a free-form application to the Civilian Service Centre along with details of your citizenships and evidence of the following:
- that you do not have a residence in Finland
- that you do not have any factual ties to Finland on the basis of family ties, studies, income or other personal factors
The processing time of an exemption application is approximately two weeks.
To whom and on what terms
Exemption on the basis of service completed in another country can be granted partially or in full in peacetime. In order to qualify, you must have dual citizenship and have completed at least four months of peacetime national service in the other country.
Exemption can be granted to individuals who are citizens of Finland and another country. In addition, the applicant has to be resident in another country and not have any ties to Finland. If there is a material change in the circumstances that qualify you for exemption and you move back to Finland before the end of the year in which you turn 30, the decision may be revoked and you will be required to complete alternative civil service.