When you have more than one nationality
Foreign citizens who have gained Finnish citizenship and who have completed the compulsory peacetime military service of his/her former home country, or a portion of if (at least four (4) months) can upon application be exempted from military service in peacetime. Decisions regarding exemption are made by the regional offices.
In peacetime, upon application for special reasons, the regional office can exempt from peacetime military service a Finnish citizen who is also the citizen of another country, if this person's domicile proper is not in Finland and he does not have any real ties to Finland.
Regarding the conscription of a Finnish citizen who also holds Norwegian, Swedish or Danish citizenship, that which is ordered in previously made agreements (Agreement 44/68) between the contracting countries in question is also in force. In addition, a corresponding agreement was made between the United States of America and Finland (Agreement 25/39) concerning conscription.
A Finnish citizen, in relation to whom the aforementioned agreements apply, is not liable for military service, nor does he need to carry out service in relation to his liability for military service in Finland during a time when he is considered to be a citizen of a contracting country other than Finland. Persons with multiple nationalities living in contracting countries do not need to apply separately for exemption as the aforementioned agreements apply to them.
Persons with multiple nationalities living in the afore mentioned contracting countries are encouraged to clarify their own position at the Finnish Embassy, consulate or their own supervisory Regional Office in Finland.
A person liable for military service is not obligated to report for the call-up or military service if he is also a citizen of another country and his place of domicile has been elsewhere than in Finland for the last seven years. Such persons do not need to apply separately for exemption.
An exempted multinational conscript can be ordered into service if he moves to Finland before the end of the year in which he turns 29.
Decisions on exemption as well as agreement interpretations are based on the address and citizenship data of the population data system. Therefore it is a good idea to check with the Digital and Population Data Services Agency or mission that your data is correct. In addition, multinationals coming from abroad to serve who are 21 years or older, should make sure that they are not about to lose, or have not lost their Finnish citizenship at the age of 22.
Further information on addresses:
Contact information of Finnish missions abroad at
