Country-wide policy
An Autonomous Province Where the Health Care Act Does Not Apply, Foreign Driving Licences Are Not Accepted Under the National Rules, and Land Cannot Be Bought Without Five Years and Swedish
Åland is a province of Finland, inside the European Union and inside the Schengen area, and several of the statutes on these pages stop at its shore. The Health Care Act says in its own scope section that it does not apply in the province, except for a training compensation. Sections 60 and 61 of the Driving Licences Act both exclude Åland from what they say about accepting a foreign licence. And the Self-Government Act adds a status that exists nowhere else in Finland: kotiseutuoikeot, the right of domicile, granted to a Finnish citizen who has moved to the province, has had their actual dwelling and home there without interruption for at least five years, and has a satisfactory command of Swedish. Without it, the restrictions in the Åland Land Acquisition Act (3/75) on acquiring real property in the province apply to you, and provincial law may restrict your right to carry on a trade there - with a carve-out for a business run with no helper other than a spouse or one's own minor children and with no business premises.
Topics it changes
- Access to healthcare
- Driving and licence exchange
- Residency through investment
- Bringing your belongings
- Becoming a citizen
What it requires
- For the right of domicile: Finnish citizenship, five years' uninterrupted residence in the province, and satisfactory Swedish
- Without it, the land acquisition restrictions and any provincial restriction on trade apply
At a glance
- Right of domicile
- Finnish citizenship, five years' residence in the province, and satisfactory Swedish
Section 7(2) of the Åland Self-Government Act. Section 7(3) allows a provincial law to make exceptions to the last two for a special reason.
- Buying land
- Restricted by the Åland Land Acquisition Act (3/75) for anyone without the right of domicile
Section 10 of the Self-Government Act. The Land Acquisition Act itself was not read.
- Carrying on a trade
- May be restricted by provincial law for anyone without the right of domicile
Section 11. A one-person business with no premises and no helper beyond a spouse or minor children may not be restricted.
- Health care
- The Health Care Act does not apply in Åland
Section 1(2) of the Health Care Act, which excepts only the training compensation in sections 60, 60 a and 63.
- Foreign driving licences
- Sections 60 and 61 of the Driving Licences Act do not reach Åland
Section 60(6) and section 61(4); section 61(2) writes the exclusion into the operative sentence.
Denmark's version of the same problem
Denmark's record has a policy for the Faroes and Greenland, two parts of the kingdom that are foreign territory for immigration purposes and that each Act has to exclude separately. Finland's Åland is the opposite arrangement: it is not foreign territory, immigration law reaches it in full, and what stops at the provincial border is the service and property law - health care, foreign driving licences, land acquisition, the right to trade. A reader who moves to Åland holding a Finnish residence permit has the permit and does not have the rest.
What a right of domicile asks that naturalisation does not
The right of domicile needs Swedish specifically, where Finnish naturalisation accepts Finnish or Swedish or the corresponding sign language. It needs five years in the province, where naturalisation needs eight years in Finland. And it needs Finnish citizenship first, so it is not an alternative to naturalisation but a second step after it. The sequence for someone who wants to buy land in Åland is therefore: residence permit, eight years, citizenship, five years in the province, Swedish.
What the law says
«Kotiseutuoikeus on hakemuksesta myönnettävä, jollei sen myöntämistä vastaan ole painavia syitä, Suomen kansalaiselle: 1) joka on muuttanut maakuntaan; 2) jolla on keskeytyksettä ollut maakunnassa varsinainen asunto ja koti vähintään viiden vuoden ajan; ja 3) jolla on tyydyttävä ruotsin kielen taito.»Our translation - not official
The right of domicile must be granted on application, unless there are weighty reasons against granting it, to a Finnish citizen: 1) who has moved to the province; 2) who has had his or her actual dwelling and home in the province without interruption for at least five years; and 3) who has a satisfactory command of Swedish.
About this source
Finland's state legal information service, run by the Ministry of Justice. It publishes the Suomen säädöskokoelma - the statute series, where an Act takes effect on publication - and, separately, the ajantasainen consolidated text of each Act with later amendments worked into it. Every statute carries an ELI identifier that states the date of the consolidated version, so the cut-off is on the page rather than inferred: the Aliens Act 301/2004 was read at http://data.finlex.fi/eli/sd/2004/301/ajantasa/2026-06-26/fin. The site is bilingual by law and serves Finnish and Swedish texts of the same statute at the same address; Finnish is the language quoted here. It also carries unofficial English translations under /lainsaadanto/saadoskaannokset/.
Standing: Maintains the text in force
Cannot be cited for: The English translations are not the instrument and must never be quoted as one - they are produced by ministries, carry their own amendment cut-offs separate from the Finnish text's, and several are years behind it. The consolidated text is the right thing to quote for what the law is now, but it prints provisions that are not yet in force alongside those that are, each marked with its own commencement date: the Nationality Act consolidation of 16 June 2026 carries the 2027 citizenship-exam wording of section 13 directly beneath the wording in force. A reader who takes the first paragraph they see has a one-in-two chance of reading next year's law. The consolidation also lags the statute series, and each statute's page lists the government bills pending on it; those bills are not law and must not be cited as if they were. The original statute as enacted is a different document at a different address under /lainsaadanto/saadoskokoelma/ and does not carry amendments.
We re-read it every 60 days. More about this source
«Rajoituksista, jotka koskevat oikeutta hankkia omistus- tai käyttöoikeuksin maakunnassa sijaitsevaa kiinteää tai siihen rinnastettavaa omaisuutta, säädetään Ahvenanmaan maanhankintalaissa (3/75). Rajoitukset eivät koske sitä, jolla on kotiseutuoikeus.»Our translation - not official
The restrictions on the right to acquire, by way of ownership or a right of use, real property situated in the province or property comparable to it are laid down in the Åland Land Acquisition Act (3/75). The restrictions do not concern a person who has the right of domicile.
About this source
Finland's state legal information service, run by the Ministry of Justice. It publishes the Suomen säädöskokoelma - the statute series, where an Act takes effect on publication - and, separately, the ajantasainen consolidated text of each Act with later amendments worked into it. Every statute carries an ELI identifier that states the date of the consolidated version, so the cut-off is on the page rather than inferred: the Aliens Act 301/2004 was read at http://data.finlex.fi/eli/sd/2004/301/ajantasa/2026-06-26/fin. The site is bilingual by law and serves Finnish and Swedish texts of the same statute at the same address; Finnish is the language quoted here. It also carries unofficial English translations under /lainsaadanto/saadoskaannokset/.
Standing: Maintains the text in force
Cannot be cited for: The English translations are not the instrument and must never be quoted as one - they are produced by ministries, carry their own amendment cut-offs separate from the Finnish text's, and several are years behind it. The consolidated text is the right thing to quote for what the law is now, but it prints provisions that are not yet in force alongside those that are, each marked with its own commencement date: the Nationality Act consolidation of 16 June 2026 carries the 2027 citizenship-exam wording of section 13 directly beneath the wording in force. A reader who takes the first paragraph they see has a one-in-two chance of reading next year's law. The consolidation also lags the statute series, and each statute's page lists the government bills pending on it; those bills are not law and must not be cited as if they were. The original statute as enacted is a different document at a different address under /lainsaadanto/saadoskokoelma/ and does not carry amendments.
We re-read it every 60 days. More about this source
«Maakuntalailla voidaan rajoittaa kotiseutuoikeutta vailla olevan henkilön oikeutta harjoittaa liikettä tai ammattia elinkeinona maakunnassa. Tällaisella maakuntalailla ei kuitenkaan saa rajoittaa maakunnassa asuvan henkilön oikeutta harjoittaa sellaista elinkeinoa, jossa ei käytetä muuta avustajaa kuin puolisoa tai omia alaikäisiä lapsia ja jota varten ei ole liikehuoneistoa, toimistoa eikä muuta erityistä toimipaikkaa.»Our translation - not official
Provincial law may restrict the right of a person without the right of domicile to carry on a business or a profession as a trade in the province. Such a provincial law may not, however, restrict the right of a person residing in the province to carry on a trade in which no helper other than a spouse or one's own minor children is used and for which there are no business premises, office or other special place of business.
About this source
Finland's state legal information service, run by the Ministry of Justice. It publishes the Suomen säädöskokoelma - the statute series, where an Act takes effect on publication - and, separately, the ajantasainen consolidated text of each Act with later amendments worked into it. Every statute carries an ELI identifier that states the date of the consolidated version, so the cut-off is on the page rather than inferred: the Aliens Act 301/2004 was read at http://data.finlex.fi/eli/sd/2004/301/ajantasa/2026-06-26/fin. The site is bilingual by law and serves Finnish and Swedish texts of the same statute at the same address; Finnish is the language quoted here. It also carries unofficial English translations under /lainsaadanto/saadoskaannokset/.
Standing: Maintains the text in force
Cannot be cited for: The English translations are not the instrument and must never be quoted as one - they are produced by ministries, carry their own amendment cut-offs separate from the Finnish text's, and several are years behind it. The consolidated text is the right thing to quote for what the law is now, but it prints provisions that are not yet in force alongside those that are, each marked with its own commencement date: the Nationality Act consolidation of 16 June 2026 carries the 2027 citizenship-exam wording of section 13 directly beneath the wording in force. A reader who takes the first paragraph they see has a one-in-two chance of reading next year's law. The consolidation also lags the statute series, and each statute's page lists the government bills pending on it; those bills are not law and must not be cited as if they were. The original statute as enacted is a different document at a different address under /lainsaadanto/saadoskokoelma/ and does not carry amendments.
We re-read it every 60 days. More about this source
«Tätä lakia ei sovelleta Ahvenanmaan maakunnassa lukuun ottamatta terveydenhuollon toimintayksikölle suoritettavaa koulutuskorvausta, josta säädetään 60, 60 a ja 63 §:ssä.»Our translation - not official
This Act does not apply in the province of Åland, with the exception of the training compensation payable to a health care unit, which is provided for in sections 60, 60 a and 63.
About this source
Finland's state legal information service, run by the Ministry of Justice. It publishes the Suomen säädöskokoelma - the statute series, where an Act takes effect on publication - and, separately, the ajantasainen consolidated text of each Act with later amendments worked into it. Every statute carries an ELI identifier that states the date of the consolidated version, so the cut-off is on the page rather than inferred: the Aliens Act 301/2004 was read at http://data.finlex.fi/eli/sd/2004/301/ajantasa/2026-06-26/fin. The site is bilingual by law and serves Finnish and Swedish texts of the same statute at the same address; Finnish is the language quoted here. It also carries unofficial English translations under /lainsaadanto/saadoskaannokset/.
Standing: Maintains the text in force
Cannot be cited for: The English translations are not the instrument and must never be quoted as one - they are produced by ministries, carry their own amendment cut-offs separate from the Finnish text's, and several are years behind it. The consolidated text is the right thing to quote for what the law is now, but it prints provisions that are not yet in force alongside those that are, each marked with its own commencement date: the Nationality Act consolidation of 16 June 2026 carries the 2027 citizenship-exam wording of section 13 directly beneath the wording in force. A reader who takes the first paragraph they see has a one-in-two chance of reading next year's law. The consolidation also lags the statute series, and each statute's page lists the government bills pending on it; those bills are not law and must not be cited as if they were. The original statute as enacted is a different document at a different address under /lainsaadanto/saadoskokoelma/ and does not carry amendments.
We re-read it every 60 days. More about this source
«Ajokortti hyväksytään ajamiseen Suomessa muualla kuin Ahvenanmaalla yhden vuoden ajan ajokortin haltijan maahantulosta taikka, jos hänet on merkitty väestörekisteriin, väestörekisteriin merkitsemisestä. Hyväksymisen edellytyksenä on, että ajokortti on voimassa eikä muuta syytä ajokortin kelpoisuuden lakkaamiseen aikaisemmin ole. Kuljettajan ajoterveydentilan valvontaan sovelletaan, mitä 20 ja 21 §:ssä säädetään.»Our translation - not official
The licence is accepted for driving in Finland elsewhere than in Åland for one year from the licence holder's entry into the country or, if he or she has been entered in the population register, from the entry in the population register. Acceptance requires that the licence is valid and that there is no other reason for the licence's validity to lapse earlier. As to supervision of the driver's fitness to drive, what is provided in sections 20 and 21 applies.
About this source
Finland's state legal information service, run by the Ministry of Justice. It publishes the Suomen säädöskokoelma - the statute series, where an Act takes effect on publication - and, separately, the ajantasainen consolidated text of each Act with later amendments worked into it. Every statute carries an ELI identifier that states the date of the consolidated version, so the cut-off is on the page rather than inferred: the Aliens Act 301/2004 was read at http://data.finlex.fi/eli/sd/2004/301/ajantasa/2026-06-26/fin. The site is bilingual by law and serves Finnish and Swedish texts of the same statute at the same address; Finnish is the language quoted here. It also carries unofficial English translations under /lainsaadanto/saadoskaannokset/.
Standing: Maintains the text in force
Cannot be cited for: The English translations are not the instrument and must never be quoted as one - they are produced by ministries, carry their own amendment cut-offs separate from the Finnish text's, and several are years behind it. The consolidated text is the right thing to quote for what the law is now, but it prints provisions that are not yet in force alongside those that are, each marked with its own commencement date: the Nationality Act consolidation of 16 June 2026 carries the 2027 citizenship-exam wording of section 13 directly beneath the wording in force. A reader who takes the first paragraph they see has a one-in-two chance of reading next year's law. The consolidation also lags the statute series, and each statute's page lists the government bills pending on it; those bills are not law and must not be cited as if they were. The original statute as enacted is a different document at a different address under /lainsaadanto/saadoskokoelma/ and does not carry amendments.
We re-read it every 60 days. More about this source
«Pysyvä oleskelulupa myönnetään ulkomaalaiselle, jolla on 56 f §:n 1 momentissa tarkoitettu kehittyvä suullinen ja kirjallinen suomen tai ruotsin kielen taito ja joka on suorittanut Suomessa: 1) yliopistolain (558/2009) 7 §:ssä tarkoitetun tutkinnon; 2) Maanpuolustuskorkeakoulusta annetun lain (1121/2008) 6 §:ssä tarkoitetun tutkinnon; 3) ammattikorkeakoululain (932/2014) 11 §:ssä tarkoitetun ylemmän ammattikorkeakoulututkinnon; 4) Poliisiammattikorkeakoulusta annetun lain (1164/2013) 14 §:ssä tarkoitetun ylemmän ammattikorkeakoulututkinnon; tai 5) Ahvenanmaan ammattikorkeakoulusta annetun maakuntalain (Ålands författningssamling 2024:50) 14 §:ssä tarkoitetun ylemmän korkeakoulututkinnon.»Our translation - not official
A permanent residence permit is granted to a foreigner who has the developing oral and written command of Finnish or Swedish referred to in section 56 f(1) and who has completed in Finland: 1) a degree referred to in section 7 of the Universities Act (558/2009); 2) a degree referred to in section 6 of the Act on the National Defence University (1121/2008); 3) a higher polytechnic degree referred to in section 11 of the Polytechnics Act (932/2014); 4) a higher polytechnic degree referred to in section 14 of the Act on the Police University College (1164/2013); or 5) a higher education degree referred to in section 14 of the Provincial Act on the Åland University of Applied Sciences (Ålands författningssamling 2024:50).
The other direction: a provincial degree named inside a national immigration provision, in a list otherwise made of national statutes.
Read it at the sourceAbout this source
Finland's state legal information service, run by the Ministry of Justice. It publishes the Suomen säädöskokoelma - the statute series, where an Act takes effect on publication - and, separately, the ajantasainen consolidated text of each Act with later amendments worked into it. Every statute carries an ELI identifier that states the date of the consolidated version, so the cut-off is on the page rather than inferred: the Aliens Act 301/2004 was read at http://data.finlex.fi/eli/sd/2004/301/ajantasa/2026-06-26/fin. The site is bilingual by law and serves Finnish and Swedish texts of the same statute at the same address; Finnish is the language quoted here. It also carries unofficial English translations under /lainsaadanto/saadoskaannokset/.
Standing: Maintains the text in force
Cannot be cited for: The English translations are not the instrument and must never be quoted as one - they are produced by ministries, carry their own amendment cut-offs separate from the Finnish text's, and several are years behind it. The consolidated text is the right thing to quote for what the law is now, but it prints provisions that are not yet in force alongside those that are, each marked with its own commencement date: the Nationality Act consolidation of 16 June 2026 carries the 2027 citizenship-exam wording of section 13 directly beneath the wording in force. A reader who takes the first paragraph they see has a one-in-two chance of reading next year's law. The consolidation also lags the statute series, and each statute's page lists the government bills pending on it; those bills are not law and must not be cited as if they were. The original statute as enacted is a different document at a different address under /lainsaadanto/saadoskokoelma/ and does not carry amendments.
We re-read it every 60 days. More about this source
Practical notes
The Åland Land Acquisition Act (3/75) was not read. What the restrictions on acquiring property actually are is not stated here.
Åland's own provincial legislation was not read at all, including the provincial law on the right to carry on a trade that section 11 contemplates and the provincial health care arrangements.
The Self-Government Act consolidation read is dated 27 November 2020, the oldest of any statute behind these records.
Åland's position outside the Union's VAT and excise territory was not read and is not described here.