Buying property in Finland as a foreigner: 2026 guide

Finland has a clear and orderly property market, but since 2020 it has screened foreign buyers for national security reasons, and since July 2025 it has a separate restriction for citizens of Russia and Belarus. This guide states the rules as precisely as we could confirm them in October 2026. They are changing, so it is informational only and is not legal or tax advice.

Market snapshot

Finnish prices are falling, not rising. Statistics Finland reported that prices of old dwellings in housing companies were 3.3% lower in August 2026 than a year earlier nationwide, 3.5% lower in Greater Helsinki and 3.7% lower in Helsinki, with flats in blocks down 3.8% (see the Statistics Finland release and our news item). A falling market gives buyers time, but it also means a purchase for resale should not count on appreciation. Compare with other markets in property prices per m² by country.

Who can buy

Most Finnish flats are not owned directly. You buy shares in a housing company, and the shares give the right to a particular flat. Detached houses, plots and holiday cottages are real estate in the strict sense. The distinction matters for the rules.

• EU/EEA citizens: no permit is needed.
• Citizens of other countries, and companies established outside the EU/EEA, need a permit from the Ministry of Defence to acquire real estate. Since 1 January 2020 this also applies to an EU/EEA company in which a person or body from outside the EU/EEA holds at least 10% of ownership or equivalent influence. Law firm summaries say the permit is not required for shares in a housing company, but do not rely on that without checking with the Ministry or a Finnish lawyer for your exact case.
• The state has a pre-emption right to property near some defence and border guard sites, and municipalities have pre-emption rights to larger plots.
• Åland has its own rules: ownership without restriction requires Åland right of domicile (a Finnish citizen who has lived there continuously for more than five years). Others need a land acquisition permit from the Åland government; the Åland pages say newcomers may buy a plot under 4,000 m² in a planned residential area, processing takes two to three months, and share apartments usually need no permit. See Åland Living.

Citizens of Russia and Belarus

State this precisely and check it before any step. Finland's Parliament adopted an act on 11 April 2025 allowing the Ministry of Defence to prevent real estate transactions by persons and entities whose state of nationality is waging a war of aggression and is considered a threat to Finland's national security. A government decree naming Russia and Belarus took effect on 15 July 2025; the ban is not from 2023, although in 2023 the Ministry already blocked individual deals case by case. See the Ministry of Defence announcement.

As reported, the restriction does not apply to people who also hold citizenship of an EU/EEA state, and persons holding a permanent residence permit or EU long-term resident permit granted by Finland are not under the ban but remain subject to the ordinary permit. We could not confirm from an official text whether a permanent residence permit issued by another EU country, for example Poland, exempts a Russian citizen, and one earlier version of the proposal said so while later summaries refer to permits granted by Finland. Do not assume it. Ask the Ministry in writing.

Press reports in 2025 and 2026 said the restriction did not cover flats held through housing company shares and that the Defence Minister expected tighter rules. We do not advise structuring a purchase around a restriction. Rules may already have changed, EU sanctions and anti-money-laundering rules apply, and Finnish banks and lawyers will screen buyers. If you are a Russian or Belarusian citizen, take Finnish legal advice before spending money.

Step by step

• Establish permission status: EU/EEA citizen, permit, or Åland permit.
• Search through Finnish portals and an authorised estate agent. Agents act for the seller; viewings and the sales brochure come with the agent.
• Check the housing company: annual accounts, long-term repair plan, debts on the company, the monthly maintenance and financing charges, and the articles of association.
• Order a condition inspection, which is common for older properties.
• Sign the purchase contract. For real estate the deed needs signatures in the presence of all parties and a notary; for housing company shares a simpler procedure applies.
• Pay the transfer tax. Title to real estate must be registered within six months after the tax is paid, according to Finnish law firm summaries.
• If a permit is needed, apply to the Ministry of Defence; summaries say within two months of the deal and that processing takes about three months. Make the contract conditional on approval.

Documents

• Passport and, where relevant, proof of citizenship or residence.
• Finnish personal identity code or tax number (apply through the Digital and Population Data Services Agency and the Tax Administration).
• Proof of funds and, for a mortgage, income documents.
• Foreign documents with apostille and certified translation where requested; see apostille and legalisation.
• For a permit: financing details and transaction documents.

Costs and taxes

Law firm summaries report that the transfer tax paid by the buyer fell in 2024 to 3% for real estate and 1.5% for shares in housing companies. We did not open the Finnish Tax Administration page, so confirm the current rate there. Add the buyer's costs for registration and a lawyer if you use one, and note that the seller normally pays the estate agent. After purchase you pay the monthly housing company charges, and for houses an annual municipal property tax; we did not verify rates. Read total cost of ownership abroad.

Rental income from a Finnish property is taxable in Finland even for non-residents, and your country of residence may tax it too; see rental income abroad by country.

Residence options

We found no residence permit in Finland that is granted for buying a property. Residence depends on work, study, family or other grounds under Finnish Immigration Service rules. A non-EU citizen who owns a flat is still bound by visa and Schengen stay limits. EU citizens rely on free movement. For context see residency vs citizenship by investment.

Rental and yield

Renting out is possible with housing company flats, though some companies require the board's consent or limit letting, so check the articles. We did not confirm an average yield for Finland; yields in cities are described as modest and the falling prices show the market is soft. Treat a seller's number as unverified and see rental yield by country.

Practicalities for Russian-speaking buyers living in the EU

Russian-speaking communities exist in Helsinki, Espoo and the eastern towns, and some agents and lawyers work in Russian; see Russian-speaking communities and services. Documents will be in Finnish or Swedish, so use a certified translator. Prepare passport, residence card, proof of address, tax number and a documented source of funds; banks screen carefully, see bank checks for Russian citizens living in the EU. Pay only from an account in your own name. If you hold only Russian citizenship, read the section above first.

Risks and due diligence

• Permit and restriction risk: the contract must be conditional on any permit, and the rules are in motion.
• Housing company finances: large pending renovations (pipes, façade) are paid through charges or loans.
• Condition: moisture and ground water in older houses, shared plumbing renovation.
• A falling market: do not assume resale at today's price.
• Remote locations: heating, winter access and services.

Follow our pre-purchase checklist.

FAQ

Can a non-EU citizen buy property in Finland? Yes, but for real estate a permit from the Ministry of Defence is needed. Summaries say shares in a housing company need no permit, but confirm your case.

Are Russian citizens banned from buying in Finland? A decree in force from 15 July 2025 bars Russian and Belarusian citizens from real estate transactions, with exceptions as reported for dual EU/EEA citizens and for holders of certain Finnish permits. Check current text before acting.

Does a Polish or German residence permit exempt a Russian citizen? We could not confirm this. Ask the Ministry of Defence in writing.

Can foreigners buy on Åland? Yes, with a land acquisition permit in most cases, or with right of domicile for Finnish citizens after five years.

Does buying give a residence permit? We found no such route.

Where are the official rules? At the Ministry of Defence and for Åland at Åland Living.

How we help

We are a trilingual (English, Russian, Polish) platform that finds properties and coordinates independent local lawyers and tax advisers. This text is informational and is not legal, tax or investment advice; rules change, so verify them with the authorities and your adviser before you act. See also the country overview.