who would otherwise become stateless now automatically acquired Finnish nationality at birth. Other major changes included the abolishment of automatic acquisition of nationality of foreign women marrying Finnish men, which was replaced by facilitated discretionary naturalization for spouses of Finnish nationals regardless of gender; thus equality between spouses in terms of acquisition of Finnish nationality was introduced. These amendments also enabled Finland to accede to the 1957 Convention on the Nationality of Married Women the same year, 1968.27 Reflecting the close ties and cooperation between the Nordic countries,28 the Act also introduced exceptions to naturalization beneficial to other Nordic citizens, including a declaration procedure for the acquisition of nationality to nationals of other Nordic countries and former Finnish nationals who in the meanwhile had been nationals of other Nordic countries.29 Some major amendments were made to the 1968 Nationality Act in 1984.30 An additional provision on the prevention of statelessness was introduced; a person could only be released of Finnish nationality on the condition that she or he would not become stateless. Gender equality was also again taken one step further as the Act was amended to ensure that a Finnish mother would always pass on her Finnish nationality to her child. Adopted children were mentioned for the first time in the nationality legislation and were granted a possibility to acquire Finnish nationality by declaration. Further, a new Nationality Decree,31 which introduced a provision requiring proof of Finnish or Swedish language32 skills to be enclosed to the nationality application, entered into force in 1985.33 The prevention of statelessness was elevated to a Constitutional principle in 2000 when the new Constitution of Finland34 entered into force. Section 5 of the new Constitution contains a provision, which sets out the condition that voluntary or involuntary loss of nationality is possible only if the person concerned is in possession of, or will be granted the nationality of another State.35 The Nationality Act36 entered into force in 2003, and is the one currently in force. One of the major aims of this Nationality Act, in line with Section 5 of the Constitution, is the prevention of statelessness, to which end it contains several provisions. It also provided for Finland’s accession to the 1961 Convention and to the European Convention on Nationality; Finland became party to the two conventions in August 2008.37 The Act also introduced the possibility of multiple citizenship and further promoted gender equality. This time, it was the position of men which was improved as the Act provides for confer of Finnish nationality at birth for a child born out of wedlock to a Finnish man and a foreign mother.38 The Act also established a procedure for the determination of citizenship status. 27 Treaty Series of Finland (FTS) 80/1968 and 56/1970. 28 Treaty of Co-operation between Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden (the so called Helsinki Treaty), FTS 28/1962; Agreement on the Implementation of Certain Rules on Citizenship concluded between Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden, FTS 11/1969. Iceland acceded to the agreement in 1998. 29 EUDO Citizenship Observatory Country Report: Finland, Jessica Fagerlund, Sampo Brander, revised and updated January 2013, EUDO Citizenship Observatory, p. 6-7. 30 Act amending the Nationality Act, Laki kansalaisuuslain muuttamisesta, 584/1984. 31 Kansalaisuusasetus, 699/1985. 32 Finnish and Swedish are the two official languages of Finland. 33 EUDO Citizenship Observatory Country Report: Finland, Jessica Fagerlund, Sampo Brander, revised and updated January 2013, EUDO Citizenship Observatory, p. 8-9. 34 Suomen perustuslaki, 731/1999. 35 EUDO Citizenship Observatory Country Report: Finland, Jessica Fagerlund, Sampo Brander, revised and updated January 2013, EUDO Citizenship Observatory, p. 10. 36 Kansalaisuuslaki, 359/2003. 37 FTS 96-97/2008 and FTS 93-95/2008. 38 EUDO Citizenship Observatory Country Report: Finland, Jessica Fagerlund, Sampo Brander, revised and updated January 2013, EUDO Citizenship Observatory, p. 13. UNHCR STOCKHOLM, NOVEMBER 2014 13