Paternity Matters
Confirming Paternity
Marriage serves as the basis for confirming paternity without the need for separate actions. The husband is presumed to be the father of a child born during the marriage, and paternity does not need to be confirmed separately in such cases.
However, statistically every third child is born outside of marriage. Then paternity needs to be confirmed either through the Digital and Population Data Services Agency or a court decision. For most married couples, biological paternity is clear, and confirmation no longer requires a separate visit to the child welfare officer after the child’s birth. Paternity can be confirmed during a maternity clinic visit or, alternatively, at the child welfare officer’s office. If paternity is not confirmed through acknowledgment, it can be demanded to be confirmed in a legal proceeding. The legal proceeding for confirming paternity can be initiated by either the child or the man.
We assist you in paternity related matters
Contact us if you need assistance with confirming a paternity, annulling paternity, or any other matters related to paternity issues.
Annulling Paternity
Paternity can be annulled by acknowledging the paternity of a child born within a marriage or through a court action filed to challenge paternity. When another man acknowledges his paternity and the Digital and Population Data Services Agency (Digi- ja väestötietovirasto) confirms the paternity, the husband’s paternity is annulled. When paternity is annulled by acknowledging the paternity of a child within a marriage, the legal father of the child changes, and the husband’s paternity is annulled, giving the child a new legal father simultaneously. If there is reason to doubt the paternity of the child’s legal father, paternity can be challenged in court. The lawsuit to challenge paternity must be filed within the time frame specified by law.
