Customer bulletins

Ingrian finn returnee - reminder about returnee training

Fri, 10 May 2013 08:31:48 GMT

Ingrian Finn returnee - reminder about returnee training

If you are an Ingrian Finn who has registered as a returnee, you have the opportunity to participate in voluntary returnee training. The returnee training course lasts for one academic year and prepares returnees for the Finnish language examination.

Returnee training begins in September 2013. You may register for the training in person:

At the main consulate in St. Petersburg on 27–29 August from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. or 30 August 2013 from 9 a.m. to 12 noon.
At the main consulate in Petrozavodsk on 20–22 August from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. or 23 August 2013 from 9 a.m. to 12 noon.

Returnee training is free of charge

There is no charge for returnee training and participation is voluntary. Training is held three evenings a week. You may participate in returnee training only once. If you stop the training in the middle of the course, you may not participate again.

Sufficient skills in Finnish are one of the requirements for receiving a residence permit.

The remigration period ends in summer 2016

If you have registered for the remigration queue before 1 July 2011, you may apply for a residence permit based on remigration until 1 July 2016. In the beginning of July 2016, the remigration period will end. At this time you will no longer be able to apply for a residence permit as a returnee. Instead, you may apply through the general residence permit system.

Read this bulletin in Russian herepdf, 103,2 kB .

Student – the income level requirement has been increased

Wed, 08 May 2013 11:45:05 GMT

Student – the income level requirement has increased

In order to receive a residence permit, you must have sufficient funds to support living in Finland.

As of 1 March 2013, the amount required to guarantee sufficient income level for livelihood has increased. A student must have access to:

6,720 euros per year, or
560 euros per month.

You can prove your incomes by providing an account statement showing sufficient funds, or a stipend decision from an official source, such as the government or an educational institution. A sponsorship agreement provided by a private individual is not sufficient.

The increased income requirement also applies to students applying to extend their permits.

Please take the increased amounts into consideration when compiling the documents you will attach to your application to show your incomes. More detailed information about the income requirements can be found here.

The reason for the change is an increase in the cost of living

The amount of funds required from students is based on the cost of living in Finland. The cost of living has increased, and therefore the required income level for livelihood is now higher.

The income requirement has also been increased for other permit applicants, not just students. You can read more about the increase in our customer bulletin released on 19 February.

Queues of citizenship applications

Thu, 02 May 2013 11:11:00 GMT

Queues of citizenship applications, May 2013

Citizenship applications are divided into three queues at the Finnish Immigration Service. The division is carried out on the following grounds:

the applicant holds a national passport (holders of passports)
the applicant has been granted a refugee status or a residence permit on the basis of need for protection (refugees)
the applicant holds an alien’s passport (holders of aliens’ passports)

New and old applications processed in parallel

We are now processing in parallel citizenship applications submitted in 2012 and ones submitted earlier.

In May 2013, the processing of following applications will be started

Holders of passports:
- accurate applications: applications submitted in November 2012
- other: applications submitted in August 2012
Refugees:
- oldest applications: applications submitted in August 2011
- newest applications: applications submitted in September 2012
Holders of aliens’ passports:
- oldest applications: applications submitted in August 2011
- newest applications: applications submitted in August 2012

Applications submitted earlier are being processed or have already been decided.

All queues proceed in parallel.

Queue of applications for Somalis on the basis of family ties

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 10:00:00 GMT

Queue of applications for Somalis on the basis of family ties

In April some 3,500 applications pending

The processing of residence permit applications for Somalis on the basis of family ties is still congested. In 2012–2013 the queue of applications has shortened significantly. However, this type of application still has longer-than-average handling times.

In April 2013

some 3,500 applications on the basis of family ties are pending.
the Addis Abeba mission where most of the Somali applicants are interviewed is currently interviewing applicants who submitted their applications in August 2010.
the Nairobi mission where Somali applicants are interviewed is currently interviewing applicants who submitted their applications in July 2010.
the earliest applications awaiting processing to begin were submitted in December 2012.
the earliest applications awaiting decision were largely submitted in May 2010.

The reasons for the congestion are the significant amount of applications from Somalis based on family ties in 2009–2011 and the fact that, with the absence of verifiable documentation from their home country, Somalis are usually given an oral hearing; in other words, a personal interview.

Overseas applicants are interviewed at a Finnish mission, after which a decision on the application is taken at the Finnish Immigration Service. Handling of the application may also be delayed if there is a need to arrange an interview at a police station for the sponsor living in Finland.

It is not possible to make a decision immediately after the interview.

This bulletin is updated every two months.

New info for employers in Migri.fi

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 11:52:54 GMT

New info for employers in Migri.fi

On our website Migri.fi you can now find information directed especially for employers. We have assembled a new To the employer page, where you can find information for employers who are employing or wanting to employ foreigners from outside the EU/EEA area.

On our new page the employer can get a quick look at

the role of the employer in the permit process
the employer’s obligations.

In addition to the Finnish Immigration Service, a lot of other officials have a part to play in the employment of foreigners. That is why we have assembled a list of useful links to other officials’ websites, too.

A more accurate look at how a person coming to work in Finland applies for a residence permit, and the different types of rights to work on different residence permits, can be found in the Working in Finland pages at www.migri.fi. These contents have been written from the point of view of the employee, but they contain useful information also for the employer.

Queue of applications based on family ties

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 12:11:00 GMT

Queue of applications based on family ties

Approximately 2,900 applications are pending in April

N.B! Residence permit applications for Somalis on the basis of family ties are not included in this number.

At the beginning of April 2013

approximately 2,900 applications on the basis of family ties are pending
the earliest applications awaiting processing to begin were largely submitted in December 2012
the earliest applications awaiting decision were largely submitted in August 2012.

The need for interviewing the applicant slows down the decision

In many cases, the mission or the police need to interview the applicant and the sponsor living in Finland because of, for example, unclear documentation or lack of documentation. Oral hearings, i.e. interviews, slow down the processing and in some missions the waiting time for an interview may be very long.

The Finnish Immigration Service cannot influence the length of the waiting times for a mission or the police. A decision can also not be made immediately after the interview.

This bulletin is updated every two months.

Finnish citizenship application now online

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 09:59:47 GMT

Finnish citizenship application now online

As of autumn 2012, the Finnish Immigration Service has been accepting online applications.

You may now apply for Finnish citizenship using an application form that you fill out online. Your application will be processed more speedily if you use the online form, as electronic documents are quicker to transfer from one authority to another. It is also easy to change or add to your application through the online service.

First applicant surprised at how quickly the application was processed

Dmitry Zhabin, who lives in Tampere, became the first person to apply for Finnish citizenship using the online service. He submitted his application in late autumn 2012 and received a decision less than five months later.

– It was surprisingly fast. I thought it would take at least until summer, says Zhabin, who now holds dual citizenship.

Dmitry Zhabin was born in Russia and came to Finland to study in 2005. Having found a job, he decided to stay here indefinitely. Although Finnish citizenship was not initially his goal, he came to realise that it would make his employment as a software designer in Finland or elsewhere in Europe much easier.

– It is also easier to travel. I have long dreamed about travelling by train from London to Paris. Before now, I would have needed a visa for the trip.

Zhabin commends the online application process for how easy and quick it is. Also, less paper equals less work for the authorities and less of a burden on the environment.

– At every point there are clear explanations of what each point on the form means. In the end, it took very little time to fill in the application form. The only slight complication was getting the appendices scanned, as I do not have a scanner at home.

Monitor your application online: aiming for a five-month processing time

It has been possible to apply for Finnish citizenship online since October 2012. Through our E-services, applicants can also monitor the progress of their applications, change or add to their applications and receive a notification when the decision has been made or is ready to deliver.

The Finnish Immigration Service aims to take applications under consideration within five months of when the customer visits a police service point to verify his/her identity and to present the originals of the appendices submitted with the application. Usually it is not possible to make a decision immediately. The processing time of any given application depends on whether additional investigations have to be made.

Visit and log in to our E-services.

Reform of residence permit and citizenship applications

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 07:54:18 GMT

Reform of residence permit and citizenship applications

All application forms of the Finnish Immigration Service having to do with residence permits and citizenship are gradually being converted into PDF format, because applications in electronic form are faster to process. In the future, applications submitted on paper will be scanned into electronic form.

You can fill in a PDF form online or save it on your own computer and fill it in later.

To fill in a PDF form, you will need Acrobat Reader, a free application that you can download here.

You may also fill in the application on paper. Print out the PDF and fill it in. However, we recommend using the computer, since the application scanner reads electronically written text more accurately and quickly.

The transition to PDF forms will not change the application process itself in any way. Applications must still be submitted to the police or to a Finnish embassy.

Word forms to be phased out

The forms in PDF format will be phased in.

The first forms to be made available in PDF format only will be:

citizenship application forms KAN1, KAN_1A, KAN_1B, KAN_1C
application for a residence permit for employment (OLE_TY1)
application for a permanent residence permit (OLE_P_PEY)

Some application forms are still available in Word format for the time being.

If you cannot open a PDF form or have problems with filling it in, please notify us at e-support@migri.fi. We aim to correct problems as soon as possible. For further information, please consult our website. Our Frequently Asked Questions collection in particular contains a lot of useful information.

Check in good time that your travel document is valid

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 08:51:06 GMT

Check in good time that your travel document is valid

The summer holiday season is fast approaching. If you have an alien's passport or a refugee travel document, check its validity in good time. If you are planning to travel abroad, contact the authorities in your destination country to check how long your passport must be valid after the beginning of your journey. If your travel document is about to expire in the coming months, apply for a new document now in order to avoid the holiday rush.

Holiday travel is not considered a reason to expedite your application, so you should not book travel tickets before you have received your new travel document.

Apply for a passport at a police service point

To apply for a new alien's passport or a refugee travel document, go to the customer service point at a police station. Take your old passport and a passport photo with you. You will be asked to pay a service charge when you submit your application. If you have a residence permit sticker in your old travel document, it will not be transferred to your new passport. Instead you must apply for a residence permit card from the police.

If you already have a valid alien's passport or a refugee travel document, the police usually issues the decision on your application. The Finnish Immigration Service issues the first alien's passport or refugee travel document.

Income level for livelihood required for residence permit is to be increased 1.3.2013

Tue, 19 Feb 2013 07:43:19 GMT

Income level for livelihood required for residence permit is to be increased 1.3.2013

The granting of a residence permit requires that applicants have sufficient income to fund their stay in Finland, and that of their family, if any.

The required income level for livelihood is defined in approximate euro amounts. These amounts will increase from March 1st 2013. These amounts will be applied to applications submitted on March 1st 2013 or thereafter. The monthly amounts will increase by one hundred euros at most. An updated guide of the required amounts is available on the Income requirement page.

At the same time, a scale has been set for the amount of money an applicant is required to have available for each child in the family. Previously it was necessary to make an equal amount of money available for each child. When a family has several children there will now be a stepped decrease in the amount.

The funds available are calculated from the income remaining after tax and employee’s pension and insurance contributions. Examples of sources of income include employment, private enterprise, personal capital, and pensions.

Some social benefits are counted as income.

Increases based on cost of living in Finland

The income level for livelihood required for the granting of a residence permit has been based on the basic amount of income support granted in Finland. The calculation of the basic amount takes into account the cost of living in Finland.

Flexibility in amounts for families with children

Flexibility can be introduced for families with several children so that the required amount of income does not become unreasonably high.

The need for flexibility is always assessed on a case-by-case basis, and will depend, for example, on whether both parents work.

Read more about the topic on the Income requirement page.

Waiting period of about five months for asylum interviews

Wed, 06 Feb 2013 08:06:00 GMT

Waiting period of about five months for asylum interviews

Asylum seekers are presently interviewed by the Finnish Immigration Service about five months after submitting their applications.

In the beginning of February 2013 interviews have been booked largely for applicants who have left their applications in September-October 2012.
The queue for a Finnish Immigration Service asylum interview runs to around 500 persons.

Asylum decisions are not normally made immediately after the interview.

Processing times vary considerably

In 2012 the average processing time at the Finnish Immigration Service for asylum applications undergoing the so-called normal procedure was 330 days.

All are listed under the normal procedure except for decisions made through the accelerated procedure, namely applications without apparent grounds, applications submitted by applicants from a safe country of asylum or a safe country of origin, and applications whose processing according to the EU Community Regulation on Transfer of Responsibility (the so-called Dublin Regulation) falls under the responsibility of another Member State.

There is also considerable fluctuation in processing times within the normal procedure. Precise assessment remains elusive as processing times for individual cases can vary dramatically. The need for further clarification is one factor influencing the time required for processing. The nature of certain applications can therefore cause individual processing times to diverge above or below the average.

This release is updated at an interval of two months.

Submit residence permit application for summer seasonal work by the middle of March

Fri, 25 Jan 2013 07:44:55 GMT

Submit residence permit application for summer seasonal work by the middle of March

The annual peak for work-based residence permit applications usually falls in May–June, when applications are submitted at short notice, particularly for seasonal work.

If you wish to obtain a decision before your employment begins in the summer, submit your residence permit application by the middle of March, or at least two months before your work will begin.

Processing of applications takes several weeks. The process has two stages. First, an Employment and Economic Development Office will issue a partial decision concerning your application. Then, the Finnish Immigration Service will make its decision. The processing time in the Employment and Economic Offices varies.

Submit your application online

You can submit your residence permit application for an employed person electronically. Electronic services make the application process faster, since your application forms and attachments do not need to be sent by post from one authority to another. With e-services, you can also follow the progress of your electronic application online.

In addition, you can submit your application in paper form. You can print the application form on the Application forms webpage. Fill in the form carefully and submit all necessary attachments. This ensures that your application will be processed fastest. You can read more on the 'Residence permit for an employed person' web-page.

Preparing a residence permit card takes about two weeks

If you are granted a residence permit, you will receive a residence permit card. It takes about two weeks to manufacture the card and deliver it to you.

For the time being, we must send residence permit cards for Russia, Kazakhstan, Beijing (China), Shanghai (China) and Israel by the courier service of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Card deliveries to the embassies in these countries will take longer, but generally no more than three weeks.

Residence permit required from citizens of non-EU and non-EEA countries

Citizens of EU countries, Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Switzerland may work in Finland without a residence permit. If their stay in Finland exceeds three months, they must register their residence with the local police.

Citizens of all other countries need a residence permit to be able to work in Finland.

Only berry, fruit and vegetable pickers, whose employment relationship lasts for a maximum of three months, may work in Finland without a residence permit. If they come from a country whose citizens are required to have a visa, they must obtain one from a Finnish embassy. More information on the visa requirement is available on the Ministry for Foreign Affairs website.

Average processing times for citizenship declarations

Fri, 11 Jan 2013 13:05:46 GMT

Average processing times for citizenship declarations

Processing times for citizenship declarations vary case by case. The average processing times are:

young person aged 18 to 22: 5–10 months
foreign national whose father is a Finnish citizen: 3–8 months
former Finnish citizen: 2–5 months
adopted child aged 12 to 17: 5–8 months
natural-born citizen of a Nordic country: 2–5 months

This bulletin is updated every six months.

Processing time for determination of citizenship status

Fri, 11 Jan 2013 13:00:09 GMT

Processing time for determination of citizenship status

Processing times for determination of citizenship status vary case by case.

The determination of citizenship status of a child in connection with a first residence permit application takes 1 to 7 months on average. This does not include the processing time for the residence permit application itself.

This bulletin is updated every six months.

Receiving a decision on a travel document takes 3 months on average

Fri, 11 Jan 2013 12:30:05 GMT

Receiving a decision on a travel document takes 3 months on average

Decisions by the Finnish Immigration Service on applications for aliens’ passports and refugee travel documents are currently issued within three months from the date when the application has been submitted.

In addition to that, the manufacturing of the passport takes approximately one week.

As a rule, we process travel document applications in the order in which they have been submitted. Because of congestion, applications can be rushed past other applications in the queue only for pressing reasons. Pressing reasons do not include, for example, holiday trips.

If you wish to make a request for urgent processing, you should send it to the Finnish Immigration Service a minimum of 1–2 months before the passport is needed. Please, remember to give your name, customer number or social security number and the grounds for urgency. We will decide on the basis of the grounds stated in the request whether we can rush your application past the queue.

Carefully completed applications expedite processing

You can ensure that your application is processed as quickly as possible by submitting all the required attachments and clarifications with the application. If we have to request you to complement your application, processing may be delayed by up to one week.

You should check the validity of your travel document well in advance before leaving on a trip. To avoid any unpleasant surprises, you should submit your application well before the expiry of your current travel document. It is not advisable to book travel tickets before the new travel document is ready.

Lost travel documents

If your travel documents goes missing or gets stolen, you should notify the local police immediately. You have to pay a processing fee for replacing the lost travel document.

Division of tasks between the Finnish Immigration Service and the police

Submit your travel document application always to the local police. You have to pay a processing fee when you submit your application.

The decision on your first travel document application is always issued by the Finnish Immigration Service.
If you have a previous travel document which is still valid, the local police shall decide on the granting of a new travel document.
According to the Aliens Act, if your previous travel document has expired, even if only by one day, the decision on the new document must be made by the Finnish Immigration Service.
The Finnish Immigration Service shall also decide on the granting of a new travel document in such cases where the previous travel document has gone missing.
The Finnish Immigration Service also decides on cancellation of aliens' passports and refugees' travel documents.

The processing times of applications for aliens’ passports and refugee travel documents which are decided on by the local police vary between police departments. Please contact the police department of your domicile for a time estimate.

The migri.fi-website received plenty of positive feedback in the customer survey conducted in the summer

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 13:23:32 GMT

The migri.fi website received plenty of positive feedback in the customer survey conducted in the summer

Last June, we carried out an online survey on our customers’ views and experiences of the services of the Finnish Immigration Service.

More than 65 per cent of respondents were satisfied with or felt neutral about our services although we did receive some criticism, for example about processing times. Respondents had also clearly noticed that we are constantly developing our services.

A clear and useful website

In the survey, the Migri.fi website was found to be easy to use, clear and functional. The website had been visited over ten times by 70 per cent of the respondents, and almost 85 per cent were satisfied with or felt neutral about it. All age groups were equally satisfied with the website.

More language versions of the site were requested, however. Unfortunately, we are unable to increase the number of language versions because it would require too much time and effort to keep them up to date. Our information point for immigrants in Helsinki provides services in person in more than ten languages.

Service numbers are easily found, but congestion is irritating

Our telephone service received the highest number of comments from respondents. The busiest service numbers are the general customer service number and the number on which experts answer queries concerning applications based on family ties.

According to the respondents, the customer service numbers are easy to find on the website. Negative feedback concerned the congestion on the telephone lines and the lack of a phone queuing system. The customers were also unsure whether their particular matter had definitely been taken care of.

Information on processing times concentrated on our website

We aim to reduce congestion in our telephone service, for example, by providing more detailed information about processing times so that an increasing number of customers will find the information they need on our website and will not need to call us at all. For example, in summer 2012, the processing situation regarding students’ residence permit applications was updated on our website once a week, and this clearly reduced the need for telephone enquiries.

Unfortunately, we cannot have a call queuing system in our telephone service for technical reasons.

We also received negative feedback on the length of processing times. We are constantly improving the efficiency of our operations to ensure that the processing times are as short as possible.

Submit your application electronically and follow its progress online

Customers have wished for an opportunity to follow the status of their own application. This is possible if the application has been submitted through e-services. Unfortunately, we cannot offer this service for applications submitted on paper.

E-services were popular among the respondents and were also recommended to others. Expanded in October, the service provides an opportunity for an increasing number of customers to submit their application online.

Responses from 50 nationalities

The survey was responded to by 183 people representing 50 different nationalities; 34 per cent were Finnish nationals, while Russian citizens (about 10 per cent) were the second biggest group to respond to the survey. The majority of respondents were under 50 years of age. The number of male and female respondents was roughly equal. Most had applied for a residence permit or Finnish citizenship.

Next year we will continue to develop our operations on the basis of the feedback. We will also continue to request our customers’ opinions on our services and receive development proposals.

Thank you to all those who responded to the survey!

Citizenship application for a child can now be made online

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 06:39:25 GMT

Citizenship application for a child can now be made online

It is now possible to fill in a separate citizenship application form for a child online.

Up to now e-services have enabled citizenship applications for adult applicants only. The applicants have been able to use the same form to apply both for themselves and for a child in their care.

E-services speed up decision-making because information in the system is transferred directly between the police and the Finnish Immigration Service. With e-services, you can also follow the progress of your electronic application online.

You may access the e-services via the websites of the Finnish Immigration Service or the Finnish police. The direct address is https://e-asiointi.migri.fi.

Visit a police service point to verify your identity

After you have completed the citizenship application through e-services, you must visit a police service point of your choice to verify your identity and to present the originals of the attachments required for the application.

When you are applying for citizenship for a child, you must bring him or her with you to the police service point.

An application cannot be processed until you have visited the police.

What kind of result in a language examination is enough for obtaining Finnish citizenship?

Fri, 14 Dec 2012 14:18:42 GMT

What kind of result in a language examination is enough for obtaining Finnish citizenship?

One requirement for obtaining Finnish citizenship is that you have satisfactory oral and written skills in Finnish or Swedish, or satisfactory skills in Finnish or Swedish sign language.

When you are applying for Finnish citizenship, you can prove your language skills for example by completing the National Certificate of Language Proficiency in either Finnish or Swedish. You must pass at least level 3 and show satisfactory oral and written skills. In certificates issued before 2002 the level must be at least 4.

Read more about what is considered a sufficient performance.

Instead of the National Certificate of Language Proficiency you can prove your language skills also for example with a school leaving certificate issued by a comprehensive school or an upper secondary school. Read more about different alternatives.

New and old citizenship applications processed in parallel

Mon, 03 Dec 2012 11:56:41 GMT

New and old citizenship applications processed in parallel

The Finnish Immigration Service has begun parallel processing of citizenship applications submitted in 2012 and those submitted earlier. This will help shorten queues and prevent new ones from forming. Our aim is to eliminate queues altogether.

Parallel processing of applications submitted at different times will be continued in 2013.

While the number of citizenship applications submitted has increased by almost 40 % during 2012, we have been able to shorten our processing times for both new and old applications.

New animated film shows how to obtain decisions faster

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 12:37:17 GMT

New animated film shows how to obtain decisions faster

The Finnish Immigration Service has produced an animated film for its customers. The film aims to explain why processing residence permit applications takes time, and how the customer can best contribute to quick decision-making.

We also wish to introduce our customers, who arrive from all over the world, to how Finnish authorities operate. For example, many foreigners find it difficult to understand that they do not need specifically to monitor the progress of their application and that constant queries may, in fact, slow down the decision-making process.

The animated film is built around an example situation that contains several frequently asked customer service questions concerning the processing time of applications. The main characters of the story are called Marco and Anna. Marco, who lives abroad, is applying for his first Finnish residence permit. He gets advice from his friend Anna, who is also a foreigner but has already been living in Finland for several years.

The animation is in Finnish, Swedish and English, and is available on the Finnish Immigration Service website.

The Finnish Consulate in Sydney to be closed at the end of October

Tue, 30 Oct 2012 12:38:02 GMT

The Finnish consulate in Sydney to be closed at the end of October

Customer service at the Sydney consulate will end on the 31^st of October 2012, when the consulate will be closed. From the beginning of November,e.g. residence permit and nationality issues will be handled at the Finnish Embassy in Canberra. Residence permit cards will also be sent to Canberra.

For more information, please see the embassy`s website.

Exchange student: apply for a residence permit online

Tue, 30 Oct 2012 12:00:58 GMT

Exchange student: apply for a residence permit online

If you are coming to Finland to study as an exchange student for a period of more than three months, you will need a residence permit. Citizens of the EU countries, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Iceland are the only ones who do not need a residence permit.

Apply for a permit immediately when you receive a letter of acceptance from the educational institute where you will be studying.

Apply online – receive a decision faster

Fill in the residence permit application online, as this is the fastest way to receive a decision. At best, handling of the application will take no more than a few days. With e-services, you can also follow the progress of your electronic application online.

Online applications are transferred globally from the work queue of one authority to another, so there is no need to send papers through the mail. Applications filled in on paper in the traditional way will be sent to Finland by courier, which may take up to several weeks.

Visit a Finnish embassy to verify your identity

Finland began using biometric residence permit cards in early 2012. This is why an application filled in via e-services will be transferred to the Finnish Immigration Service only after you have visited a Finnish embassy, where you have verified your identity, left your fingerprints and passport photograph, and presented the originals of the attachments required for the application.

If the permit is granted, you will receive the residence permit card within 1 to 2 weeks.

Please also read the checklist for students applying for a residence permitpdf, 104,6 kB .

The Migration Library to serve also in the morning

Tue, 23 Oct 2012 11:38:41 GMT

The Migration library to serve also in the morning

The opening hours of the Migration Library have changed. The library is open on Wednesdays from 8.30 am to 11.30 am and on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 12 pm to 3 pm. Earlier the library was open to customers only in the afternoon. The morning opening hours are the result of a request in the customer survey done in the summer.

These new hours are a trial lasting until the end of the year. If they are popular, they will be continued.

When the library is closed, books can be returned to the reception of the Finnish Immigration Service (Lautatarhankatu 10), which is open Monday through Friday from 8 am to 4.15 pm.

For exceptions in opening hours and other information, please see the library`s website.

The Embassy of Finland in Manila is closing by 31.12.2012, operational changes in November-December

Fri, 19 Oct 2012 10:01:18 GMT

The Embassy of Finland in Manila is closing by 31.12.2012, operational changes in November-December

The embassy will be moving out from its current premises by the end of October 2012. Before closing down permanently on 31.12.2012, the embassy will be operating in temporary premises.

Due to the move, embassy’s customer service will be closed from 25th of October until 2nd of November 2012. Customer service will resume on 5th of November in the premises of the Royal Norwegian Embassy where a Consular office of Finland will be opened.

More and more applications can be submitted online

Wed, 10 Oct 2012 11:39:33 GMT

More and more applications can be submitted online

The e-services for foreigner’s permit matters have expanded to cover all work-related residence permit applications, citizenship application and the registration of EU citizens. In the beginning of 2012, the service was opened for persons applying for their first student’s residence permit.

As long as you make sure that you answer all the questions on the application form, attach all the required appendices and pay the handling fee, using the e-services is the quickest way to receive a decision.

You can also use the e-services to supplement your application, to follow the processing of your application, and to receive notification when the decision has been made. You can choose to receive notification by e-mail or SMS of any messages received on your user account, such as requests for clarification or notices of decisions.

Most permit types included in the service

You can now submit an application via the e-services for

a student’s residence permit
a residence permit on the basis of employment
a residence permit for a specialist
a residence permit for a trainee
a residence permit on the grounds of sports-related or coaching work
a residence permit for a researcher
a residence permit for an au pair
a residence permit on the grounds of self-employment
registration of an EU citizen’s right of residence
residence card of an EU citizen’s family member
citizenship of Finland.

At the moment, you may apply for a residence permit on the grounds of family ties or re-migration only with a paper form. The forms are available on the website of the Finnish Immigration Service. The possibilities of expanding the e-services to cover even some of the forms for family ties applications will be considered on the basis of experiences received of the service.

A visit to the embassy or a police is required

Even if you submit your application online, you will have to visit the Finnish embassy or a police in order to verify your identity and to give your fingerprints for the biometric residence permit card. You will also need to show the original copies of any appendices to your application.

An electronic application cannot be processed until you have visited the embassy or the police.

Despite the visit requirement, the e-services are the quickest way to receive a decision. Time is saved especially during the initial phase of the application process: while a paper form may take months to find its way to the authority who is responsible for making the decision, the electronic form is immediately received.

How do I find the e-services?

You may access the e-services via the website of the Finnish Immigration Service or the Finnish police. The direct address is https://e-asiointi.migri.fi.

Fewer service numbers - same level of advice

Thu, 27 Sep 2012 11:40:44 GMT

Fewer service numbers but same level of advice

The Finnish Immigration Service will streamline its telephone advisory service on citizenship issues, and asylum and refugee issues, from 1 October 2012. The ser-vice number selection will be reduced by three numbers. This will make it easier for customers to choose just the right number for the issue that concerns them.

Citizenship issues will be handled from one number: +358 (0)71 873 3650. All enquiries about Finnish citizenship will be answered from this number.

Two numbers will remain for asylum and refugee issues:

Asylum issues and the related residence permit issues, asylum seeker's right to employment: +358 (0)71 873 3680
Refugee travel documents and aliens' passports: 071 873 3640

Service numbers for residence permit issues will remain the same.

Our experts will be available on our subject-specific service numbers, on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays between 10 and 11 a.m.

We will also serve you by phone via our customer service, from Monday to Friday between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.

Problems in the communication lines

Mon, 17 Sep 2012 11:45:00 GMT

Problems in the communication lines

There have been numerous technical problems in the communication lines of the Finnish Immigration Service lately. Therefore some of the phone calls can be inter-rupted and the customer service personnel can not necessarily check information in the electronic case management system. Also the e-services have been out of or-der due to the interruptions in the communication lines.

Our service provider is seeking a solution to the problems. A part of the problems concern the whole administrative sector of the Ministry of Interior.

We regret any inconvenience to our customers.

Changes in the refugee travel document and in the alien’s passport

Fri, 24 Aug 2012 11:14:12 GMT

Changes in the refugee travel document and in the alien’s passport

The appearance of the Finnish passport has changed 22 August 2012. The refugee travel document and the alien’s passport changed at the same time. The old-style refugee travel documents and alien’s passports may be used until their expiry date.

Read more from the press release of the National Police Board (in Finnish)
See pictures of the new refugee travel document and of the new alien’s passport.

When applying for a residence permit the partner in a personal relationship must have a secure income

Wed, 15 Aug 2012 06:57:04 GMT

When applying for a residence permit the partner in a personal relationship must have a secure income

A partner in a personal relationship cannot be granted a residence permit on the basis of family ties. This is because a partner in a personal relationship with a Finnish citizen or with a person granted a Finnish residence permit is not considered to be a family member.

In certain circumstances a personal relationship may be considered a reason for granting a temporary residence permit.

In such cases the livelihood of the residence permit applicant must be secured, for example through wage income, savings, or self-employed income. The applicant must be able to access these funds freely, for example through a personal bank account. The calculation of secured income does not include the income or savings of the partner in the personal relationship living in Finland.

The following conditions must also be fulfilled:

The personal relationship has become established. Evidence of this can be considered to include, for example, previous cohabitation, or pregnancy.
The partners in the personal relationship intend to continue to share their lives together in Finland.

Further information:

►Frequently Asked Questions: Family

►Personal relationship – Family member of a person with a residence permit

►Personal relationship – Family member of a Finnish citizen

►Income requirement

The Finnish Immigration Service has awoken interest in SuomiAreena

Wed, 18 Jul 2012 11:45:47 GMT

The Finnish Immigration Service has awoken interest in SuomiAreena

The stand of the Finnish Immigration Service at the SuomiAreena event in Pori has become popular already during the first day. The public has even queued up for our quiz. Many of the visitors have already in advance known quite a lot about the work of the Finnish Immigration Service.

During the first day, our experts have answered e.g. how a former Finnish citizen can get his or her citizenship back and how one can get a working place or traineeship period at the Finnish Immigration Service.

The SuomiAreena event will continue in Pori on Thursday and Friday 19–20 July. The stand of the Finnish Immigration Service is located at the Kansalaistori, the ‘Civic Marketplace’. At 11.45 pm on Friday 20 July, Director Tiina Suominen will hold an info session on obtaining Finnish citizenship.

Alongside the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland, the Ministry of the Interior is a key partner of the Pori SuomiAreena 2012 event. SuomiAreena is organised by MTV3 and the City of Pori.

Welcome!

Further information

►MTV3: What is SuomiAreena?

Nearly 3,500 applications for a student residence permit

Mon, 16 Jul 2012 12:58:16 GMT

Nearly 3,500 applications for a student residence permit

The peak season for receiving applications from students for residence permits is June to September. At this time, the number of applications so far is almost the same as last summer: between 1 January and 15 July 2012, 3,489 persons applied for their first student residence permit in Finland.

Judging by experiences from previous years, it is expected that some 1,500 further applications will be received during the rest of the summer.

The aim is for students to receive decisions on their applications before the academic year begins. Processing of applications is begun as soon as possible after being filed with the Finnish Immigration Service; so far, considerably more decisions have been made than by this time last year.

More than 2,300 applicants have already received a decision on their application; some 95 % were granted a residence permit.

Average processing time is 20 days

So far this year, the average processing time for a student residence permit application, from filing to decision date, is 20 days.

Processing times vary case by case. If your application is taking considerably longer than the average time to process, this means that additional measures such as requests for missing documents or an interview at a Finnish diplomatic mission are needed.

Fast track through online service

The shortest processing times are those for applications filed through the online service; more than 1,000 of these have been filed so far.

Online applications reach the Finnish Immigration Service more quickly than applications submitted at a Finnish mission abroad on paper, which are delivered to Finland by courier.

If you have filed your application online, you may also track its progress online. Please note that filing an online application also requires a visit to a Finnish mission. You only need to visit a Finnish mission to verify your identity, have your fingerprints taken and present the original copies of any supplements needed for the application; but your application cannot be taken under consideration until you have done so.

Monitor progress of the processing at migri.fi

You can follow the progress of student application processing on the website of the Finnish Immigration Service. The queue is updated every week.

The Finnish Embassies in Canton, Las Palmas and Islamabad are closing by 1 August 2012

Fri, 13 Jul 2012 12:00:00 GMT

The Finnish Embassies in Canton, Las Palmas and Islamabad are closing by 1 August 2012

The Consulate General in Canton, China, the Consulate in Las Palmas, Spain, and the Embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan, will be closed by 1 August 2012.

Residence permit applications may be submitted to other Finnish Embassies where applicants have legal entry. Customers of the Consulate General in Canton will be directed to the Embassy in Beijing from the beginning of August onwards.

Further information

►The Consulate General in Canton

►The Consulate in Las Palmas

►The Embassy in Islamabad

Finnish Immigration Service Participates in SuomiAreena – All are Welcome!

Thu, 12 Jul 2012 11:46:27 GMT

Finnish Immigration Service Participates in SuomiAreena – All are Welcome!

The Finnish Immigration Service will participate in the SuomiAreena event in Pori on 18–20 July. At our stand at the Kansalaistori, the ‘Civic Marketplace’, you can familiarise yourself with the work of the Finnish Immigration Service, through a light-hearted quiz.

At 11.45 pm on Friday 20 July, Director Tiina Suominen will hold a fascinating info session on obtaining Finnish citizenship.

Come to the Kansalaistori to find out about the activities of various organisations

The Finnish Immigration Service's stand is part of the broad Interior Affairs line-up at SuomiAreena. The Emergency Response Centre Agency, the Border Guard, the police, the Satakunta Rescue Service, the Crisis Management Centre and the Ministry of the Interior will attend in addition to us.

You can also join the discussion online

The Ministry of the Interior will organise discussions in the SuomiAreena courtyard on 18 and 19 July. You can also participate in these online.

Themes of discussions

Wednesday 18 July, 3.45 to 5.00 pm, Naked on the net – is all revealed?
The internet, its possibilities and risks
Thursday 19 July, 2.00 to 3.15 pm, Unfounded fears – the big alarmism conversation!
Finns' fears and means of allaying them.

Alongside the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland, the Ministry of the Interior is a key partner of the Pori SuomiAreena 2012 event. SuomiAreena is organised by MTV3 and the City of Pori.

Further information

►MTV3: What is SuomiAreena?

Thank you for responding to our customer survey

Fri, 06 Jul 2012 11:53:45 GMT

Thank you for responding to our customer survey

The response time for our customer survey ended at the end of June. We would like to thank all of the respondents! More than 65 % of respondents were satisfied with or felt neutral about the services of the Finnish Immigration Service.

Most of the almost 200 respondents were applicants or their representatives. Most had applied for a residence permit or Finnish citizenship. The majority of the respondents were under 50 years old. The numbers of male and female respondents were roughly equal. Respondents represented about 50 nationalities.

Responses will be used for development

By far, the services of the Finnish Immigration Service used most often by the respondents were telephone services and the web site. There was a great deal of free-form feedback, so the responses are very useful to us for the development of our customer services.

We will provide information on the results and future service reforms later, when we have had time to analyse the responses in more detail.

Customer service point to shorten opening hours in July

Mon, 25 Jun 2012 11:55:04 GMT

Customer service point to shorten opening hours in July

The Finnish Immigration Service customer service point will be open in July exceptionally only at 9 a.m.–12 noon. However, documents can be left at the Service’s reception window on Monday–Friday at 8 a.m.–4.15 p.m.

The customer service telephone will be at your service for the whole summer as normal on Monday–Friday at 9 a.m.–3 p.m. You can also get service at the Citizens’ Service Office at the Helsinki City Hall throughout the summer on Monday–Friday at 9 a.m.–7 p.m. and on Saturdays and Sundays at 10 a.m.–4 p.m.

During the summer period the Finnish Immigration Service will have a smaller staff than normal due to vacations. For this reason there may sometimes be hold-ups in customer service and processing may be delayed. The customer service opening hours are being shortened to ensure that enough staff are available to process applications even during the height of the holiday period.

We respectfully ask our customers to remember that repeated enquiries or requests for urgency will not speed up the processing of applications. We apologise for any inconvenience that may be caused to you during the summer holiday period.

From the beginning of August our customer service point will again be ready to serve you as normal on Monday–Friday at 9 a.m.–3 p.m.

Via RSS, you will receive notification of new bulletins

Wed, 20 Jun 2012 11:56:24 GMT

Via RSS, you will receive notification of new bulletins

You can keep up to date with Finnish Immigration Service bulletins via RSS feeds. With the RSS service, you will be informed via your browser or RSS Reader whenever we publish a new bulletin on our web pages, without having to visit our website. You can select the bulletins that interest you, such as those on application queues.

You can subscribe to RSS feeds on

press releases,
customer bulletins,
processing times
exception info on exceptional arrangements, such as exceptional service hours.

To read RSS feeds, you need a browser or RSS Reader

To use the RSS service, you need a separate RSS Reader or an RSS-compatible browser.

Generally used browsers:

When using e.g. Mozilla Firefox or Internet Explorer 7, you will not need a separate RSS Reader, but can access RSS feeds by clicking on the orange RSS icon.
When using the Opera browser, the RSS service appears on the address bar as an RSS icon, which can be clicked to subscribe to an RSS feed list.

For other browsers we recommend a separate RSS Reader. RSS Readers are available free-of-charge online. These include RssReader, FeedReader and SharpReader. When using an RSS Reader, you must define the URL of the feed you are accessing. URLs for Finnish Immigration Service RSS feeds can be found at www.migri.fi/en/rss.

Subscribe for an RSS feed using the icon

You can subscribe to RSS feeds from pages on which you see an RSS icon.

Subscribe to a feed as follows when using the most common browsers:

Click on the RSS icon on the upper edge of the browser window.
If more than one feed appears on the same page, select and click on the feed you want from the pull-down menu next to the icon.
The page that opens will advise you on how to subscribe to a feed. This is usually done by clicking the ‘Subscribe to this feed’ button.

You can also subscribe to a feed by clicking the RSS icon on the content page.

For example, feeds subscribed to on Internet Explorer are listed on one of the tabs under 'Favourites.' When a new bulletin arrives for the feed, the feed's heading turns bold. Click on the heading to read the bulletin.

What is RSS?

RSS is a way of conveying content online. It is an abbreviation for Really Simple Syndication or Rich Site Summary.

Frequently asked questions on our e-services

Tue, 12 Jun 2012 11:57:07 GMT

Frequently asked questions on our e-services

At the beginning of 2012, the Finnish Immigration Service and the police launched eServices covering permits for foreigners. To begin with, these services are only available to students applying for their first residence permit.

In the FAQ section, you will find answers to frequently asked questions on our eServices. For example, from there you can find out how to register with the service and where to get help in problem situations.

We are gradually extending our electronic services

We are adding other residence permit forms and citizenship application forms to the service in stages. In the future, it will also be possible to apply for permit extensions electronically. Other additions to the service will include registration of EU citizens’ right of residence, and applications for residence cards for family members of EU citizens.

Please respond to our customer survey

Mon, 28 May 2012 11:58:03 GMT

Please respond to our customer survey

On our website you will find a customer survey. Please respond by 30 June 2012. We develop our services on a continuous basis and would like our customers to participate in influencing what kind of services we provide in the future.

The questions are directed particularly at our applicant customers; however, we hope that others who have used our services will also respond to the survey.

We will publish the results of the survey on our website at a later date.

Thank you for your input!

Enter the survey

Peak season for student applications has started

Fri, 25 May 2012 09:37:21 GMT

Peak season for student applications has started

The period from June to September is peak season for the Finnish Immigration Service to receive student applications for residence permits. In 2011, some 5 000 applications, that is, about 90 per cent of the total number of student applications during the year, were submitted during that period.

The Finnish Immigration Service treats all student residence permit applications as urgent, and processes and decides upon them accordingly, so no special request for urgency is needed. Applications are decided on in the order in which they are received. You cannot expedite the processing of your case by contacting us by email or telephone. For example, the fact that you have already purchased a flight ticket will not expedite the processing of your application.

Apply via e-service or use the application form

Submit your application to a Finnish embassy abroad as soon as you have received confirmation of a place of study in a Finnish educational institution. You may also apply for a residence permit online at https://e-asiointi.migri.fi.

Read the instructions for filling in the application form provided in the check list for student’s residence permit applicants.

It takes an average of one month to decide on the application after it has reached the Finnish Immigration Service, provided that you have completed your application correctly and enclosed the necessary appendices. If you have not applied for a permit via e-service, it takes an average of one month for applications submitted at diplomatic missions to reach the Finnish Immigration Service. The majority of applicants obtain a residence permit before studies begin.

Give your fingerprints at a Finnish embassy

Finland introduced biometric residence permit cards at the beginning of 2012. Your application cannot be processed until you have given your fingerprints at the embassy. You also need to verify your identity and present the original copies of any supplements needed for the application.

Wait for the decision abroad. You may not come to Finland while your application is being processed and receive a residence permit card here. A favourable decision on a residence permit cannot be delivered immediately after it is made, because the manufacturing and posting of a residence permit card takes approximately three weeks.

Follow the status of processing queue on www.migri.fi

You can follow the progress of student application processing on the website of the Finnish Immigration Service at http://www.migri.fi/processingtimes. The information is updated every week. If you applied via e-service, you can check the status of your application online by logging into e-services.

Our website is also where we provide information and instructions if there are exceptional changes in average processing times and if the decisions cannot be made before the studies begin.

Check list for student’s residence permit applicants

Fri, 25 May 2012 09:36:58 GMT

Check list for student’s residence permit applicants

Submit your application to a Finnish mission abroad once you have received confirmation of a student place in a Finnish educational institution. However, make sure before submitting your application that you have assembled all the necessary appendices for inclusion in your application.

Fill in application form OLE_OPI carefully. You may also apply for a residence permit online at https://e-asiointi.migri.fi. Remember to sign the form and include your contact details. Include all the necessary appendices listed in Section E of the form. Please note that any missing item will delay the processing of your application. However, do not add any unnecessary appendices to your application. The Finnish Immigration Service will ask you to provide further clarification, if needed. Do not forget to mention the planned date of your arrival in Finland on your application form.

Give your fingerprints at a Finnish embassy. An application submitted via e-service cannot be processed until you have given your fingerprints for the biometric residence permit card. You also need to verify your identity and present the original copies of any supplements needed for the application.

Your health insurance and passport must be valid during your entire stay in Finland. If your studies take one year or longer, your health insurance and passport must be valid for at least one year from your date of arrival in Finland. If your studies take less than one year, the validity of your insurance and passport must cover your entire stay in Finland.

Your livelihood must be secured. For a one-year residence permit you will need to have 6,000 euros available. For studies taking less than a year you will need 500 euros for each month. You must have the required sum deposited in an account under your name or a certificate of a scholarship or bursary granted by an official body. Sponsorship guarantees given by private persons, such as relatives, friends or employers, will not be accepted.

You cannot expedite the processing of your application, for example because you have already purchased a flight ticket. Applications are processed in the order in which they are received. You cannot expedite the processing of your case by contacting us by email or telephone. Please note that if you have not applied for a permit via e-service, it takes an average of one month for applications submitted at diplomatic missions to reach the Finnish Immigration Service.

Follow the progress of student application processing at the Finnish Immigration Service at http://www.migri.fi/processingtimes. If you applied via e-service, you can check the status of your application online by logging in to e-services. Our website is also where we provide information and instructions if there are exceptional changes in average processing times and if the decisions cannot be made before the studies begin.

Wait for the decision abroad. You may not come to Finland while your application is being processed and receive a residence permit card here. A favourable decision on a residence permit cannot be delivered immediately after it is made, because the manufacturing and posting of a residence permit card takes approximately three weeks.

If you have questions, check the frequently asked questions on the website of the Finnish Immigration Service for possible answers. If you cannot find an answer to your question, you may contact the service numbers of the Finnish Immigration Service.

Asylum seekers to apply for various residence permits separately

Tue, 22 May 2012 13:28:38 GMT

Asylum seekers to apply for various residence permits separately

If you are an asylum seeker and you wish to be granted a residence permit on grounds other than international protection, you must submit a separate residence permit application. Other possible grounds include for example family ties, work, and study.

If your asylum application is pending

If you have an asylum application pending, the Finnish Immigration Service will decide whether you can be granted

asylum
a residence permit on the basis of subsidiary protection
a residence permit on the basis of humanitarian protection
a residence permit in cases where you cannot be removed from Finland
a residence permit on compassionate grounds
a residence permit as a victim of human trafficking.

If you wish to be granted a residence permit on other grounds, you must submit an application to police and pay a processing fee. The Finnish Immigration Service will process all of your applications together with your asylum application. You will receive the decisions for all of these applications at the same time.

If you have already received a decision on your asylum application

If, after you have already received a decision on your asylum application, new grounds arise for granting you a residence permit, you must submit a new application to police and pay a processing fee.

This also applies if you wish to apply for

a residence permit in cases where you cannot be removed from Finland
a residence permit on compassionate grounds
a residence permit as a victim of human trafficking.

Unless a related asylum application is pending, the Finnish Immigration Service usually processes new residence permit applications in the order of their arrival.

Same fees for all applicants

To ensure fair treatment of all applicants, the Finnish Immigration Service has unified the residence permit application procedures for asylum seekers. In the future, all persons who apply for a residence permit on the basis of family ties, study, or work will complete the same application form and pay the same handling fee.

No more preliminary appraisals of language proficiency certificates

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 10:12:25 GMT

No more preliminary appraisals of language proficiency certificates

The Finnish Nationality Act was revised in September 2011 to include an exhaustive list of the certificates accepted as proof of proficiency in Finnish or Swedish language when applying for Finnish citizenship. This is why the Finnish Immigration Service no longer carries out preliminary appraisals of whether a certain type of certificate is considered an acceptable proof of language proficiency. Applicants are therefore advised not to send certificates to the Finnish Immigration Service before submitting a citizenship application.

You can check the website of the Finnish Immigration Service for information about the types of certificates you can use to demonstrate language proficiency when applying for Finnish citizenship. You can also find useful information in our frequently asked questions.

Only fully completed qualifications are accepted

Please note that only certificates issued for full completion of a qualification are accepted. Although it is sometimes possible to obtain a certificate for partial completion of a qualification, such certificates are not accepted as proof of language proficiency when applying for Finnish citizenship.

Certificates issued for education undertaken in preparation for a qualification are also not considered adequate proof of language proficiency.

Interviews of Iraqis on family ties to be held in Turkey in May and June 2012

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 06:10:34 GMT

Interviews of Iraqis on family ties to be held in Turkey in May and June 2012

The Finnish Immigration Service will travel to Istanbul, Turkey, to conduct interviews in May and June 2012. The interviews will take place in Turkey because the Finnish embassy in Damascus is temporarily closed due to Syrian unrest.

Interviewing applicants who have applied by the end of March

During the trip will be interviewed those Iraqi citizens whose residence permit applications have arrived at the Finnish Immigration Service by 31 March 2012. Any applications received after March 2012 will be processed in the order in which they were received and any necessary interviews will be arranged later.

An interview is held if there are no other means of establishing sufficient grounds for granting a residence permit.

Invitations will be mailed to the interviewees

Sponsors or applicants will not have to contact the Finnish Immigration Service about the interview.

If an applicant must be interviewed in order to issue a decision on his/her application, an invitation to the interview will be mailed to the applicant's sponsor living in Finland.

If the sponsor does not receive an invitation, an interview is not required. That means that the family member's application for a resident permit and any further written information requested by the Finnish Immigration Service will be sufficient to issue a decision.

The Immigration Police in Helsinki is moving

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 09:21:43 GMT

The Immigration Police in Helsinki is moving

The Immigration Police’s office in Malmi will be closed on Friday, 20 April 2012. A new office opens on Monday, 23 April 2012 at the following address:

Pasilan Poliisitalo 2,
Pasilanraitio 11, Länsi-Pasila

Joutseno Reception Centre will move on 16th April 2012

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 11:54:27 GMT

Joutseno Reception Centre will move on 16th April 2012

Joutseno Reception Centre will move to Konnunsuo on Monday 16th April 2012. The new address is:

Jouseno Reception Centre
Läykäntie 53
54190 KONNUNSUO

Telephone numbers, fax numbers, e-mail addresses, and invoicing address will remain unchanged.

Check in good time that your travel document is valid

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 07:09:51 GMT

Check in good time that your travel document is valid

Holiday travel is not considered a reason to expedite your application, so you should not book travel tickets before you have received your new travel document.

Apply for a passport at a police service point

Delay in delivery of some residence permit cards

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 11:25:24 GMT

Delay in delivery of some residence permit cards

The delivery of certain residence permit cards has been delayed. The stickers that were previously affixed to the travel document were replaced by biometric residence permit cards at the beginning of 2012. The new technical system and procedures that were introduced at the same time are not yet working perfectly.

We are nevertheless able to deliver most cards to the appropriate service point – either the Finnish embassy abroad or the police in Finland – about one week after the date of the positive decision, as originally planned.

We apologize for the delay and are doing our best to restore the situation to normal as soon as possible.

Average delivery time of about one week

The average delivery time given by the private company that manufactures the cards is one week. The Finnish Immigration Service is unable to influence this delivery time. We follow the card manufacturer’s technical operations and the progress of orders closely, and act immediately if any mistakes occur. Repeated enquiries will not speed up the handling process.

Please note that you should not buy flight tickets or make other travel arrangements until you have received your residence permit card.

Longest delivery times for Russia, Ukraine, China and Israel

For the time being we must send residence permit cards for Russia, Ukraine, Guangzhou (China) and Israel by the courier service of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Card deliveries to the Finnish embassies in these countries will take longer, but generally no more than three weeks from the date of the positive decision.

The Embassy of Finland in Islamabad is closing by 1 August 2012

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 12:48:55 GMT

The Embassy of Finland in Islamabad is closing by 1 August 2012

As a part of the gradual shutdown of the activities, entry issues will not be handled in the mission after 1 March 2012. Entry permit applications can be submitted to other Finnish Embassies in the region, such as Embassy of Finland in New Delhi, where applicants have legal entry.

Read more from the website of the embassy.

22.2.2012

The immigration services of the Embassy of Finland in Damascus have been moved to Ankara

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 12:01:19 GMT

The immigration services of the Embassy of Finland in Damascus have been moved to Ankara

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland has moved the immigration services of the Embassy of Finland in Damascus to Ankara 31.01.2012. All visa and residence permit applications submitted by applicants belonging to the countries covered by the Embassy of Finland in Damascus should be submitted to the Embassy of Finland in Ankara.

Read more from the embassies pages: Damascus, Ankara

8.2.2012

Requests for supplementary information and positive decision on citizenship to be posted...

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:35:14 GMT

Requests for supplementary information and positive decision on citizenship to be posted in the form of an e-letter

The Finnish Immigration Service will post requests for supplementary information related to residence permit and citizenship matters as well as positive decisions on citizenship to its customers in the form of an e-letter.

In sending a letter as an e-letter, the Finnish Immigration Service transmits the data contained in the letter via an electronic system to Itella, that is, the Finland Post. At Itella, the letter is then printed, inserted in an envelope and sent to the recipient by post as an ordinary letter.

Please note that an envelope containing a Finnish Immigration Service e-letter bears no official logo of ours. The letter will arrive in an ordinary white envelope.

Faster information flow

By using e-letters, we are able to accelerate the flow of information between the Finnish Immigration Service and the customer. The introduction of the e-letter is also expected to make the processing of cases more efficient. The time previously spent on mailing letters can now be spent on decision-making work, and it is hoped that this will contribute to the shortening of processing times.

At a later date, we will introduce the e-letter for mailing positive decisions on residence permit applications as well.

7.2.2012

It takes approximately one week for your residence permit card to arrive

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:18:44 GMT

It takes approximately one week for your residence permit card to arrive

A favourable decision on a residence permit or asylum application cannot be delivered immediately after it is made, because the manufacturing and posting of a residence permit card usually takes approximately one week.

The cards are manufactured by a private company, and the Finnish Immigration Service has no influence over how soon the cards can be delivered. Please note that phone calls to the Finnish Immigration Service do not speed up the manufacturing of your card.

For now, we have to send the residence permit cards to Russia, Ukraine, Canton in China and Israel by diplomatic mail of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The card deliveries last longer to the embassies of these countries, usually three weeks at the most after the positive decision is made.

7.2.2012

Video to help with filling in citizenship application

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 09:31:22 GMT

Video to help with filling in citizenship application

There is now a video that can help you when you are applying for Finnish citizenship, with instructions on how to fill in the relevant form (KAN_1). The video, published on the Finnish Immigration Service’s YouTube channel, explains what information you must provide, and illustrates the process as the form is filled in with a fictional person’s information (Ella Esimerkki, or ‘Ellie Example’).

Our goal is to help applicants fill in the application form correctly using the video, so the form can be processed quickly. If any areas of the form are left blank, we have to request additional information from the applicant, which delays the process.

The video is available in Finnish and Swedish, like the KAN_1 form itself.

Please give us feedback on the video

Later in 2012, we will be releasing a video with instructions on how to fill in the OLE_PH1 form for spouses of people already living in Finland with a residence permit, which allows the person already resident in Finland to apply for the spouse’s first Finnish residence permit.

Please provide comments on our citizenship application instruction video on our website. You can find the feedback survey link on the Citizenship Forms page under the KAN_1 form (please note that the video and the feedback survey are available only in Finnish and Swedish, as well as the form KAN_1 itself). User experiences will determine whether we will be producing instruction videos for other forms too.

31.1.2012

Residence permit decisions delivered by post or received from the police or an embassy

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 09:16:04 GMT

Residence permit decisions delivered by post or received from the police or an embassy

When the Finnish Immigration Service has made a decision on your application, you will receive the decision by post or from the police or an embassy. If you submitted your application in Finland, you will receive the decision from the police or by post as a registered letter. If you submitted your application to a Finnish embassy abroad, you will receive the decision from that embassy.

Decisions on asylum applications will always be received from the police, regardless of the contents of the decision. It makes no difference whether you submitted the application to the police or to the border control authorities.

If the police make the decision on your application (as is the case with extension applications, for example), you will receive the decision from the police.

Manufacturing of your card takes approximately one week

A favourable decision cannot be delivered immediately after it is made, because the manufacturing and posting of a residence permit card takes approximately one week. The cards are manufactured by a private company, and the Finnish Immigration Service has no influence over how soon the cards can be delivered.

To make sure you receive the decision on your application as soon as possible, remember to inform the Finnish Immigration Service of any changes in your contact details. Use the ‘Notification of change in contact information form’.

Customer service point does not hand over decisions

Finnish Immigration Service’s customer service point does not hand over decisions or residence permit cards.

If you wish, you may submit additional clarification related to your application to the customer service point, but you may as well post the documents. Both ways are as fast as each other, and a personal visit does not expedite the decision on your application.

3.1.2012

Blue Card applications for highly qualified third country nationals from start of 2012

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 11:50:58 GMT

Blue Card applications for highly qualified third country nationals from start of 2012

From 1 January 2012 Finland will adopt the EU’s so-called ‘Blue Card’ residence permit intended for persons arriving from third countries for the purposes of highly qualified employment.

Requirements include above-average salary

You will be entitled to an EU Blue Card if:

Your work demands a high level of competence and requires special qualifications or expertise.
You have a higher education degree.
Your employment relationship for work requiring special competence is for at least one year.
You are paid a gross salary of minimum EUR 4,832 per month. This is the salary threshold applicable in Finland in 2012 and reviewed annually.
The terms and conditions of your employment comply with existing regulations and collective agreements.
You fulfil the general requirements outlined in the Aliens Act for the granting of a residence permit. For example, you must have a valid travel document (such as a passport), and must not be the subject of an entry ban.

Up to now highly qualified persons have been able to apply for a residence permit through an accelerated application process. This procedure will continue alongside the Blue Card application process.

If you do not fulfil the application criteria for a Blue Card, you may apply for a residence permit as a specialist.

Apply for the Blue Card after 1 January 2012 before coming to Finland

You should apply to the Finnish embassy for the EU Blue Card before coming to Finland.

You may only apply for the card in Finland if you have already possessed for a minimum of 18 months a Blue Card issued by another EU Member State.

The card may be applied for after 1 January 2012 using form OLE_TY2. The following should be appended:

Employment agreement or binding job offer containing your agreed tasks and salary.
Evidence that you have completed a higher education degree. This may be in the form of a diploma, certificate or other official document demonstrating formal qualification and showing, for example, that the qualification involved a minimum of three years’ study. The party issuing the document must be competent, in other words entitled to do so under the laws of the issuing country.
If you are applying for the Blue Card in Finland, present a written explanation concerning the EU Blue Card issued to you by the other EU Member State and confirming that you have resided in that country for a minimum of 18 months on account of your work. In addition, present a statement that you have not resided in Finland for more than one month before submitting your application.

Card granted for maximum two years at a time

The first application will be processed by the Finnish Immigration Service. A decision on granting the Blue Card will be made within 90 days after submission of the application, provided that the application is completed correctly and the necessary appendices are enclosed. The Blue Card will be granted for a maximum of two years at a time.

Once you have been granted an EU Blue Card your family will also be able to apply for a Finnish residence permit. Your family members’ residence permit will be valid for the same duration as the Blue Card. All of you will have the same entitlement to social support and health care as EU citizens.

More information and instructions on our website

The Blue Card will be introduced from 1 January 2012. More information and instructions will able from that date on our website under ‘Working’.

20.12.2011

Backlog of applications is being cleared, service number undermanned

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 09:57:39 GMT

Backlog of applications is being cleared, service number undermanned

The Finnish Immigration Service is clearing the backlog of residence permit applications on the basis of family ties. The project started at the beginning of October and will last until the end of December. The staff is concentrating on making decisions in order to shorten the processing times of applications.

For this reason we must compromise over the extent of our customer service. The service number for family members is undermanned which will cause congestion in the service.

Please note that repeated phone inquiries do not speed up the processing of your application. If we need further information regarding your application, we will contact you. For further information about extended residence permits, please contact the local police.

5.10.2011

Competence in Finnish or Swedish will continue to be required for citizenship

Wed, 31 Aug 2011 09:49:06 GMT

Competence in Finnish or Swedish will continue to be required for citizenship

Obtaining Finnish citizenship by application requires that the applicant demonstrates sufficient skills in Finnish or Swedish. Persons using sign language are required to demonstrate sufficient skills in Finnish or Finnish-Swedish sign language.

The above competence requirements for language skills will be unaffected by the amendment of the Nationality Act on 1 September 2011. The amendment will only affect the ways available for demonstrating language skills.

Language skills shorten residential period requirement

The period of residence in Finland required for citizenship will come down from 6 years to 5 years, assuming that the period of residence is uninterrupted.

Furthermore, the new Act contains an incentive for learning Finnish or Swedish: applicants satisfying the language skills requirement may be granted Finnish citizenship after four years of uninterrupted residence in Finland.

If you apply for citizenship after four years of residence in Finland but fail to satisfy the language skills requirement, the decision will generally be negative.

Language skills requirement does not apply to former Finnish citizens

The language skills requirement applies to foreigners applying for Finnish citizenship by application.

Former Finnish citizens, however, are not required to demonstrate skills in Finnish or Swedish for obtaining citizenship. They may apply to regain their Finnish citizenship by declaration.

31.8.2011

New reception law brings slight changes to the everyday life of asylum seekers

Fri, 19 Aug 2011 09:59:36 GMT

New reception law brings slight changes to the everyday life of asylum seekers

A new law governing the reception of asylum seekers will enter into force on 1 September 2011. Any impact on the everyday life of asylum seekers will derive from changes relating mainly to financial support, the confiscation of certain substances and objects, and transfers from one reception centre to another.

Income support replaced by reception and spending allowances

From the beginning of September asylum seekers will be paid a reception allowance in place of the previous income support, while unaccompanied minors living in a group home will be paid a spending allowance.

The basic monthly reception allowance will be

291,16 euros for single persons and single parents, or 85,34 euros if in a reception centre that provides meals,
245,98 euros for other persons over 18 years of age, or 70,28 euros if in a reception centre that provides meals,
185,74 euros for a child who lives with his/her family, or 55,22 euros if in a reception centre that provides meals.

Supplementary reception allowance for special expenses

Besides the basic reception allowance, an asylum seeker may be granted a supplementary reception allowance for individual special needs, such as a pram, children’s recreational expenses, or travel expenses for attending an asylum interview. The need for a supplementary allowance will be considered separately for each individual.

In addition, health care expenses that are more than petty expenses, such as prescription drugs and eyeglasses, may be paid in the form of a reception allowance.

Spending allowance for unaccompanied minors

An unaccompanied minor who seeks asylum in Finland will be granted a spending allowance in place of the reception allowance if he/she lives in a group home or similar unit providing full upkeep, that is, meals, clothes, health care and recreational expenses. The spending allowance is intended for use by the minors themselves so that they will learn how to use money independently.

The monthly spending allowance will be 25,10 euros for an unaccompanied minor under 16 years of age, and 45,18 euros for an unaccompanied minor 16 years or over. A spending allowance may also be a lesser amount if considered reasonable in view of the minor’s age and level of development.

An unaccompanied minor living in private accommodation or a support housing unit intended for those over 16 years of age will be paid a reception allowance instead of a spending allowance. This will equal the allowance of an adult living alone, that is, 291,16 euros, or 85,34 euros if in a reception centre that provides meals.

The payment of a reception allowance will not be automatic

The reception allowance will not be paid automatically, but must be applied for as instructed by the reception centre. Income and assets available to the asylum seeker will also influence the amount of the reception allowance.

All who reside in reception centres during the waiting period are expected to participate in work and study activities. If a resident repeatedly refuses to participate in work and study activities, his/her reception allowance may be reduced by up to 20 per cent for a period not exceeding two months.

Dangerous possessions confiscated

Reception centre staff are obliged to confiscate all dangerous substances and objects possessed by residents, such as drugs, firearms and edged weapons. Staff may also inspect the premises used by residents if they suspect the presence of dangerous objects or substances.

Possessions thus seized must be returned at the end of the residence period, except for possessions whose return, surrender or disposal has been otherwise provided for in law. The return of possessions seized by the police will be decided upon by the police themselves. Drugs or illegally possessed weapons, for example, will not be returned.

Accommodation may be transferred from one centre to another

Where necessary, an asylum seeker may be transferred to another reception centre. Accommodation must be arranged in such a way that members of the same family can live together if they so desire.

Asylum seekers will be transferred from “transit” centres to “waiting” centres as soon as the asylum process allows. Transfer may also be appropriate if an applicant obtains easier access in another centre to treatment required by his/her physical condition, or if he/she is the cause of disturbance in the present centre.

The decision on the accommodation and transfer will be made by the reception centre. The resident must be heard before a decision is made. In the case of an unaccompanied minor, the representative of the minor must also be heard when making a decision on transfer.

19.8.2011

Please do not submit citizenship declarations early

Fri, 08 Jul 2011 09:55:20 GMT

Please do not submit citizenship declarations early

The Finnish Nationality Act will change on 1 September 2011. Under the new act, a former Finnish citizen may be granted citizenship by declaration irrespective of whether he or she lives in Finland or abroad.

Please do not submit citizenship declarations before September, as the new act will not apply to citizenship declarations received before 1.9.2011 and the decision is likely to be negative. If this is the case, you will have to make a new citizenship declaration once the new act is in force.

Easier to have Finnish citizenship restored

Under the new Nationality Act, former Finnish citizenship is the only requirement for regaining Finnish citizenship by declaration.

However, the declaration option does not apply to people who originally lost their Finnish citizenship due to annulment of paternity. The declaration option also does not apply to people who originally lost their Finnish citizenship because they provided incorrect information to the authorities or concealed information when applying. If you are in this position, you can apply to have your citizenship restored by application.

The declaration process does not affect the descendants of former Finnish citizens who are of age.

We will provide more information about the changes in the new Nationality Act on this website in August.

8.7.2011

The Finnish Immigration Service has no influence over waiting times for interviews in applications b

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 09:58:58 GMT

The Finnish Immigration Service has no influence over waiting times for interviews in applications based on family ties

An interview is often necessary in processing applications based on family ties. The applicant is interviewed by the Finnish embassy abroad. The sponsor living in Finland is interviewed by the police.

The interview is used to decide whether there are grounds for the application. Interviews are carried out when there are no documents providing evidence of family ties, or when explanations attached to the application are unclear.

At some embassies, applicants may have to wait more than a year for an interview.

For example, in autumn 2011 the embassy in Damascus will mainly be interviewing applicants who submitted their applications in May and June 2010. Interview appointments for applications submitted today are being given for November 2012. The Finnish embassy in Addis Ababa is currently interviewing people who submitted their applications at the end of 2009. Interview appointments are only being given for about one month ahead. The Finnish Immigration Service will make a decision as soon as possible after the interview, but we cannot make decisions immediately.

The Finnish Immigration Service has no influence over how long you will have to wait for an interview by the police or at an embassy. Please do not contact the Immigration Service and ask us to process your case more quickly because this will not make the process faster. At the moment we are receiving a large number of enquiries and requests to process cases more quickly. This is using up some of the time that we have available for processing applications.

6.7.2011