Welcome

You are on the website of the Finnish Immigration Service. This site gives you information on immigration principles and practices applied in Finland. The Finnish Immigration Service was called Directorate of Immigration before year 2008.

Positive decisions on residence permit applications for studies are made quickly

If all conditions are fulfilled, the application has been carefully filled in and all necessary appendices have been attached, the student will get a decision in two weeks on average. Most of the applications have already been decided on. Because of the large number of applications, the Finnish Immigration Service cannot take requests to speed up the processing into consideration during the peak season. Please note that repeated phone inquiries do not speed up the processing.

Additional information (30.8.2010)

Results of migri.fi user survey

The migri.fi user survey was carried out between 14 June and 16 July 2010. A total of 351 respondents took part in the survey.

Additional information (26.8.2010)

Changes to the Aliens Act as of August 1, 2010

New amendments to the Aliens Act came into force on 1.8.2010. The changes concern age testing, asylum seekers’ right to work, and family reunification. With the exception of asylum seekers’ right to work, these amendments will apply only to applications submitted after the coming into effect of the law.

Additional information (2.8.2010)

News

Congestion in applications for family reunification for Somalis (2.8.2010)
Overview of the queues of citizenship applications, August 2010 (16.8.2010)
Receiving a decision on a travel document  takes 6 months on average (5.8.2010)
Waiting period of more than half a year for asylum interviews (23.7.2010)
Current processing situation of family reunification applications (14.7.2010)
Almost all citizenship declarations have been decided (15.6.2010)

More news

Press releases in English

More press releases