The Finnish Immigration Service (“Migri”) has announced that there is a backlog in the processing of applications on the basis of family ties. Currently, more than 15,000 applications are awaiting a decision.
Those who have not yet received a decision on their application will be contacted if Migri needs more information for their application.
Background
- Nearly 50,000 applications on the basis of family ties were submitted in 2024, which is almost 10,000 more than in 2023.
- More than 46,000 decisions were made in 2024, which is more than 6,000 more than in 2023.
- 65% of applications on the basis of family ties submitted in 2024 were resolved in less than three months.
- In 2024, some 91% of first permits and 97% of extended permits received positive decisions.
- Most applications are processed in less than three months. The average processing time for the applications of minor children is shorter than for adults.
According to the law, the applications of students’ family members must be processed within a maximum of 90 days from the date the applicant has submitted a fully completed application. Other applications on the basis of family ties must be processed within a maximum of nine months.
Currently, around 2,000 applications on the basis of family ties have been pending for more than nine months and around 1,200 applications of students’ family members have been pending for more than 90 days. Migri will prioritize applications whose statutory processing time has expired.
Migri states that the absence of a passport is currently the main reason for the delay in processing.
- Applicants must have a valid passport issued by the country of nationality in order to be granted a residence permit. Applicants are advised to renew their passport if it is about to expire. The expiry of a passport is not a valid reason for faster processing of a residence permit application.
- Those who do not have a valid passport issued by the country of nationality usually need to obtain one. The lack of a passport significantly slows down the processing of the application.
There is also a backlog in applications for which further clarification is requested.
- Applicants should check that they have completed all the necessary information in the application form and submitted all the requested attachments, such as a report on sufficient financial resources if a condition for issuing the permit is having sufficient resources.
- Applicants must also legalize the documents, before submitting the application.
- The processing of the application is often also delayed in situations where a family member already residing in Finland does not have a valid residence permit. In this case, the application cannot be resolved until the family member has been granted a residence permit.
Erickson Insights & Analysis
Erickson Immigration Group will continue to monitor developments and share updates as more news is available. Please contact your employer or EIG attorney if you have questions about anything we’re reporting above or case-specific questions.