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Asylum in Finland

Ending of refugee status and subsidiary protection

Ending refugee status

The Finnish Immigration Service may end your refugee status if

  • you voluntarily re-avail yourself of the protection of your country of nationality, for example, you get a national passport or voluntarily travel to your country of nationality 
  • you voluntarily settle in the country from which you fled
  • your personal circumstances or the circumstances in your home country have changed so that you no longer need refugee status
  • you become a citizen of another state than Finland and you are able to avail yourself of the protection of this country, or
  • you voluntarily regain citizenship that you have previously lost. 

The ending of refugee status means that you will no longer have asylum in Finland.

Ending subsidiary protection status

The Finnish Immigration Service may end your subsidiary protection status if your personal circumstances or the circumstances in your home country have changed so that you no longer need international protection.

Your subsidiary protection status can be ended for example if

  • you have stated in your asylum application that you cannot return to your home country but have later voluntarily travelled there
  • the security situation of your home country has changed so that you no longer need subsidiary protection.

Ending subsidiary protection status means that you will lose your subsidiary protection status in Finland.

The Finnish Immigration Service also examines whether you have grounds for a residence permit

When the Finnish Immigration Service considers ending your refugee status or subsidiary protection status, it examines whether you have grounds for your residence permit any longer. The Finnish Immigration Service also considers whether you may be deported from Finland and whether an entry ban may be imposed on you. An entry ban means that you are not allowed to return to Finland or the Schengen area. The ban is valid until further notice or for a limited period.

If the Finnish Immigration Service ends your refugee status or subsidiary protection status, your residence permit can, nevertheless, remain valid. If you wish, you can also apply for a new residence permit on new grounds.  

If the Finnish Immigration Service ends your refugee status or subsidiary protection status and you no longer have grounds for a residence permit in Finland, a decision to deport you will be made and you will be given the opportunity to voluntarily leave Finland within the time limit set for voluntary return. The time limit is short, usually 30 days.

If you receive an entry ban, you no longer have the opportunity for voluntary return.

Read more on the page Deportation and denial of admittance or stay.

Travel documents when your refugee status or subsidiary protection status is ended

By law, you need to have a valid travel document while you are residing in Finland.

If you have been granted a refugee travel document, it will be cancelled when your refugee status is ended.

You have to get the passport of your country of nationality when the decision on ending your refugee status becomes final.

If you cannot get the passport of your country of nationality, you can apply for an alien’s passport.

If you have an alien’s passport, the Finnish Immigration Service will consider whether to cancel your alien’s passport or keep it valid so that you can acquire the passport of your country of nationality.

The process of considering ending your refugee status or subsidiary protection status:

  1. The Finnish Immigration Service becomes aware of a reason for considering ending your refugee status or subsidiary protection status. A reason could be, for example, that you have acquired the passport of your country of nationality or you have stayed in your country of nationality.
  2. The Finnish Immigration Service sends you a letter stating that it is considering ending your refugee status or subsidiary protection status.
    • A written hearing request is usually enclosed with the letter. Follow the instructions in the letter to answer the questions asked.
    • The letter may also say that you will receive a separate invitation to an oral hearing after about three weeks. The oral hearing is held at the Finnish Immigration Service.
  3. The Finnish Immigration Service makes its decision on the basis of the information obtained in the hearing. Either the Finnish Immigration Service or the police will inform you of the decision. You can appeal against the decision if you want to.
  4. If your refugee status or subsidiary protection status is not ended, you can continue your stay in Finland as usual.
  5. If your refugee status or subsidiary protection status is ended,
    • your current residence permit can remain valid or you can apply for a new residence permit on the basis of new grounds, or
    • you will be deported from Finland and you must leave Finland. The Finnish Immigration Service may also impose an entry ban on you.

Impact of crimes on the ending of refugee status or subsidiary protection status

The Finnish Immigration Service may also consider ending your refugee status or subsidiary protection status if 

  • you commit a crime in Finland and 
  • the Finnish authorities consider you a danger to Finland’s security. 

When can you be deported on the basis of crimes?

You can be deported from Finland on the basis of crimes and endangering Finland’s security if

  • you are found guilty of an offence carrying a maximum sentence of imprisonment for a year or more
  • you are found guilty of repeated offences
  • you have, through your behaviour, shown that you are a danger to other people’s safety
  • you have taken part, or Finnish authorities have reason to suspect that you may take part in activities that endanger Finland’s national security.

If you have been granted refugee status or subsidiary protection status in Finland, further conditions for your deportation are that 

  • your refugee status or subsidiary protection status can be ended and 
  • your deportation does not violate the principle of non-refoulement.
    • According to the principle of non-refoulement, no one may be sent back to an area where he or she could be subject to the death penalty, torture, persecution, or other inhuman or degrading treatment.