Change in assisted voluntary return – apply at the reception centre or the Finnish Immigration Service

If you wish to return to your home country voluntarily, you can apply for support for assisted voluntary return. From the beginning of July 2015, you must submit your application to your reception centre. If you are not a reception centre customer, send your application by post to the Finnish Immigration Service.

Until the end of June 2015, applications must be submitted to the office of the International Organisation for Migration in Finland, IOM Helsinki. The reason for the change in where the applications must be submitted to is that assisted voluntary return will become part of Finnish legislation on 1 July 2015, which makes it the task of public authorities.

Support is mainly granted to people who have sought asylum

You can apply for support for assisted voluntary return at your reception centre or the Finnish Immigration Service, if

• you have received a negative decision on your asylum application
• you withdraw your asylum application
• you are a victim of human trafficking who does not have a municipality of residence in Finland
• you have received temporary protection
• you have been granted a temporary residence permit, but you do not have a municipality of residence in Finland
• your status of international protection in Finland has been cancelled or suspended and a decision has been made to deport you.

The granting of support for assisted voluntary return requires that you move from Finland voluntarily. You must withdraw all your pending applications for asylum, a residence permit or an alien’s passport, and all appeals against decisions concerning these matters.

You will only be granted support for assisted voluntary return if you need it and cannot pay for your return yourself.

Compensation for travel expenses and assistance for reintegration

Support for assisted voluntary return includes

• compensation for travel expenses and relocation costs
• assistance that will support your reintegration into your home country.

Compensation for travel expenses means that you will be assisted with ticket purchases and obtaining the necessary documents.

The assistance for reintegration can be either cash money or commodities. Commodities refer to services or supplies that will support your reintegration. This may include assisting you in, for example, finding a job or starting a business, accessing education or training or finding temporary accommodation.

You can get advice on how to apply for support for assisted voluntary return at your reception centre. More detailed instructions on assisted voluntary return will be updated on our website in early July.