A total of 3,184 persons sought asylum in Finland in 2003. This is 7.5 per cent less than in 2002. That year their number rose to 3,443. The largest group (561 applicants) came from Serbia and Montenegro and its predecessors the former Yugoslavia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. The second largest group were the Bulgarians (287) and the third largest group the Russians (288).
Seven applicants were granted asylum
Seven applicants were granted asylum in 2003. 494 asylum applicants were granted a residence permit, 142 of which on the basis of the need for protection and 345 for other reasons. 15 per cent of all asylum decisions (favourable, negative, annulled) were favourable.
2,443 applicants received a negative decision on their application. They were granted neither asylum nor a residence permit. 547 applicants received a negative decision under normal procedure and 1,896 applicants under accelerated procedure. The application of 383 applicants were dismissed because they either annulled their application or left the country.
Asylum applications were processed on average in 318 days in 2003.
The numbers above are preliminary. The final statistics will be ready after the middle of March.
27.1.2004
