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Are you an asylum seeker from Afghanistan? Read below for new information about the processing of your application

Publication date 24.5.2022 14.05
Press release

When making decisions on asylum applications, we always use up-to-date information on the situation in Afghanistan. Because of the significant changes in Afghanistan's security situation and administration in summer 2021, we have not had all of the necessary information to make these decisions. This has also been the case in other countries in Europe. We now have enough information on the security situation in Kabul province.

We can make a decision on your application if

  • you are from Kabul province, or
  • the decision involves examining whether you could return to Kabul or settle there, if, for example, you were born or have lived in Iran for a long time.

We will also resume issuing decisions on residence permit applications.

Every asylum seeker's circumstances are assessed individually

When processing your asylum application, we assess whether you can be granted 

  • asylum
  • subsidiary protection status, or 
  • another residence permit. 

If you cannot be granted asylum or subsidiary protection status, we will assess whether there are grounds to grant you a residence permit in Finland on a discretionary basis on humanitarian grounds. The permit can be granted if, for example, you have a serious illness for which you cannot receive treatment in Afghanistan. 

We consider that it is not currently possible for applicants to safely and reasonably settle in Afghanistan outside their home region, and that they cannot receive protection from the authorities in Afghanistan. However, each asylum seeker’s circumstances are assessed individually.

If you are an asylum seeker from outside of Kabul,

we still need more information about the situation in Afghanistan in order to make a decision in your case. 

We are constantly collecting new information concerning the other provinces of Afghanistan. We will start issuing more decisions for asylum seekers from the other provinces as soon as the necessary reports on their security situation have been completed. However, we can make a positive decision on your application now if grounds exist for granting you asylum in Finland.

When will you receive a decision on your asylum application?

If you applied for asylum less than six months ago, you will receive a decision within six months of the date on which you applied.

If the processing of your asylum application takes longer than six months, you will receive a letter from the Finnish Immigration Service informing you of the delay and giving you a new estimate of the processing time required. You may receive the decision earlier than estimated in the letter.

If the Administrative Court has returned your application to the Finnish Immigration Service for renewed consideration, we estimate that you will receive a decision by 31 August 2022.

Language versions

Updated 25.5.2022: A translation to Dari added to the language versions.

Updated 5.10.2022: A translation to Swedish added to the language versions.