Changes to service of asylum decisions from July 2026
As of July 2026, the Finnish Immigration Service will serve the decision concerning your application for international protection and the appeal instructions on your counsel. You yourself will also be notified if you have been granted international protection.
Service of decision means that the Finnish Immigration Service will deliver a written decision in Finnish or Swedish to your counsel. You will receive a notification of whether you have been granted international protection or not. If you do not have a counsel, you will receive the outcome of the decision and the appeal instructions in a language you understand. If written service is not possible, the Finnish Immigration Service can arrange an interpreter to communicate the decision to you.
The change also applies to unaccompanied children. If you are an unaccompanied child, the decision will be served on your counsel. You and your representative will receive a notification of whether you have been granted international protection or not. If you do not have a counsel, you and your representative will receive the outcome of the decision and the appeal instructions in a language you both understand.
How you are notified of a decision
How you receive the decision on your application for international protection depends on whether you have a counsel.
- If you have a counsel:
- The Finnish Immigration Service will send the decision to your counsel by Posti’s letter with acknowledgement of receipt.
- The Finnish Immigration Service will send you a notification of whether you have been granted international protection. You will receive the notification in a language you understand.
- If you do not have a counsel:
- The Finnish Immigration Service will send you the decision and appeal instructions in a language you understand.
- The Finnish Immigration Service primarily serves its decisions in writing. If written service is not possible, an interpreter will be arranged to communicate the decision to you.
Your counsel will, therefore, receive the decision and the related documents.
