Delays in sending residence permit cards

The sending of residence permit cards is temporarily delayed.

There are currently 5,000 residence permit cards waiting to be sent to customers. The delays also affect the sending of alien’s passports and refugee travel documents.

If you have received a positive decision on your residence permit application after 13 January, your will receive your residence permit card later than usual.

Normally, the card is sent to the customer within 2–3 weeks. Because of the delay, the processing time for the residence permit card is currently 6–8 weeks.

The delay only concerns cards sent to addresses in Finland, and cards sent to other countries are not affected. Residence permit cards sent to addresses outside of Finland will be posted within the usual 2 to 3 weeks.

What is causing the delay and how long will it last?

The delay is caused by a shortage of staff. The delays will continue through till March, but thanks to the ongoing recruitment process, the situation is expected to improve by April.

We apologise for any inconvenience that the delays may cause.

The residence permit cards are sent out in the order of processing

Decisions on residence permits are made as usual. If you have submitted your application through the Enter Finland online service, you can view your decision online.

If you have received a positive decision but have not yet received your residence permit card, you do not have to do anything. We will be sending out residence permit cards and travel documents in the order the decisions are made. Unfortunately, the sending of the residence permit cards cannot be speeded up.

When does the right to work begin?

You can start working as soon as you have been issued with a residence permit which includes the right to work. Your right to work is valid when the decision has been made even when you are still waiting for your residence permit card.

We are piloting a new delivery system for residence permit cards this spring

In the new delivery system, the residence permit cards will be sent by the manufacturer directly to the nearest Matkahuolto pick-up point to the customer, from where customers can pick them up. The new delivery system will only apply to customers that are already residing in Finland. The system will be tested this spring. More information about the new system will be provided at a later date. Follow our customer bulletins.

24 February: Bulletin updated to advise that the delays only concern residence permit cards sent to addresses in Finland.