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Finnish Immigration Service may apply border procedure to asylum applications as of 1 September 2024

Publication date 30.8.2024 13.02
Press release

As of 1 September 2024, Finnish border control authorities can refer asylum seekers at the external borders of Finland to a border procedure. The border procedure can be applied when the grounds presented in an asylum application suggest that the Finnish Immigration Service can consider the application inadmissible or use an accelerated procedure to process the application.

The legislative amendments on which this procedure is based will enter into force on 1 September 2024. The amendments also include new grounds for using an accelerated procedure to process asylum applications.

Inadmissibility and accelerated procedure 

When the Finnish Immigration Service considers an asylum application inadmissible, it will not examine the grounds for the asylum application. The Finnish Immigration Service can rule your application inadmissible if it after conducting a preliminary examination considers that there are no grounds for continuing the examination. 

  • This can be the case if you, for example, have made a subsequent application that does not include new findings that would require the Finnish Immigration Service to examine the application.

When the Finnish Immigration Service applies an accelerated procedure, your application is processed faster than usual. If the Finnish Immigration Service rejects your application in an accelerated procedure, it can consider your application manifestly unfounded.

  • The Finnish Immigration Service can process your application faster than usual if you have not presented grounds for international protection laid down by law, if the grounds presented in your application are clearly implausible or if you have misled authorities, for example. 

Border procedure in brief

  1. When you have applied for asylum in Finland, the border control authorities will register your application and take your fingerprints, signature and photograph.
  2. The border control authorities will refer you to the border procedure and to a reception centre. You will then receive more detailed information about the border procedure and the processing of your asylum application. During the border procedure, you have an obligation to stay within the area of the reception centre in which you have been ordered to reside. You are not allowed to leave the area without permission. The reception centre will give you more details about the area which you are not allowed to leave.
    • The border control authorities may place you in detention and refer you to a detention unit. In that case, you will immediately be notified of the grounds for your detention and given further information about detention. Detention units are closed units, and it is not possible to leave the unit area.
  3. If the Finnish Immigration Service applies the border procedure to your application, you will soon receive an invitation to an asylum interview. The Finnish Immigration Service will usually hold the interview via a video link so that you can attend the interview at your own reception centre or detention unit.
    • If the Finnish Immigration Service finds that your application should not be subject to the border procedure, your reception centre or detention unit will give you a notification of the termination of the procedure. In that case, the processing of your asylum application will continue under the normal procedure. 
  4. After the asylum interview, the Finnish Immigration Service will make a decision on your application within four weeks of the date on which you applied for asylum. 
  5. The police will serve the decision on you. You have the right to appeal against the decision. Written instructions for lodging an appeal come with the decision. Lodging an appeal does not affect the border procedure applied to your application. The border procedure will continue until you receive a notification of its termination.
  6. Your reception centre or detention unit will inform you when the border procedure is terminated. You will receive a written notification of the matter.

Legal aid during border procedure

You have the right to get legal aid, meaning that you can meet a legal counsel during the processing of your asylum application. If you wish to use a counsel, you need to find one by yourself. Public legal aid offices can provide legal aid in urgent situations, so it is possible to get a counsel at short notice.

The Finnish Immigration Service may hold your asylum interview without a counsel being present if you do not get a counsel before the interview. The legal counsel decides whether it is necessary for him or her to be present at the interview. You can ask your reception centre for advice on how to get a counsel.

What are the differences between the border procedure and the normal procedure for processing asylum applications?

The Finnish Immigration Service examines each asylum application individually, thoroughly and fairly. Your application will be examined in the same way as applications that are not subject to the border procedure. Like other asylum seekers, you will get advice from authorities and from your reception centre. You will receive information about the processing of your asylum application, the different stages of processing, and your rights and obligations during the examination of your asylum application.

The border procedure differs from the normal procedure for processing asylum applications as follows:

  • By law, the Finnish Immigration Service must issue a decision on your asylum application within four weeks of the date on which you applied for asylum if the border procedure is applied to your application. The border procedure will continue until you receive a notification of its termination from your reception centre.
  • During the border procedure, you are not allowed to leave the area of the reception centre in which you are ordered to reside without specific permission.

More information

Language versions

Updated 23.9.2024: More language versions added.
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See also

Changes in legislation affecting asylum seekers as of 1 September 2024

Press release 30.8.2024 13.05

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