Impact of offences if you are applying for a P-EU permit 

If you are applying for a P-EU permit and have committed or are suspected of an offence, our decision may be negative in the following cases:

• You have been found guilty or are suspected of an offence punishable by imprisonment.
• You have been found guilty or are suspected of two or more offences. 

Our decision on your application will be based on an overall assessment. When making our decision, we will assess, among other things:

• the type of offence for which you have been sentenced or the type of offence of which you have been found guilty
• when the offence was committed and how serious it is
• what type of ties you have to Finland.

There are no waiting periods resulting from sentences or suspected offences similar to those set out for permanent residence permits. This is because the P-EU permit is based on an EU directive.

If you have been sentenced to unconditional imprisonment or community service, your period of continuous residence in Finland has been interrupted. The calculation of your period of residence will start from the beginning at the earliest when the sentence of unconditional imprisonment has been fully served.

Your residence permit may be withdrawn if you have committed a serious offence

If you are issued a permanent residence permit or P-EU permit, the permit may be withdrawn if you are found guilty or suspected of an offence. See the page Withdrawal of residence permits for more information on when a residence permit may be withdrawn.