Update on processing of applications submitted on the basis of family ties

There are currently some backlogs in the processing of residence permit applications submitted on the basis of family ties. At the moment, there are approximately 18,200 applications waiting for a decision. We are sorry for the situation. We are trying to clear the backlogs by every means possible.

If you have not yet received a decision on your application, you do not need to be concerned. We will contact you if we need more information for your application.

When processing applications, we always take into account the best interests of the child and the protection of family life. The average processing time for the applications of minor children is shorter than for adults.

Most applications are processed within four months

The backlog does not concern most applications on the basis of family ties. This year, more than 37,000 applications based on family ties have been decided, 76% of them within 4 months. We are able to decide a decision quickly if we do not need to ask for additional information to process the application. In 2025, positive decisions accounted for around 90% of the decisions concerning first permits and for around 97% of the decisions concerning extended permits. We also strive to process matters concerning minors as a matter of urgency. 

Under law, applications from students’ family members must be decided within 90 days of their submission if the applications do not require us to ask for additional information. Other applications on the basis of family ties must be processed within a maximum of 9 months.

Of the around 18,200 applications waiting to be decided, 64% have been pending for less than 6 months, 13% for 6–9 months and 23% for more than 9 months. Half of the applications submitted by students’ family members that are waiting to be decided have been pending for longer than 3 months.

The reason behind delayed processing is often the fact that it has not yet been possible to issue a decision on the sponsor’s residence permit application. Processing can be delayed also if we have to wait for necessary information or documents, such as the results of a DNA analysis or an interview. 

We strive for continuous development in our operations in order to speed up the processing of applications and to prevent backlogs in the future.

Reasons for the backlog

• The number of incoming applications is high. By the end of September, over 38,000 applications have been submitted on the basis of family ties, which is over 3% more than in the corresponding period last year.
• An increasing number of applications require further clarification in order to resolve the matter.

Need for additional information most common reason for delayed processing

There is also a backlog in applications for which we have to request further clarification in particular. 

The most common reasons for asking for additional information include situations where documents concerning financial resources are missing from the application or expired, documents on family ties have not been legalised, the applicant does not have a passport or the applicant’s passport has expired, or a child’s other parent or guardian has not been heard or the consent from the other parent or guardian for the child to move to Finland is missing from the application.

Processing can be delayed also if the family member who is living in Finland or applying for a residence permit at the same time and acting as the sponsor has not received a decision on his or her application. A residence permit application based on family ties cannot be decided before a decision has been issued on the sponsor’s application, and it may not be possible to decide the applications of family members who apply together at the same time. 

Remember the following before applying:

• Your sponsor must have a valid residence permit or his or her application submitted at the same time as your application must be decided before you can receive a residence permit on the basis of family ties.
• Check that you have all the necessary attachments for the application. Submit proof of your financial resources with current information and notify the Finnish Immigration Service of possible changes during the processing.
• All documents that concern family ties must be legalised before you attach them to your application. For instructions on how to have your documents legalised, see the page Interpretation, translation and legalisation.
• You must usually have a valid national passport during the entire time your application is being processed. Renew your passport if it expires during the processing.

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• You must usually have a valid national passport during the time your application is being processed. For more information, see Travel documents.
• We rarely process applications faster and only do this for very weighty reasons. For more information, see Request to expedite application.
• For more information about the factors affecting processing times, see Processing times.