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The EU Pact on Migration and Asylum will apply as of 12 June 2026. This page contains outdated information. See our customer bulletin for up-to-date information:  Changes in legislation affecting reception services as of 12 June 2026

Accommodation

Living in a reception centre

If you have applied for asylum or temporary protection in Finland, you will be offered accommodation at a reception centre. The place where you will stay will depend on your age, gender and other circumstances. You can live at the reception centre together with your closest family members, such as your spouse or your children who are under the age of 18. Persons under the age of 18 who arrive in Finland without a parent or guardian will stay at a unit for minors.

You may not be able to always stay in the same reception centre. You and your family may be transferred to another reception centre if this is necessary because of your personal situation, reception centre operations or the processing of your asylum application.

The first place where asylum seekers and those who apply for temporary protection usually stay is called a transit centre. Transit centres are meant for short-term accommodation. You will be transferred from the transit centre to another reception centre where you can stay for a longer period.

There are many reception centres of different types and sizes in different parts of Finland. It is not possible to choose the reception centre where you will be staying.

Different kinds of reception centres:

  • reception centres with catering, where the reception centre offers meals to everyone who lives there;
  • reception centres with individual or shared kitchens where the residents cook their own meals

Reception centres are maintained by many operators: the Finnish Immigration Service, Finnish municipalities, organisations and companies. All reception centres offer the same reception services to the people who live there, and all reception centres operate according to the same principles.

The Finnish Immigration Service directs, plans and supervises the practical operations of all reception centres.

The reception of asylum seekers is steered by the Finnish Act on the Reception of Persons Applying for International Protection (finlex.fi).

Products and articles provided by the reception centre

Both apartment-based and institutional reception centres will provide you with cleaning supplies, detergents, and toilet paper, for example. You can ask your reception centre for more information.

Staying in private accommodation

If you wish, you may find another place to stay. If you live in private accommodation, for example with relatives, friends or your spouse, you still need to be registered at a reception centre. Your reception centre will give you the reception services that belong to you, such as health care services and a reception allowance.

Living in private accommodation is not possible if the Finnish Immigration Service applies the border procedure to your application. During the border procedure, you are not allowed to leave the area of the reception centre. For more information, see the page Border procedure.

Tell your reception centre if you find private accommodation

If you want to live in private accommodation, you must give your new address in a written document to the reception centre where you are registered. You must also show your rental agreement or another document of your accommodation. Doing this is a condition for receiving other reception services. You have to live in the address that you give to the reception centre.

Remember to always keep in touch with your reception centre:

  • You should stay in contact with the reception centre where you are registered. The reception centre will offer you reception services and give you plenty of important information and instructions.

  • Always notify your reception centre if your address or your contact details change. If you move, you must also show your new rental agreement or another document of your accommodation. It is extremely important that the reception centre is always able to reach you if necessary. Keeping your contact information up to date is a condition for receiving reception services. If the reception centre tries to contact you several times but cannot reach you, the centre may conclude that you have disappeared. In that case, your asylum application will expire.

For further instructions, see the document Give the reception centre your contact details and inform its representatives if you are going to be away (pdf).

You should also frequently read the customer bulletins of the Finnish Immigration Service. We use our bulletins to tell about any changes that apply to asylum seekers or reception centres.

Accommodation of an unaccompanied minor asylum seeker

A person who is under the age of 18 and who has arrived in Finland alone to apply for asylum will be accommodated in a group home or a supported housing unit.

Group homes are intended for children under 16 years of age. Supported housing units are for young people who are 16 or 17 years old. In group homes, some of the residents may be over 16 years of age.

Group homes and supported housing units are smaller and have more employees per client than reception centres for adults and families. They put an emphasis on care and upbringing.