Skip to Content
Asylum in Finland

Cancellation of refugee status and subsidiary protection status

The Finnish Immigration Service may cancel your refugee status or subsidiary protection status if, when applying for asylum,

  • you have knowingly given false information 
  • you have concealed facts.

Examples of the above include giving false information or concealing facts related to the grounds for asylum or giving false personal details.

The Finnish Immigration Service will cancel your refugee status and subsidiary protection status, if the fact that you have concealed facts or given false information has had an impact on our decision to grant you refugee status or subsidiary protection.

The Finnish Immigration Service may also cancel your refugee status and subsidiary protection status if it later turns out that you should not have been granted asylum or subsidiary protection because you have committed, or there are reasons to suspect that you have committed, any of the following:

  • a war crime or a crime against humanity
  • a serious non-political crime before entering Finland
  • an act which violates the aims and principles of the United Nations.

Cancelling refugee status or subsidiary protection status means that you will no longer have asylum or subsidiary protection status in Finland.

The Finnish Immigration Service also examines whether you have grounds for a residence permit

When the Finnish Immigration Service considers cancelling your refugee status or subsidiary protection status, it examines whether you have grounds for your residence permit any longer. The Finnish Immigration Service also considers whether you may be deported from Finland and whether an entry ban may be imposed on you. An entry ban means that you are not allowed to return to Finland or the Schengen area. The ban is valid until further notice or for a limited period.

If the Finnish Immigration Service cancels your refugee status or subsidiary protection status, your residence permit can, nevertheless, remain valid. If you wish, you can also apply for a new residence permit on new grounds.  

If the Finnish Immigration Service cancels your refugee status or subsidiary protection status and you no longer have grounds for a residence permit in Finland,

  • a decision to deport you is made
  • you are given the opportunity to voluntarily leave Finland within the time limit set for voluntary return. The time limit is usually 30 days.

If you receive an entry ban, you no longer have the opportunity for voluntary return.

Read more on the page Deportation and denial of admittance or stay.

The process of considering cancelling your refugee status or subsidiary protection status:

  1. The Finnish Immigration Service becomes aware of a reason for considering cancelling your refugee status or subsidiary protection status. 
  2. The Finnish Immigration Service sends you a letter stating that it is considering cancelling your refugee status or subsidiary protection status.
  3. The Finnish Immigration Service sends you an invitation to an oral hearing. The hearing is held at the Finnish Immigration Service.
  4. The Finnish Immigration Service examines your matter in the hearing. 
  5. The Finnish Immigration Service makes its decision based on the hearing. Either the Finnish Immigration Service or the police will inform you of the decision. You can appeal against the decision if you want to.
  6. If your refugee status or subsidiary protection status is not cancelled, you can continue your stay in Finland as usual.
  7. If your refugee status or subsidiary protection status is cancelled,
    • your current residence permit can remain valid or you can apply for a new residence permit on the basis of new grounds, or
    • you will be deported from Finland and you must leave Finland. The Finnish Immigration Service may also impose an entry ban on you.

Travel documents when your refugee status or subsidiary protection status is cancelled

By law, you need to have a valid travel document while you are residing in Finland.

If you have been granted a refugee travel document, it will be cancelled when your refugee status is cancelled.

You have to get the passport of your country of nationality when the decision on cancelling your refugee status becomes final.

If you cannot get the passport of your country of nationality, you can apply for an alien’s passport.

If you have an alien’s passport, the Finnish Immigration Service will consider whether to

  • cancel your alien’s passport, or
  • keep your alien’s passport valid so that you can acquire the passport of your country of nationality.