Frequently asked questions: Automation
Automated decision
What is an automated decision?
An automated decision means that our system automatically makes a positive decision on your application if your application meets certain requirements. Our system makes an automated decision only where this is possible under law. Automation is based on the rules formulated by the Finnish Immigration Service. These rules are based on law. The system uses these rules to check whether your application meets the requirements laid down in law.
See all the requirements for an automated decision on the page Implementation decisions.
How does automation work?
We take advantage of automation in decision-making and in the processing of applications. For example, applications are automatically directed to different processing paths, which makes the processing more efficient and improves customer service. In addition to automation, the processing of applications and decision-making involve steps taken by authorities.
Automation is based on the rules formulated by the Finnish Immigration Service. These rules are based on law. The system uses these rules to check whether your application meets the requirements laid down in law. Automated decision-making does not use artificial intelligence.
You have mentioned earlier that you are using automation. How does the now implemented automated processing differ from the automation used earlier?
So-called assistive automation has been in use at the Finnish Immigration Service for several years. Assistive automation means that a set of automated rules has been established to help officials verify that an application meets the necessary requirements applicable to the permit in question. A requirement may be automatically marked as met if there is no need for our specialist to assess it. If discretion must be exercised, the requirement is directed to our specialist for examination. Once all the requirements for the application have been met, a draft decision is automatically generated. The draft decision is then validated by our specialist.
Even though this type of assistive automation has been in use for several years, introducing fully automated decisions has not previously been possible due to a lack of general legislation on the matter. Now that the current legislation allows automated decisions, the Finnish Immigration Service will gradually start identifying standard cases in different permit processes in which automated decisions could be issued. Standard cases are applications that in the authority’s estimation must always be decided on in the same way.
Who can get an automated decision?
We started using automated decision-making in October 2023. At the moment, you may be granted an automated decision on the following applications in specific cases:
- the first residence permit for studies
- renewal of residence permit card and residence card
- Finnish citizenship.
Can a member of my family receive an automated decision?
Under law, family members cannot receive an automated decision. Therefore, automated decisions are not given to the applicants who apply for a permit at the same time as their family members.
However, we take account of the family members who are applying for a permit at the same time as the main applicant and try to issue decisions for them at the same time.
Residence permit application for studies
Why can’t all students get automated decisions?
We introduce automated decisions in stages. We first start using automated decision-making in the case of degree students at universities and exchange students in all educational institutions, because their applications rarely require individual assessment.
We aim to expand the use of automated decision-making to other standard cases among students’ applications.
University students account for approximately 25 % of all students annually coming to Finland. When some of the students receive an automated decision, our specialists can focus their time on the processing of other applications. This way, automated decisions will shorten the processing times of applications from other students as well.
Citizenship application
You have listed the requirements for an automated decision for citizenship applicants on your website. Will all applicants who meet those requirements get an automated decision?
We have estimated that most of the applicants whose decision is positive will still receive a decision confirmed by an official. An application can be decided on automatically only if the application does not require case-by-case discretion, such as granting an exception to a requirement. A requirement is not met automatically if, for instance, we do not receive all the information from another authority’s register that would be necessary for confirming that the requirements are met. In such a case, an official must examine the matter and assess whether or not the requirement is met. This means that an automated decision is not possible.
I have submitted a citizenship application before 2 May 2024 but have not yet received a decision. If I want to get a decision as soon as possible, should I submit a new application in order to get an automated decision?
Despite us having implemented automated decision-making, all citizenship applications will continue to have an official who is responsible for the processing of the application. The automation only concerns the way a decision is created and does not have a direct impact on how quickly an application moves from the queue to being processed. For this reason, it is likely that you would not receive a decision any sooner even if you submitted a new application.
Do you make automated decisions on the other types of citizenship applications, that is, citizenship declarations and applications for release from Finnish citizenship?
At this point, the automated decision-making only concerns citizenship applications, not declarations or other types of citizenship-related applications. However, the scope of the automated decision-making may later be expanded to cover other application types, too. If that happens, we will issue a separate announcement about it.
EU registration
Why can’t all EU citizens get automated decisions?
Automated decisions on EU registration are possible only if the registration application is based on studies or work. These registration reasons do not require as much case-by-case discretion as other reasons.
More than half of the applicants who apply for EU registration apply on the basis of studies or work. Since part of them will receive automated decisions, our officials will have more time to process applications submitted by other applicants.