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Removal from the country

When a residence permit on the basis of international protection or temporary protection is not granted to you, the Finnish Immigration Service will usually issue a decision on denial of admittance or stay in connection with the negative decision. If you have already held a residence permit in Finland or your valid residence permit is withdrawn, the Finnish Immigration Service makes a deportation decision for you. 

At the same time, the Finnish Immigration Service usually gives you 30 days to leave Finland voluntarily. If you do not leave Finland within this time, the police may remove you from the country.

Usually, there will not be time reserved for voluntary return if the Finnish Immigration Service has applied the border procedure to your application. Read more about the border procedure.

When will the actual removal from the country happen?

Removal from the country involves first a decision by the Finnish Immigration Service on either denial of admittance or stay or on deportation. If you do not leave the country, the police will enforce the removal from the country. 

Removal from the country when you have appealed

If you have appealed against the decision to an administrative court, the police cannot remove you from the country before the administrative court has made a decision on your matter. If you have applied for leave to appeal to the Supreme Administrative Court, the police can remove you from the country, unless the Supreme Administrative Court expressly orders that you may not be removed from the country.

Removal from the country immediately after service of decision on denial of admittance or stay or on deportation

The police may remove you from the country immediately after you have been served with a decision on removal from the country if: 

  • you can be sent to another country that is responsible for examining your asylum application according to the Dublin Regulation;
  • you can be sent to another EU member state where you have received international protection;
  • you have cancelled your application and received a decision on its expiry; or
  • you have submitted a subsequent application which does not contain any new grounds that would influence our decision on your matter.

Removal from the country on the 8th day after service of decision on denial of admittance or stay or on deportation

The police may remove you from the country on the 8th day after you have been served with a decision on removal from the country if: 

  • you have arrived from a safe country of asylum; or
  • your application has been rejected in an accelerated procedure and has been found to be manifestly unfounded.

In all of these cases, you may request an administrative court to prohibit the enforcement of the decision on denial of admittance or stay or on deportation. In that case, you must apply for a prohibition of enforcement within 7 days (including 5 working days) after the decision has been served on you.

The administrative court makes its decision on your prohibition application within 7 days (including 5 working days). The police cannot remove you from the country before the administrative court has processed your application for a prohibition of enforcement.

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