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Residence permit on other grounds

When the Finnish Immigration Service processes your asylum application, we will first examine whether there are grounds for granting you asylum or subsidiary protection. After this, we will investigate whether you could receive a residence permit on some other grounds.

Residence permit because you cannot be removed from the country

We may grant you a temporary residence permit for the following reasons:

  • It is impossible for you to return to your home country or country of permanent residence because of temporary medical reasons.
  • It is impossible for you to return to your home country or country of permanent residence for practical reasons. However, we will not grant you a residence permit in a situation where you do not return to your home country only because you refuse to return or make it difficult for us to arrange your return.

A temporary residence permit is granted for a maximum of one year.

Residence permit on compassionate grounds

We will grant you a residence permit on compassionate grounds if it would be manifestly unreasonable to make a negative decision on your application because of your medical condition, ties to Finland, or other individual, compassionate grounds.

In this case, particular attention will be paid to the conditions you would face in your home country, or your vulnerable position.

A residence permit on compassionate grounds is granted for a year.

Residence permit applications subject to a fee

You can also apply for a residence permit subject to a fee, for example, a residence permit on the basis of family ties. If you apply for asylum and a residence permit on the basis of family ties at the same time, your applications are processed separately at the Finnish Immigration Service. When you receive a decision on one of your applications, the processing of your other application will continue at the Finnish Immigration Service normally. For more information, see the page Moving to Finland to be with a family member.

You cannot get a residence permit on the basis of studies or work if you have applied for asylum 

You cannot get a residence permit in Finland on the basis of studies, work or pursuing a trade if you are staying in Finland and 

  • you have applied for asylum and have not received a decision on your application yet or 
  • you have received a negative decision on your asylum application.

This applies to all asylum seekers staying in Finland regardless of when they have submitted their asylum application or received a negative decision on their application.

If you apply for a residence permit for studies or work while staying in Finland, the Finnish Immigration Service will consider your application inadmissible. This applies to all applications that have not been decided by the Finnish Immigration Service by 31 August 2024 at the latest.

If you want to apply for a residence permit in Finland on the basis of studies or work, you need to leave Finland and visit a Finnish mission (embassy or consulate) in your home country or country of permanent residence to apply for the permit. 

Extended permit

If you have received a residence permit in Finland on the basis of your asylum application or on some other grounds, you can apply for an extended permit on the basis of studies, work or pursuing a trade, if you wish. The fact that you have applied for asylum in Finland before has no effect in that case.

For more information about applying for a residence permit for work or studies, see the pages Studying in Finland and Coming to Finland for work.