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Temporary protection for those fleeing Ukraine

The purpose of temporary protection is to provide swift help to those fleeing the war in Ukraine.

Who can be granted temporary protection? 

Temporary protection can only be granted to

  • Ukrainian citizens unable to return to Ukraine due to the Russian attack
  • The family members of Ukrainian citizens and of those granted international protection or equivalent national protection in Ukraine, if the family ties were established in Ukraine before 24 February 2022 and the family member is not a citizen of a European Union Member State, a Nordic country, Liechtenstein, or Switzerland.
    • Family members must show proof of family ties, for example a marriage certificate or a birth certificate for a child who is a Ukrainian citizen.
    • Family members do not need to apply at the same time. They can, for example, come to Finland later and apply for temporary protection then.
    • If the family member is a citizen of a European Union Member State, or a citizen of Liechtenstein or Switzerland, he or she can apply for EU registration.
  • Citizens of countries that have not joined the European Union or the Schengen Agreement and stateless persons who have had a residence permit in Ukraine on the basis of international protection. When applying for temporary protection, they must show proof of their residence permit issued on the basis of international protection, for example a certificate of refugee status issued by Ukraine.
  • Citizens of countries that have not joined the European Union or the Schengen Agreement and stateless persons who have had a permanent residence permit in Ukraine and who cannot return to their home country in safe and durable conditions. When applying for temporary protection, they must show proof of their permanent residence permit, for example a residence permit card.
    • If the applicant for temporary protection has resided in Ukraine with a permanent residence permit, we will investigate whether he or she can return to his or her home country in safe and durable conditions. If we while processing the application for temporary protection cannot assess whether the applicant is able to return to his or her home country, we will advise the applicant to apply for asylum.
  • Citizens of countries that have not joined the European Union or the Schengen Agreement and stateless persons who have applied for temporary protection before 7 September 2023 and have resided in Ukraine with a temporary residence permit and are unable to return to their home country in safe and durable conditions.
    • If the applicant for temporary protection has resided in Ukraine with a temporary residence permit, we will investigate whether he or she can return to his or her home country in safe and durable conditions. If we while processing the application for temporary protection cannot assess whether the applicant is able to return to his or her home country, we will advise the applicant to apply for asylum.

What is the validity period of residence permits granted on the basis of temporary protection?

All residence permits that we grant on the basis of temporary protection will be valid until 4 March 2024.

The Finnish Immigration Service cannot decide on the extension of temporary protection after 4 March 2024. The extension of temporary protection will depend on the decisions of the Council of the European Union. The Council can make a decision to extend temporary protection until 4 March 2025. If such a decision is made, we will update this page with information about what the decision means in practice. At the moment, we do not have any further information about the matter. We will publish more information about the matter as soon as possible.

Applying for temporary protection

  1. Once you have arrived in Finland, visit the police (poliisi.fi) or a border control authority and inform them of your intention to apply for temporary protection. Applying is free of charge.
    • It is recommended that you apply for temporary protection even if you have already submitted an application for asylum. Applications for temporary protection are processed at a considerably faster rate than asylum applications. 
    • Show the police or the border control authority your identity document, such as a biometric passport issued by your country of nationality, or a Ukrainian internal passport.
  2. The police or border control authority registers your application for temporary protection and makes a record of 
    • your personal details and place of residence
    • details related to your arrival in Finland and the route you took to travel here
    • your family members’ details.
    • You will also need to provide a photo, fingerprints and a signature.
  3. The police or border control authority will ask you whether you wish to apply for temporary protection only, or if you would also like to submit an application for asylum. 
    • The differences between temporary protection and asylum will be explained to you, so that you can make an informed decision. You may also apply for asylum at a later date.
  4. Following registration, the Finnish Immigration Service makes a decision on your application.
    • Making the decision requires an identity document, such as a biometric passport issued by your country of nationality, or a Ukrainian internal passport. If you do not have an identity document, apply for one at the embassy of Ukraine in Finland. Tell the embassy that you have applied for temporary protection and that you need an identity document for the application. Please note that the passports of Donetsk People's Republic and Luhansk People's Republic are not approved travel documents in Finland because Finland has not recognised the independence of Donetsk and Luhansk. 
    • If you have applied for asylum in addition to temporary protection, you are not required to obtain an identity document from the authorities of your home country.
    • You will be heard before the decision is made only if the Finnish Immigration Service considers there to be a particular reason to do so.
  5. You will be served with the decision.
    • The Finnish Immigration Service will send you the decision by post. The decision will be sent to the reception centre at which you are staying. If you live in private accommodation, the decision will be sent to the address which you have given as your Finnish address. If your address in Finland changes, it is important that you notify, without delay, the reception centre whose client you are.
    • In cases when you are not served with the decision by post, the police will inform you of the decision.

When will I get a decision on temporary protection?

For the time being, the estimated processing time for an application for temporary protection is one week, if no additional information is needed for the application. After a decision has been issued, the Finnish Immigration Service will send you the decision by post. According to an estimate by the Finnish Immigration Service, the postal delivery will take approximately one week. This means that you will receive the decision within approximately 2 weeks from the date on which you submitted your application

After a decision has been issued, the Finnish Immigration Service will order a residence permit card for you. At present, it takes approximately 2 weeks to obtain a residence permit card. 

If you are granted temporary protection

  • You will receive a residence permit card.
    • Your card will be sent to your nearest DB Schenker collection point within 2 weeks of the date when we make a decision. When your residence permit card is ready, you will receive a notification from DB Schenker by email or text message. The notification will state the shipment code, the address of the collection point, and the last day when the card is still available for collection. If you do not have a phone number or an email address, DB Schenker will send you an arrival notification by post.
    • We will send each card separately. If you have applied for a new residence permit card for yourself and for your child, we will send both cards separately. Your card will be posted directly to the address given in your residence permit card application if you live in Åland, if we do not have your email address or phone number or if a non-disclosure for personal safety reasons has been registered for you.
    • When you receive the arrival notification and will collect the card:
      1. Bring with you the email or text message notification you received from DB Schenker, and your customer number, which is also your PIN code. Your customer number is printed on your reception centre customer card under "Asiakasnumero/Kundnummer". You do not need to show your customer card to DB Schenker staff. You only need to tell them your customer number.
      2. Show a member of the DB Schenker collection point staff the arrival notification you received, and tell them your customer number. If the DB Schenker staff ask you for a PIN code, they mean your customer number.
      3. DB Schenker staff will then give you an envelope that contains your new residence permit card.
    • If you are collecting a card for another person, you do not need a power of attorney. Bring with you the arrival notification from DB Schenker and the customer number of the person whose card you are collecting.
  • A personal identity code will be issued to you. Your personal identity code will be indicated on the residence permit card. Read more on the page Personal identity code.
    • If you cannot be registered in the Population Information System when you get a positive decision on your application, you will need to visit a service point of the Digital and Population Data Services Agency (dvv.fi) or contact your reception centre. After doing so, you will not receive a new residence permit card automatically but you can, if you so wish, apply for a new residence permit card that contains your personal identity code. The new card is subject to a fee. For instructions on how to apply for a new residence permit card, see the page Renewal of residence permit card.
  • If you are granted a residence permit on the basis of temporary protection, you must have a valid travel document during your entire stay in Finland. If your travel document expires, renew the passport of your country of nationality or apply for an alien’s passport.
  • If you have also applied for asylum, the Finnish Immigration Service will suspend the processing of your asylum application for as long as your residence permit issued on the basis of temporary protection is valid.

When is temporary protection not granted?

The Finnish Immigration Service may issue a negative decision on your application for temporary protection if 

  • there aren't sufficient grounds for granting a residence permit on the basis of temporary protection in your case 
  • you are considered to present a danger to public order or security
  • you can be reasonably suspected of having committed
    • a crime against peace, 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.

Can decisions regarding temporary protection be appealed?

If you are granted temporary protection, you may not appeal against the positive decision if

  • you have applied for asylum, and 
  • the processing of your asylum application is ongoing.

If you are not granted temporary protection, you may appeal against the decision to an administrative court. Instructions for lodging an appeal are attached to the decision.

Temporary protection residence permit granted by another EU country

You cannot be granted temporary protection in more than one EU country at a time. If you are granted a residence permit in Finland on the basis of temporary protection, your temporary protection residence permit in another EU country will be cancelled.

A temporary protection residence permit issued by another EU country does not entitle you to work in Finland. If you apply for temporary protection in Finland, you have the right to work as soon as you register your application for temporary protection with the police or border control authorities. 

You can apply for reception allowance in Finland only if you also apply for temporary protection in Finland. Please note that you cannot be granted temporary protection in more than one EU country at a time.

Make sure that the reception centre has your correct address and telephone number

Notify your reception centre immediately of any changes in your address or telephone number. The Finnish Immigration Service will get the information from the reception centre.

How to make the notification

  • Notify your reception centre:
    • by telephone
    • visit the reception centre; or
    • send the notification as a letter by post

The contact details of reception centres are available on our website at migri.fi/en/reception-centers.

  • Notify your reception centre of your information and the information of your family members relevant to the notification:
    • fist name and last name
    • date of birth
    • Finnish Immigration Service customer number
    • new address
    • new telephone number

If you move from one reception centre to another or do not know your reception centre

  • If you move from one reception centre to another, the Finnish Immigration Service is informed automatically. Therefore, you don’t need to notify the Finnish Immigration Service separately of your new reception centre's address. 
  • If you don't know which reception centre is yours, you can send your notification of a new address to the Finnish Immigration Service. Notifications should be sent by encrypted email to the following address: migri@migri.fi. You can send an encrypted message by using the securemail.migri.fi service.

Why is it important to give your address and telephone number?

The correct address and telephone number are important so that:

  • we can send you our decisions on your applications and your residence permit card.
  • your reception centre can reach you and you maintain your right to reception services. 

Making sure that the address details of unaccompanied children are up to date is important so 
that the necessary services can be organised for them.

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