Processing times

You can check the expected processing time for your application on this page. We will also explain on this page why there is variation in the processing times of certain applications.

• Residence permits, citizenship and EU registrations
• Asylum
• Temporary protection

Residence permits, citizenship and EU registrations

The processing times of applications for residence permits, citizenship or EU registrations may vary depending on the grounds for your application. Possible reasons for variation in processing times include:

• application requirements
  • Each application has requirements that must be met and that require investigation before a decision can be made.
  • Applications in which there is only a small number of requirements that require investigation can usually be processed faster.
• number of applications from other applicants
  • The processing queue for a certain type of permit or application is longer if lots of people have applied.
  • The time that your application is waiting for its turn is included in the estimated processing time.
• possibilities to use automation
  • We are often able to use assistive automation to process your application if you have completed the application form with care. In some cases, automated decisions are possible, too. Read more on the page Automation.
• legislation
  • For some applications and permits, there is a maximum processing time laid down in law. Under law, these applications must be processed within a certain time.

The majority of applications are decided within the estimated processing time.

Estimated processing times

The estimated processing times are estimates of how long your application will be waiting in queue and how long it will take for an official of the Finnish Immigration Service to process your application and make a decision. Both of these phases are included in the estimates. 

The estimated processing times are approximate estimates. The actual processing time of an application may differ from the estimate. You will find the estimated processing time for your application or permit in the table on this page. 

The estimated processing times are based on:

• how long it has taken for most cases to be decided in the preceding months, and
• how many similar applications the Finnish Immigration Service has received during the past 2 months.

We calculate two types of estimates: application processing time in most cases and application processing time in a minority of cases. This is because in a small percentage of cases, the decision will be issued clearly faster or clearly slower than in a majority of cases, for various reasons. If we do not need to request additional information for your application, the expected processing time will likely be the shorter one of the two estimates.

The processing time will be longer if additional information must be requested

The processing of your application may take longer than usual if your application is missing some information or attachments and we have to request additional information or documents.

In many cases, it is possible to process your application without requesting additional information from you if:

• you submit the application when you already meet all the requirements
• you use Enter Finland to apply online
• you fill in the application form carefully and add all the required attachments 
• you pay for your application in Enter Finland before you submit it.
• Once the details listed above are in order, we are usually able to use automation. 

There are further reasons why it may take longer than usual to process your application:

• We need to invite you to an interview.
• The processing fee has not been paid.
• Some of the requirements are not met, or you have requested an exception to a requirement.
• Your application is waiting for information or documents from another authority, such as an interview with a Finnish mission.
  • Unfortunately, the Finnish Immigration Service cannot influence the waiting times of other authorities.

We will continue to process your application when we have received the necessary information and documents.

Estimated processing times for applications

The table below contains the estimated processing times for different applications. There are two types of estimates: processing time in most cases and processing time in a minority of cases. In addition, the table contains the statutory processing times of applications in which a certain processing time is required under law. Not all applications have a maximum processing time provided by law.

The processing time estimates are updated every 2 months.

You do not need to contact us if the estimate has been exceeded

The Finnish Immigration Service will send you an automated message when the processing situation of your application changes. If you have submitted an online application, you will see the status of your application when you log in to your Enter Finland account. 

You will be notified when your application is taken up for processing. We will contact you if we need additional information from you. If you have questions about your application, you can contact us but please note that our customer service cannot give you exact details about the processing of your application.

When does the expected processing time begin and end?

Asylum

Under law, asylum applications must be processed within 6 months.

The processing time is calculated from the day when you notify the police or the border authorities in Finland that you want to apply for asylum.

• If the state responsible for processing your asylum application has been determined in Finland, the processing time is calculated from when your asylum application is referred to examination in substance in Finland. 
• If you have been transferred to Finland in the Dublin procedure, the processing time for your asylum application is calculated from when you have arrived in Finland and your asylum application has been registered in Finland.
• Read more about examination in substance and the Dublin procedure on our website.

If the maximum processing time provided by law has been exceeded in your case, we will send you a notification of the delayed processing, stating the reason for the delay. You will also receive a new estimate of the expected processing time. In other cases, you can contact the Finnish Immigration Service to enquire about the processing time for your application, if necessary. For instructions on how to send us an enquiry, see the page Waiting for the decision.

Temporary protection

The estimated processing time for a temporary protection application is approximately 1 week if no additional information is needed for the application. When the decision is ready, the Finnish Immigration Service will send it to you by post. The Finnish Immigration Service estimates that the postal delivery will take approximately 1 week. This means that you will receive the decision within approximately 2 weeks from the day when you made 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 get a residence permit card.