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Asylum in Finland

Withdrawal of refugee status and subsidiary protection status

Withdrawal of refugee status

The Finnish Immigration Service may withdraw your refugee status if:

  • you have knowingly given false information in your application for international protection or withheld a fact that was decisive or could have been decisive for the outcome of the decision
  • you voluntarily re-avail yourself of the protection of your country of nationality: you, for example, get a passport issued by your country of nationality or you voluntarily travel to your country of nationality
  • you voluntarily settle in the country from which you fled
  • your personal circumstances or the circumstances in your home country have changed so that you no longer need refugee status
  • you obtain a new citizenship and you are able to avail yourself of the protection of that country, or
  • you voluntarily regain citizenship that you have previously lost

  • you have committed, or there are reasonable grounds to suspect that you have committed, a crime against peace, war crime, crime against humanity or an act which violates the purposes and principles of the United Nations

  • there are reasonable grounds to believe that you pose a threat to national security, or

  • you have been convicted of a particularly serious crime.

Withdrawal of refugee status means that you will lose the refugee status that was granted to you in Finland.

Withdrawal of subsidiary protection status

The Finnish Immigration Service may withdraw your subsidiary protection status if your personal circumstances or the circumstances in your home country have changed so that you no longer need international protection.

Your subsidiary protection status may be withdrawn for example if:

  • you have knowingly given false information in your application for international protection or withheld a fact that was decisive or could have been decisive for the outcome of the decision
  • you have voluntarily travelled to your home country
  • the security situation of your home country has changed so that you no longer need subsidiary protection.

  • you have committed, or there are reasonable grounds to suspect that you have committed, a crime against peace, war crime, crime against humanity or an act which violates the purposes and principles of the United Nations

  • there are reasonable grounds to believe that you pose a threat to national security

  • you have committed a serious crime.

Withdrawal of subsidiary protection status means that you will lose the subsidiary protection status granted to you in Finland.

The Finnish Immigration Service also examines whether you have grounds for a residence permit

When the Finnish Immigration Service considers withdrawing your refugee status or subsidiary protection status, it examines whether you have grounds for your residence permit any longer. The Finnish Immigration Service also considers whether you may be deported from Finland and whether an entry ban may be imposed on you. An entry ban means that you are not allowed to return to Finland or the Schengen area. The ban is valid until further notice or for a limited period.

Even if the Finnish Immigration Service withdraws your refugee status or subsidiary protection status, your residence permit may still remain valid. If you wish, you can also apply for a new residence permit on new grounds.  

If the Finnish Immigration Service withdraws your refugee status or subsidiary protection status and you no longer have grounds for a residence permit in Finland, a decision to deport you will be made, and you will be given the opportunity to voluntarily leave Finland within the time limit set for voluntary return. The time limit is usually 30 days.

If an entry ban is imposed on you, you are not given the opportunity for voluntary return. 

Read more on the page Deportation and denial of admittance or stay.

Travel documents when your refugee status or subsidiary protection status is withdrawn

Under law, you must have a valid travel document while you live in Finland.

If you hold a refugee travel document, it will be cancelled when your refugee status is withdrawn.

When the decision on withdrawal of refugee status becomes final, you must obtain a national passport.

If you cannot obtain a national passport, you can apply for an alien’s passport.

If you hold an alien’s passport, the Finnish Immigration Service will consider whether to cancel your alien’s passport or keep it valid so that you can obtain a national passport.

The process of considering the withdrawal of your refugee status or subsidiary protection status:

  1. The Finnish Immigration Service becomes aware of a reason for considering the withdrawal of your refugee status or subsidiary protection status. The reason could be, for example, that you have acquired a national passport or you have stayed in your country of nationality.
  2. The Finnish Immigration Service sends you a letter stating that it is considering withdrawing your refugee status or subsidiary protection status.
    • A written hearing request is enclosed with the letter. Follow the instructions and respond to the request. 
    • The letter may also state that you will receive a separate invitation to an interview. The interview will be held at the Finnish Immigration Service. Inform the Finnish Immigration Service if you wish to give up your protection status and thus skip the interview.
    • If you do not respond to the written hearing or do not arrive at the interview without a valid reason, the Finnish Immigration Service may still decide to withdraw your refugee status or subsidiary protection status.
  3. The Finnish Immigration Service makes its decision on the basis of the information obtained in the interview. The decision will be served on you either by the Finnish Immigration Service, the police or the border authorities. You can appeal against the decision if you want to.
  4. If your refugee status or subsidiary protection status is not withdrawn, you can continue your stay in Finland as usual.
  5. If your refugee status or subsidiary protection status is withdrawn:
    • your current residence permit may remain valid or you can apply for a new residence permit on the basis of new grounds, or
    • you will be deported from Finland and you must leave Finland. The Finnish Immigration Service may also impose an entry ban on you.

Note that you will not be heard in the following situations:

In the following situations, you will not receive a letter and an interview invitation, and you cannot appeal against the decision on the withdrawal of your protection status:

  • You voluntarily give up your refugee status or subsidiary protection status.
  • You have obtained the citizenship of Finland or another EU Member State.
  • You have been granted international protection in another EU Member State.

When can you be deported on the basis of crimes?

You can be deported from Finland on the basis of crimes and endangering Finland’s security if

  • you are found guilty of an offence carrying a maximum sentence of imprisonment for a year or more
  • you are found guilty of repeated offences
  • you have, through your behaviour, shown that you are a danger to other people’s safety
  • you have taken part, or Finnish authorities have reason to suspect that you may take part in activities that endanger Finland’s national security.

If you have been granted refugee status or subsidiary protection status in Finland, further conditions for your deportation are that: 

  • your refugee status or subsidiary protection status can be withdrawn and 
  • your deportation does not violate the obligation of non-refoulement.
    • According to the principle of non-refoulement, no one may be returned to an area where they face a risk of being subjected to the death penalty, torture, persecution, or other inhuman treatment or treatment violating human dignity.

Notify the Finnish Immigration Service if you want to return to your home country

Notify the Finnish Immigration Service if you want to return to your home country permanently and you have refugee status or subsidiary protection status in Finland. Fill in the form ‘Notice of voluntary return to home country’.

Use the Latin alphabet when you fill in the form. Each person who returns must submit their own form. If the form concerns a child under the age of 15, it must be signed by the person who has custody of the child. If the form concerns a child who has turned 15, it must be signed by the child and by the person who has custody of the child.

Sign the form and send it to the Finnish Immigration Service in one of the following formats: 

  • photo
  • scanned document.

Send the notification form by encrypted email to the address migri@migri.fi using the securemail.migri.fi service, which is intended for sending encrypted emails. If you have a passport issued by your home country, attach a copy of the passport to your message.

After you have filled in and signed the notification form and sent it to the Finnish Immigration Service, we will make a decision on withdrawal.