Family members of beneficiaries of international protection to be charged an application fee to meet growing resource needs

This is an English translation of a press release originally issued in Finnish on 17 February 2016.

The Ministry of the Interior has set up a project to amend the Ministry of the Interior Decree on Fees Charged for Services Provided by the Finnish Immigration Service. Under the amended Decree, an application fee would be payable for residence permit applications lodged by family members of beneficiaries of international protection. This amendment is necessary because the Finnish authorities received a record high number of applications last year, and their processing will require considerably more resources than before.

With a tenfold increase in asylum seekers in 2015, the number of first residence permit applications of their family members is expected to grow significantly starting in summer 2016. The revenue from application fees could be used to cover central government costs arising from the need for additional human resources.

The current system would be changed to adapt to the situation of central government finances. The new system would also be in line with other legislative amendments to be made in Finland. As a rule, a fee is payable for applying for a residence permit.

The amendment would apply to family members of beneficiaries of international protection who apply for a residence permit before the sponsor has been granted a permanent residence permit, provided that the family had been constituted before the sponsor came to Finland.

The project runs until 30 June 2016. The amendment should come into force without delay.

Inquiries

Jorma Vuorio, Director General, tel. +358 295 418 860, [email protected]