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Illegal entry and stay are prevented through cooperation between authorities Illegal entry and stay remain low in Finland when compared with all migration to Finland. Most people move legally to Finland on the basis of work, family ties or studies...

30.9.2025 | Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen will chair the ministerial meeting of the Nordic cooperation group on migration and asylum (NSHF) in Helsinki on 30 September and 1 October. At the meeting, the Nordic ministers responsible for migration will discuss current migration issues.

31.3.2025 | Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen will attend the Border Security Summit in London on 31 March. The ministerial summit will focus on crime related to people smuggling and organised immigration crime. The aim is to identify the best ways to combat these phenomena.

Migration The Ministry of the Interior is responsible for drafting legislation on migration. It also guides and develops the immigration administration, and is responsible for the performance management of the Finnish Immigration Service. The aim ...

Situation at the eastern border The border crossing points on the land border between Finland and Russia have been closed since 15 December 2023. The border crossing points for maritime traffic at Haapasaari, the port of Nuijamaa and Santio have b...

Small ministry, large branch of government The National Police Board and the Finnish Immigration Service operate under the Ministry of the Interior. The agencies provide guidance within their scope of activities. The Finnish Border Guard is respon...

Frontex coordinates cooperation between European border Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, coordinates joint operations between European border authorities. EU Member States, countries in the Schengen area and countries outside t...

Interoperability

11.9.2020 | The Ministry of the Interior has launched an update of an action plan for preventing illegal entry and residence for 2021–2024. Along with the issues in the previous action plans, the new action plan will also examine the status of those residing in the country without a residence permit, the phenomena of abuse associated with them and the status of human trafficking victims.

27.1.2016 | Suomen ja Venäjän yhteistyön tiivistäminen on avain laittoman maahantulon torjuntaan

9.7.2026 | The Ministry of the Interior has launched a project to prepare the legislative amendments required for the national implementation of the EU Return Regulation.

3.4.2017 | The Ministerial Working Group on Immigration has adopted the Action Programme for the Prevention of Illegal Entry and Stay for 2017–2020. The current programme is more extensive and covers a longer period of time than the Action Plan for the Prevention and Management of Illegal Stay approved last December. This is the third in a series of programmes first established in 2012.

30.11.2016 | The ministerial working group on migration discussed an action plan on the prevention and control of illegal residence in the country. The plan has been prepared as a collaborative effort of various ministries and it focuses on the illegal residence in the country of people who have received a negative asylum decision.

1.12.2016 | Finland seeks to establish practical cooperation with Russian immigration authorities Ministry of the Interior Publication date 1.12.2016 9.11 Type: Press release Press release of the Ministry of the Interior and the Finnish Immigration Service Th...

10.4.2026 | Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen is currently visiting Türkiye to meet with the Turkish Minister of Interior Mustafa Çiftçi. Topics on the ministers’ agenda include the effects of the situation in the Middle East on migration as well as counterterrorism and police cooperation.

5.3.2026 | The EU home affairs ministers will gather in Brussels on 5 March for a meeting of the Justice and Home Affairs Council. The agenda includes the state of the Schengen area and partnerships with third countries concerning migration. Finland will be represented at the meeting by Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen, who will underline the importance of preventing illegal entry and stay.

15.2.2026 | Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen is currently visiting Iraq, where she will meet the Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, Minister of the Interior Abdul Amir al-Shammari and other leaders of the country’s government. The purpose of the meetings is to strengthen the bilateral relations between Finland and Iraq in the internal security sector and to promote cooperation in questions concerning returns.

17.12.2025 | Finland, together with Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland and Sweden, has published a letter to the European Commission calling for new and innovative solutions to counter and prevent irregular migration to Europe.

20.11.2025 | On 16 July, the European Commission presented a proposal for a new Multiannual Financial Framework for 2028–2034. The proposal would significantly increase EU funding for home affairs. The Government informed Parliament of the proposal by submitting a Union communication on 20 November.

14.10.2025 | The EU home affairs ministers will gather in Luxembourg on 14 October. The topics on their agenda include the development of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency Frontex and the reform of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. Finland will be represented at the meeting by Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen.