2020 brings changes to fees charged by the police and the Finnish Immigration Service

The Ministry of the Interior has issued decrees on the fees charged by the police and the Finnish Immigration Service and on voluntary return assistance. The decrees will enter into force on 1 January 2020.

Passport and ID card prices to fall

From the beginning of next year, it will become cheaper to apply for a passport and an identity card. The prices will be reduced thanks to enhanced processes and increased volumes. The cheapest way to apply for a passport or identity card is to do it online. A passport costs EUR 51 (previously EUR 53) if you submit the application at a police station and EUR 45 if you apply online (previously EUR 49). The price of an identity card will also decrease: the price will be EUR 54 (previously EUR 58) when applying at a police station and EUR 48 (previously EUR 54) when applying online. If you apply for an identity card and a passport at the same time, the card costs EUR 46 (at the station) or EUR 40 (online).

Changes also to fees of Finnish Security and Intelligence Service

The price of a comprehensive security clearance carried out by the Finnish Security and Intelligence Service will increase from EUR 450 to EUR 600. The reason for this increase is that the current price does not cover the costs incurred in processing the security clearance. As of January 2020, corporate security clearances carried out by the Finnish Security and Intelligence Service will shift from hourly invoicing to total invoicing to better reflect the costs. In the future, the fee for concise security clearances will be EUR 5 000 and for standard security clearances EUR 10 000.

Amendments to fundraising fees and security-sector oversight fees

The new Fundraising Act will enter into force on 1 March 2020. Under the new Act, only the National Police Board can issue fundraising permits. The permit holder has to notify the National Police Board every year of the organisation of fundraising, the funds raised and the use of the funds. As of 1 March 2020, the price of the annual notification will be EUR 100. As of March, police departments will process the notifications (EUR 55 each) concerning small-scale fundraising.

The oversight fee of entrepreneurs in the security sector will be amended so that there will be only one euro-denominated fee for all entrepreneurs.

Finnish Immigration Service brings processing fees closer to the costs

The fees for processing residence permit applications will increase slightly as of 1 January 2020. The most significant changes concern the fees for processing applications for residence permits submitted by employees and entrepreneurs. The processing fee for paper applications will be EUR 640 (previously EUR 600) and the processing fee for online applications EUR 490 (previously EUR 400). The Finnish Immigration Service is nowadays better able to specify how processing costs are divided between online and paper applications. This will be reflected in the price of the processing.

The fees for processing applications for Finnish citizenship will rise by EUR 40. In future, the processing fee for a citizenship application made in paper form will be EUR 520. If you apply for citizenship online, the price will be EUR 420. Determination of citizenship status will cost EUR 100 (previously EUR 50).

The prices will be increased to better reflect the costs incurred in processing applications. The processing fees will contribute to ensuring adequate resources for the Finnish Immigration Service and to reaching the deadlines set for the processing. The processing fee is still lower than the costs in the case of first residence permit applications (excl. employee and entrepreneur permits) and in the case of temporary residence permit applications for minors and students. Applying for international protection is free of charge.

In future, a fee of EUR 50 will be charged for unused appointments, in other words if the customer fails to arrive at the office of the Finnish Immigration Service and has not cancelled the appointment. By the end of August 2019, a total of 3 142 customers had failed to attend their appointment without cancelling beforehand.

No change to assistance for voluntary return

There will be no change in the assistance for voluntary return compared to 2019. The new decree on assistance for voluntary return will be valid for two years until the end of 2021.

Assistance for voluntary return may cover the costs of the return journey and financial assistance to enable the returnee to start a new life in the home country. The assistance may be financial or in-kind assistance. In-kind assistance means various items or services helping the person to start a small business, or secure entry to a degree programme.

It has been recorded in the Government Programme that the voluntary return system will be developed as a primary option to secure the removal and reintegration of persons who have received a negative decision. The functioning and development of the voluntary return system will be examined separately and, if necessary, the decree on the assistance may be amended before it expires.

Inquiries:

Aino Salmi, Ministerial Adviser, tel. +358 295 488 685, aino.salmi@intermin.fi (fees of National Police Board and local police)
Juha Vehmaskoski, Senior Specialist, tel. +358 295 488 208, juha.vehmaskoski@intermin.fi (fees of the Finnish Security and Intelligence Service)
Satu Kaskinen, Senior Specialist, tel. +358 295 488 680, satu.kaskinen@intermin.fi (permit fees of Finnish Immigration Service)
Jorma Kantola, Senior Ministerial Adviser, tel. +358 295 488 215, jorma.kantola@intermin.fi (assistance for voluntary return)