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2.10.2023 | The Ministry of the Interior's project will examine the provisions on detention and entry bans in the Aliens Act. The aim is to tighten the Aliens Act in accordance with the set of measures related to voluntary return and departure laid down in the Government Programme.

1.9.2022 | A study commissioned by the Ministry of the Interior will examine whether the future needs for legislative amendments can be anticipated in law drafting and how such needs could be prepared for. The study will consider the amendments made to the Aliens Act and their causes. The research will be carried out by Åbo Akademi University in cooperation with researchers from the University of Turku.

23.1.2023 | A study commissioned by the Ministry of the Interior explored ways to anticipate future needs for amendments when drafting legislation. To this end, the study looked into the amendments made to the Aliens Act and the motivations behind them. The study was carried out by Åbo Akademi University in cooperation with researchers from the University of Turku.

28.10.2021 | The Ministry of the Interior has set up a project to conduct a preliminary study concerning the needs for amendments in the Aliens Act and how the reform should implemented.

27.9.2022 | The Ministry of the Interior has sent out for comments a draft of a temporary amendment to the Aliens Act that would ensure the validity of residence permits issued in Finland to recipients of temporary protection for as long as the temporary protection is in effect in the EU. With the amendment, first residence permits would be issued directly for the entire period of validity of the temporary protection.

4.5.2020 | A research project will examine the combined effects of the amendments to the Aliens Act and the practices of applying the Act with regard to the status of those requesting and receiving international protection. In particular, the project will examine whether the amendments have had an impact on safeguarding the best interests of the child.

20.12.2022 | The President of the Republic approved supplementary legislation on the Entry/Exit System (EES) and the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) on 20 December. The supplementary legislation amends the national legislation as required by the relevant European Parliament and Council regulations. 

16.2.2021 | A study commissioned by the Government investigated the combined impacts of the amendments made to the Aliens Act in 2015–2019 on the status of people applying for and receiving international protection and on the realisation of the best interests of the child. The decision to carry out the study was based on an objective set in the Government Programme, which states that the Government will investig...

19.1.2017 | Residence requirements applicable to asylum seekers to be included in the Aliens Act Ministry of the Interior Publication date 19.1.2017 13.34 Type: Press release Two new interim measures will be included in the Aliens Act - residence requirements...

28.3.2019 | The Aliens Act will be amended, for example by specifying the criteria for the processing of subsequent applications. The Government submitted the amendments to the Act for approval on Thursday 28 March, and the President of the Republic will approve the Act on Friday. The Act is scheduled to enter into force on 1 June 2019.

12.9.2022 | A special act prepared by the Ministry of the Interior would lay down provisions whereby the validity of residence permits issued by Finland on the basis of temporary protection would be extended automatically under the act for the duration of temporary protection in the EU. This would mean that people would not need to apply for extension of their residence permit separately. A residence permit c...

9.6.2022 | Border security will be strengthened by improving the ability of the Finnish Border Guard to prepare for and respond to incidents under normal conditions. The proposed amendments will also improve the Border Guard’s preparedness for emergency conditions. The Border Guard Act will be amended to help prepare for hybrid influence activities that exploit migration, for example. The Government submitted the proposal for amending the Board Guard Act to Parliament on 9 June.

7.10.2021 | The Government proposes that the reception act be amended so that the Finnish Immigration Service would have central responsibility for preparedness planning concerning the organisation of reception services in the event of a mass influx of migrants. The amendment would improve preparedness for large numbers of migrants and clarify the division of duties between the authorities. The Government submitted a proposal on the amendment to Parliament on 7 October.

8.7.2022 | In future, the reception of asylum applications can be centralised at separately designated border crossing points at Finland’s national border. Amendments to the Border Guard Act help prepare for hybrid influence activities that exploit e.g. migration. The President of the Republic approved the amendments on 8 July. The act will enter into force on 15 July 2022.

16.12.2021 | The reception act will be amended so that the Finnish Immigration Service will have central responsibility for preparedness planning concerning the organisation of reception services in the event of a mass influx of migrants. The President of the Republic approved the bill for the act on Thursday 16 December. The act will enter into force on 1 January 2022.

20.8.2020 | The various provisions on the processing of personal data by authorities dealing with migration matters will be brought together in a new act. The Government submitted the bill for approval on Thursday 20 August. The President of the Republic is to approve the bill on Friday. The act will then enter into force on 1 September.

17.5.2018 | The Ministry of the Interior proposes that a new act on the processing of personal data by migration authorities be enacted. The new act would replace the old Act on the Register of Aliens adopted over 20 years ago. The relevant legislative proposal was sent out for comments on 17 May.

14.12.2017 | New legislation will facilitate seasonal work and the mobility of managers, specialists and trainee employees transferring within a company from one EU Member State to another. The President of the Republic approved the bills on seasonal workers and intra-corporate transfers on Thursday 14 December.

Government Programme measures to reform migration policy The Government Programme’s objective is to reform Finland’s migration policy so that it offers assistance to the most vulnerable people and prevents abuse of the system. Finland’s asylum pol...

Family members of Finnish citizens or foreign nationals eligible for family reunification Family reunification refers to a residence permit granted to a foreign national on the basis of family ties. Family members of Finnish citizens or foreign na...

Assisted voluntary return provides the opportunity to start a new life in the home country

Removal and departure from the country If a person does not meet the conditions for legal stay in Finland, they are required to leave the country. This applies, for example, to persons whose asylum or residence permit application has been rejected...

The Ministry of the Interior is responsible for the preparation of migration policy and legislation

Refugees flee persecution in their home countries An asylum seeker is a person who seeks asylum and the right to reside in a foreign state. A refugee is someone who has been granted asylum in one state or another. A person may also receive refugee...

Answers to questions about biometric data regulation What is biometric data? Biometric data means personal data that result from technical processing, such as facial images and fingerprints, and allow the unique identification of a person. Who mak...

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...

Stricter conditions for permanent residence permits Conditions for obtaining a permanent residence permit will be tightened. The President of the Republic approved the relevant amendments to the Aliens Act on 22 December. The amendments entered in...

9.6.2026 | Legislative amendments to the Aliens Act will make the provisions on removal from the country and entry bans more effective. The enforcement of deportation decisions will be expedited. In addition, an entry ban may in future be imposed in advance if a person is considered a serious danger to security. The President of the Republic approved the amendments on Tuesday 9 June. They will enter into force on 12 June.

3.6.2026 | The Government's second supplementary budget for the year proposes funding for the Finnish Border Guard and the police to strengthen counter-drone capabilities and to make removals from the country more effective. Funding will also be provided for a new citizenship test. The Government submitted its second supplementary budget proposal for 2026 to Parliament on Wednesday 3 June.

29.4.2026 | The Ministry of the Interior has set up a project to prepare the necessary amendments to the provision of the Aliens Act on sufficient financial resources for family reunification. In future, a government decree would lay down provisions on the euro amounts required to demonstrate sufficient financial resources. This requirement would apply to family members of people who live in Finland with a residence permit.

22.12.2025 | The conditions for obtaining a permanent residence permit will be tightened. For example, the continuous period of residence required for the permit will be extended. Applicants will also be required to demonstrate higher integrity, proficiency in Finnish or Swedish and have a work history of a certain length. The President of the Republic approved the relevant amendments to the Aliens Act on 22 December. The amendments will enter into force on 8 January 2026.

22.12.2025 | The Ministry of the Interior has sent out for comments a draft government proposal to reform the provisions on removal from the country and entry bans laid down in the Aliens Act. The deadline for comments is 2 February 2026.

25.9.2025 | The Government proposes amendments to acts governing the use of biometric data stored in the registers of the police and the Finnish Immigration Service. Improving the use of biometric data would particularly support the investigation of the most serious crimes. The Government submitted the proposal to Parliament on 25 September.

22.12.2025 | The start of 2026 will see the entry into force of new acts and decrees. This press release provides a summary of the most important changes in the Ministry of the Interior’s government branch.

3.4.2025 | The provisions of the Aliens Act on detention and entry bans will be tightened. In addition, the Act will provide for the possibility of withdrawing a residence permit from an alien staying outside Finland and imposing an entry ban on the alien for security reasons. 

27.2.2025 | The process of granting temporary protection will become easier both for the beneficiaries and the authorities. At its session on 27 February, the Government proposed amendments to the Aliens Act and the entry-into-force provision of the Act on Temporarily Amending the Aliens Act. The President of the Republic is to approve the amendments on 28 February.

5.6.2025 | The conditions for obtaining a permanent residence permit will be tightened. For example, the continuous period of residence required for the permit will be extended. Applicants will also be required to demonstrate proficiency in Finnish or Swedish and have a work history of a certain length. The Government submitted to Parliament the relevant proposal for amending the Aliens Act on 5 June.

22.5.2025 | The efficiency of examining asylum applications will be improved. At the same time, restrictions will be placed on the ability of beneficiaries of international protection to visit the countries from which they have fled. The enforcement of deportation decisions will also be streamlined. The Government submitted the new amendments to the Aliens Act for approval on 22 May. The President of the Republic is scheduled to approve the amendments on 23 May, and they will enter into force on 1 June.

31.10.2024 | The Ministry of the Interior has set up a project to develop the regulation on removal from the country.

12.6.2025 | The Government will tighten conditions for family reunification, in other words residence permits issued to foreign nationals on the basis of family ties. In its session on 12 June, the Government proposed that the President of the Republic approve the relevant amendments to the Aliens Act on 13 June. The amendments will enter into force on 16 June.

21.11.2024 | International protection will be made temporary in nature and the length of permits will be shortened to the minimum allowed by EU law. Committing offences and endangering national security will lead to the refusal or end of protection status. The Government submitted the amendments to the Aliens Act for approval on Thursday 21 November. The President of the Republic is to approve the amendments on Friday. The amendments will enter into force on 2 January 2025.

6.3.2025 | The Government proposes to improve the efficiency of examining asylum applications. At the same time, restrictions would be placed on the ability of beneficiaries of international protection to visit the countries from which they have fled. The enforcement of deportation decisions would also be streamlined. The Government submitted the proposal for the amendments to the Aliens Act to Parliament on 6 March. The intention is that the proposed amendments would enter into force as soon as possible.

3.10.2024 | The Government proposes that the provisions of the Aliens Act on detention be tightened and the provisions on entry bans be reformed. In addition, the Act would provide for the possibility of withdrawing a residence permit from an alien staying outside Finland and imposing an entry ban for security reasons. The Government submitted a proposal on the amendments to Parliament on 3 October.

27.1.2025 | The Government proposes tightening the conditions for a permanent residence permit by extending the continuous period of residence required for a permanent residence permit and by requiring language skills in Finnish or Swedish and a work history of a certain length, among other things. The government proposal to amend the Aliens Act was sent out for comments on 27 January.

6.3.2025 | The Government is tightening the conditions for family reunification. In line with the Government Programme, the Government proposes that Finland should introduce the additional conditions permitted by the EU Family Reunification Directive concerning the spouses' minimum age, ability to provide for their own needs and the time they have stayed in the country. The Government submitted a proposal on the matter to Parliament on 6 March.

17.5.2024 | The Ministry of the Interior has sent out for comments a draft act that would tighten provisions on detention and revise the provisions on entry bans of the Aliens Act. In addition, the act would provide for the possibility of withdrawing a residence permit from an alien staying outside Finland and imposing an entry ban for security reasons. The deadline for submitting comments is 28 th June 2024.

27.6.2024 | A new border procedure will be added to Finnish legislation. The procedure will allow asylum applications submitted by persons who have already arrived in the country to be processed near the border if certain preconditions are met. These are different provisions from the border security act that is currently being discussed by Parliament.

3.9.2024 | The Ministry of the Interior has set up a legislative project to amend the legislation on temporary protection in order to extend temporary protection for Ukrainian nationals and their family members even after 4 March 2025. The project will prepare the necessary amendments to the Aliens Act.   

4.7.2024 | New legislative amendments will prevent the evasion of provisions on entry more effectively than before. In its session on 4 July, the Government proposed that the President of the Republic approve the amendments to the Aliens Act and the Researchers and Students Act. The President of the Republic is scheduled to approve the amendments on 5 July, and they will enter into force on 1 September 2024.

18.4.2024 | The Government intends to make international protection temporary in nature. The length of international protection permits will be shortened to the minimum allowed by EU law. In addition, any particularly serious offence committed in Finland or endangerment of national security would prevent a person from being granted international protection. The Government submitted its legislative proposal to Parliament on 18 April.

15.10.2024 | The Ministry of the Interior has set up a project to prepare the necessary legislative amendments to implement the new EU Pact on Migration and Asylum in Finland.

16.10.2024 | The Ministry of the Interior has sent out for comments a draft government proposal on temporary protection. As the crisis in Ukraine drags on, there is a need to reform the legislation on temporary protection. The project will prepare the necessary amendments to the Aliens Act concerning people who have fled the war in Ukraine but also other possible situations of temporary protection in the future. 

30.1.2024 | The Ministry of the Interior has sent out for comments a legislative proposal on amendments to the Aliens Act. The deadline for submitting comments is 20 February 2024.

12.9.2024 | The Ministry of the Interior has sent out for comments a draft government proposal on tightening the conditions for family reunification. The conditions would be made more stringent in cases where a third-country national applies for a residence permit based on family ties. The legislative project aims to introduce the additional conditions for family reunification enabled by the EU Family Reunification Directive, and to draft the required amendments to the Aliens Act.

18.4.2024 | The Government proposes legislative amendments to prevent the evasion of provisions on entry more effectively than at present. The amendments would prohibit asylum applicants from switching to a work-based or education-based application procedure in order to apply for a residence permit. The amendments would also tighten the identity verification procedure. The Government submitted the proposal to Parliament on 18 April. The proposed acts would enter into force on 1 July 2024.

5.12.2024 | The Government proposes amendments to the legislation on temporary protection. The aim is to streamline the granting of temporary protection from the perspective of both the beneficiaries and the authorities. The amendments concern people who have fled the war in Ukraine but also other possible situations of temporary protection in the future. The Government submitted the proposal for the amendments to the Aliens Act to Parliament on 5 December.

7.2.2024 | The Finnish Ministry of the Interior has set up a legislative project to implement the entries in the Government Programme concerning tighter conditions for family reunification. The aim is to introduce additional conditions for family reunification, as permitted by the EU Family Reunification Directive. 

1.3.2024 | The Ministry of the Interior has set up a project to prepare tightening of the requirements for a permanent residence permit in accordance with the Government Programme. The Government proposal will be submitted to Parliament in the spring session of 2025.

12.2.2024 | The Ministry of the Interior has sent out for comments a draft proposal for introducing a border procedure. The border procedure involves swift processing of asylum seekers' applications in the vicinity of the border.

28.7.2023 | On 28 July, the Ministry of the Interior launched a new legislative project to introduce a border procedure in Finland. Due to time constraints, Parliament did not finish its consideration of the previous Government’s legislative proposal, which then lapsed. Now preparations are about to continue under the new Government Programme.