Migri changes residence permit application rules due to coronavirus

The Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) announced last week the suspension of all the resident permit applications submitted to the Finnish missions abroad due to the coronavirus (koronavirus, in Finnish) crises.

Now, Migri says they have also changed the mechanism to submit applications from inside of Finland. “Due to the coronavirus situation, handling matters with a queue number is not possible at the service points,” the immigration agency said in its customer bulletin.

This exception starts on 23 March and will be valid until further notice. People can only visit Migri service points if they have an appointment. If they submit their application during the coronavirus epidemic, Migri will book them an appointment for proving their identity.

“You do not need to book the appointment yourself or worry about getting an appointment. You only need to submit your application and pay the processing fee. Please make sure that the contact details you have given in your application are correct, especially your phone number and your email address,” said Migri.

How to book an appointment

There are three ways to get an appointment.

One is using the online service Enter Finland at enterfinland.fi. 

People can use Enter Finland even if they do not have online banking credentials. Only an email address is required.

Those customers who are applying for an extended permit and have used strong electronic identification in Enter Finland do not always need to visit a service point. They can use strong electronic identification in Enter Finland by logging in with their online banking credentials, citizen certificate or mobile certificate.

The online service will tell them whether they have to visit a service point or whether the electronic identification is enough. If they need to visit a service point and prove their identity there, Migri will book them an appointment for that as soon as it is possible.

For those without access to online services

People are unable to use the online service can submit their application in one of the following ways:

1. Scan the paper application and email it to the address asiakaspalvelu@migri.fi. The application becomes pending when the customer has received a confirmation email.

2. Send a paper application by post to the following address: Finnish Immigration Service, PO Box 10, 00086 Maahanmuuttovirasto.

The application becomes pending when the letter has been recorded as received.

Customers can pay the processing fee for their application to the bank account of the Finnish Immigration Service: FI50 5000 0121 5029 82.

When they do so, applicants must write the customer number and the name of the permit they are applying for in the message field. A receipt of the payment must be attached to the application.

“Please note that paying the processing fee as a bank transfer is only possible in this exceptional situation. If you apply online in Enter Finland, pay the processing fee in Enter Finland,” says Migri.

If people have booked an appointment at a service point, they can handle their matter as usual.

More information on these issues can be found HERE