Maahanmuuttoviranomainen

Maahanmuuttoviranomainen, literally “immigration authority,” is the Finnish term for the government body that handles immigration and asylum matters. In Finland, the central institution responsible for these issues is Maahanmuuttovirasto (Finnish Immigration Service), an agency under the Ministry of the Interior. Following a reform implemented in recent years, immigration and asylum processing has been organized under a single agency to improve coordination and efficiency.

Functions and scope

The maahanmuuttoviranomainen processes applications for residence permits (including work, study, family reunification, and humanitarian grounds), asylum and international protection applications, and other migration-related procedures. It issues decisions and related documents, administers procedures, and provides information and guidance to applicants. The agency also handles travel documents for recognized refugees and stateless persons and contributes to reception, integration, and return processes in cooperation with municipalities and other authorities. Decisions and procedures are guided by Finnish law and relevant EU directives, including asylum and migration rules.

Procedures and legality

Applicants submit applications online or at service points. The agency conducts necessary checks, interviews, and assessments before issuing decisions. Decisions can be appealed to the Administrative Court, and applicants have access to legal remedies under national law. The maahanmuuttoviranomainen operates within the framework of Finnish law and EU law on migration and asylum, including Dublin Regulation rules where applicable.

Relation to other authorities

The maahanmuuttoviranomainen is part of the Finnish public administration under the Ministry of the Interior and collaborates with entities such as the Finnish Border Guard and the police in the execution of migration and asylum tasks. The term is used to refer to the institution as a whole or to the category of authorities handling immigration matters in Finland.