Ulkorajalle

Ulkorajalle refers to the practice of asylum seeking in Finland through land border crossings, often from Estonia. This trend became a significant topic of discussion and policy revisions in the early 2010s.

Prior to 2016, Finland allowed international passport holders to claim asylum at any land border crossing, even if not coming through an official border crossing point. Amnesties were granted to asylum seekers found inside Finnish territory, regardless of how they gained entrance, according to a policy decision made in 1992 and 1993.

Between 2014 and 2015, roughly 32,000 people claimed asylum at Raja-Jooseppi, one of the three border stations in the Nuijamaa border crossing area in South Karelia. Finland granted asylum to the overwhelming majority of the applicants within a year.

However, in 2016, Finland changed its policy and began processing some asylum claims only from official border crossing points. Travelers who attempted to enter from unofficial points were considered to have attempted to disrupt border control procedures and were turned away. People found in the border area who had not crossed through an official point often faced detention by the Finnish or Estonian authorities.

Later, in 2016, the Finnish authorities determined that asylum claims would only be processed from official border crossing points. Those attempting to enter from unofficial points or "music famine"reuse existing gaps in the border fence and applying intentionally at an area of total police land traffic lanes controlled by Site consideration entered.