Got a Letter from Migri? Finland's Immigration Deadlines Explained

A letter from the Finnish Immigration Service stops you in your tracks. Many people read it three times and still cannot tell whether something is being demanded of them or they are merely being informed. So, first things first: most Migri letters are routine — requests to complete an application, or updates on processing. And second: if the letter contains a deadline, that deadline is genuinely binding, and missing it can decide your whole case.

This guide walks through the letter types one by one: how to recognise which one you are holding, from which day the clock starts ticking, and what to do in each situation. It matters doubly if Finnish is not your strong language — the deadline does not wait while you look for a translator.

Which letter do you have: the four main types

• Request for clarification (täydennyspyyntö / selvityspyyntö) — Migri asks for documents or explanations to support your application. The letter lists the requested attachments and the date by which they must arrive.
• Hearing letter (kuulemiskirje) — you are given the chance to state your view before Migri makes a decision that may go against you (Administrative Procedure Act, section 34). Sent, for example, before a permit is revoked or removal is proposed.
• Invitation (kutsu) — to visit a service point for identification, an interview or a hearing. Time and place are in the letter; if you cannot attend, notify them in advance.
• Decision (päätös) — positive or negative, always accompanied by appeal instructions (valitusosoitus): which Administrative Court to turn to and within what time.

If you use the Enter Finland e-service, the same letter usually appears there before the paper version reaches your mailbox. Log in whenever you get an e-mail notification about a new message — the paper letter can be days behind.

From which day the deadline runs

This is where most mistakes happen. The deadline does not start when you read the letter — it starts from notification, which the law defines precisely:

• Regular letter: you are deemed notified on the seventh day after posting, unless shown otherwise (Administrative Procedure Act, section 59).
• Verifiable service (signature required): the day you sign for the document counts (section 60). Used for negative and obligating decisions.
• Enter Finland: the day you open the decision in the service counts as notification. An unopened message is deemed notified on the seventh day after sending.

Request for clarification — how to reply correctly

Viktor, who lives in Vantaa, applied to extend his work-based residence permit and received a request three weeks later: payslips for six months and an employer's statement of the terms of employment, deadline two weeks. His employer was on summer holiday. Viktor did two things right: he requested an extension through Enter Finland before the deadline expired, and he immediately submitted what he already had.

Three rules follow from this:

1. Always submit something within the deadline. A partial reply beats silence — if you do not reply at all, Migri decides on the file as it stands (Administrative Procedure Act, sections 22 and 33).
2. Ask for more time early and in writing. A justified request (employer on holiday, a document coming from abroad) is usually granted — but only if it arrives before the deadline.
3. Provide exactly what is requested. If a point is unclear, ask Migri (+358 295 419 600) or have the letter checked before replying. The wrong attachment does not substitute for the right one.

Hearing letter — the most important one you can get

A hearing letter means Migri is considering a decision against you — revoking a permit, refusing entry, proposing removal — and is giving you the legally required opportunity to be heard before deciding (Administrative Procedure Act, section 34; in refusal-of-entry and deportation matters also the Aliens Act, section 145).

This is the stage where you can still influence the outcome. Put forward everything that speaks in your favour: work, studies, family ties in Finland, health, children's situation, language skills. Whatever you leave unsaid now will not be part of the decision — and introducing new facts at the appeal stage is harder. Using counsel at this point is justified even if the matter seems clear to you.

Decision — 30 days to appeal

A negative decision comes with appeal instructions naming the competent Administrative Court and the deadline. The main rule:

Draft the appeal carefully: dissatisfaction alone is not a ground. You need to show where the decision went wrong — in the facts, in the interpretation of the law, or in the procedure. In international protection cases the appeal periods can differ from the main rule; always check your own appeal instructions.

Note that even a positive letter can carry obligations: the permit may have been granted on a different basis, or for a shorter period, than you applied for. Read the whole decision, not just the first line.

Interpreter, counsel and legal aid

• Interpretation: in matters initiated by the authority, Migri must arrange interpretation if you do not speak Finnish or Swedish (Administrative Procedure Act, section 26). In your own application matter, translations are usually your responsibility.
• Legal aid: state legal aid offices help free of charge or at partial cost depending on income (Legal Aid Act 257/2002). See oikeus.fi.
• NGOs: the Finnish Refugee Advice Centre (Pakolaisneuvonta) advises in international protection cases.

Frequently asked questions