Finnish Immigration Service Resumes Processing of Iranian Asylum Applications
The Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) has resumed processing asylum applications from Iranian nationals after a nearly five-month suspension due to concerns over the country’s security situation. The decision to restart assessments was announced on Wednesday, with Migri confirming that sufficient information has now been gathered to proceed with all pending applications.
Migri initially suspended decision-making on some Iranian asylum applications in early February, citing the uncertain security situation in Iran following widespread anti-government protests and a subsequent crackdown. At the time, the agency stated that it needed additional information on how the security environment would develop before making final decisions (Yle). The suspension affected applications that required further assessment, though the exact number of cases was not specified.
According to Migri, approximately 100 Iranian asylum applications are currently under review. The agency has indicated that it will prioritise older applications to expedite the process. If granted, applicants may receive refugee status, subsidiary protection, or a residence permit on other grounds (Daily Finland).
The decision to resume processing follows continuous monitoring of Iran’s security situation. Migri stated in a press release that it has now obtained enough information to proceed with all applications, allowing decision-making to restart as of 1 July (Daily Finland). The agency did not provide further details on the specific security developments that led to the reassessment.
Finland is home to over 10,000 Iranian nationals, and concerns about Iranian government activity within the country have previously been raised. In March, the Finnish Security and Intelligence Service (Supo) told Yle that it suspects Iranian agents of monitoring and intimidating regime opponents in Finland. However, Migri’s decision to resume processing applications does not appear to be directly linked to these reports.
