COVID-19: Deadline extended for ID confirmation extended

IMPACT – HIGH

Finland has extended the deadline for residence permit applicants who need to prove their identity at a Finish consulate in order to have their permit processed.

Key points:

• The time limit for proving identities, a required part of the resident permit application process, has been extended to August 31, 2020 for individuals who are abroad and cannot undertake the normal process because of COVID-19.
• The new time limit is subject to change, depending on what happens during this emergency period.
• Once emergency conditions are lifted, individuals will be able to begin booking appointments to prove their identities. Such announcements can be found on these sites: Ministry for Foreign Affairs and customer bulletins.
• Those interested in canceling a residence permit application can do so at the following website: migri.fi/en/cancelling-an-application.

Additional information: Under normal circumstances, resident permit applicants abroad are required to go to a Finnish mission within three months of applying for their permit to prove their identities. Because of COVID-19, these missions are temporarily no longer processing new applications. Individuals can submit resident permit applications online via Enter Finland, which is provided by the Finnish Immigration Service. Application processing begins after the applicant has proven her or his identity. Pending resident permit applications are still being processed.

Analysis & Comments: The new time limit extension will allow resident permit applicants abroad more time to prove their identities in order to complete their resident permit applications. While this is good news, applicants should note that their permits will not be processed until they can complete this step of the application process. Employers may need to adjust schedules because delays related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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