The estimated number of British people in Finland is currently about 5,000.
“ As the application deadline approaches, we still expect to receive a large number of applications from UK citizens, ” said the senior adviser. Mika Walldén.
British citizens living in Finland must apply to the Finnish Immigration Service for a right of residence in order to continue their legal residence in Finland by 30 September. The application period for Brexit licenses started in October 2020 and applications will be accepted 30. until September 2021.
When the United Kingdom secedes from the European Union, British citizens are considered to be so-called As third-country nationals. Non-EU citizens need a residence permit to stay in Finland for more than 90 days.
British citizens moving to Finland from abroad already need a residence permit
The Brexit permit is intended only for British citizens who lived in Finland before the so-called The end of the transitional period. The transitional period, which ended at the end of 2020, refers to a time when EU rules on free movement continued to apply to British citizens, as before Brexit.
According to the termination agreement, British citizens apply for a right of residence or a right of permanent residence according to the duration of their previous stay in Finland. Some family members of British citizens also need to apply for a residence permit.
To date, the Finnish Immigration Service has made 2,280 decisions regarding Brexit permits. In most cases, the applicant has been granted a right of residence.
After the end of the transitional period, ie on 1 January 2021, British citizens moving to Finland have applied for a residence permit on the basis of work and study in the same way as other non-EU citizens. Between January and August 2021, 256 British citizens intending to move to Finland applied for a residence permit for work, study, family or other reasons.
The right of residence continues for those who submit their application by the deadline
Generally, Brexit applications are processed within six months. However, processing times may be longer in some cases due to application lag. If the application was submitted more than six months ago, the processing can take up to 10-14 months. In any case, it is very important that all applications are submitted by the deadline.
– We ask applicants to wait patiently for a decision. Once the application has been submitted, the applicant’s right of residence in Finland is valid until the processing is completed, and he or she can continue working or studying as before, ” Walldén said, adding that the fastest way to submit an application is Enter Finland’s online service.
The application search on the Migri.fi website helps applicants to choose the right application and permit category. To ensure that the processing of their application is as seamless as possible, applicants must ensure that all necessary information and annexes are included.
Release: Brexit
- 1 February 2020: The EU-UK resignation agreement enters into force, marking the beginning of a transitional period during which EU rules on free movement will continue to apply to British citizens as before Brexit.
- 1 October 2020: Applications for the so-called Brexit permit, which is intended for British citizens who want to continue living in Finland after a transitional period. The deadline for applications for Brexit permits is 30 September 2021.
- December 31, 2020: The transition period ends. From 1 January 2021, British citizens moving to Finland must apply for a residence permit in the same way as citizens of other third countries.
- 30 September 2021: Deadline for the application for a right of residence of a British citizen residing in Finland before the end of the transitional period.
Source: Finnish Immigration Service