Deputy Ombudsman flags serious delays at Finland’s immigration service

Finland’s Deputy Parliamentary Ombudsman has found significant problems with processing times at the Finnish Immigration Service, known as Migri, Yle reports.

An inspection found that Migri cannot process all applications within the time limits set by law. The review followed hundreds of complaints to the Parliamentary Ombudsman about lengthy processing times.

The problems were particularly pronounced in residence permit applications based on family ties. In 2026, Migri decided 61 percent of these applications within the statutory nine-month deadline. The deputy ombudsman said applications had arrived faster than the agency could process them.

Applications for citizenship and permanent residence permits are also facing backlogs. Processing is slowed by a lack of resources, changes to legislation and the complexity of cases.

The deputy ombudsman said authorities must meet statutory deadlines even when application numbers rise. The office has asked the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment to report on corrective measures.