Russian asylum seeker faces prolonged wait for asylum decision in Finland

Sviatoslav Parshikov, a 31-year-old Russian asylum seeker, is in the Hirvikoski library in Loimaa, poring over a thick stack of documents. These are letters from the Finnish Immigration Service, Migri, which has postponed its asylum decision regarding Parshikov three times. Alongside him are three other Russian asylum seekers in similar circumstances, all residing in Loimaa. According to the law, the processing of asylum applications should take no longer than six months, but this can be extended up to 21 months due to uncertain conditions in the applicant’s home country.

Parshikov, seeking asylum primarily due to Russia’s mobilization efforts, has been waiting for a decision for over two years. He expresses that this delay is a legal violation and feels discriminatory towards Russians. In a letter dated July, Migri estimated it would provide a resolution to his application by the end of November.

Since the partial mobilization announced by Russia in autumn 2021, 1,321 Russian nationals have applied for asylum in Finland. Over half of these applicants are adult men. Migri has processed 1,024 applications based on these submissions, granting positive decisions in 297 cases while denying 179. There are still about 800 applications pending, with the processing for some extending beyond two years due to delays in guidance from the European Union regarding these cases.

The Immigration Service is currently prioritizing the oldest pending applications. However, the mere threat of mobilization has often not been sufficient for asylum approval. Parshikov, like others, struggles with the uncertainty of their futures, as the situation in their home country grows increasingly dire.