What are the steps you can take after receiving a deportation decision? Understanding the recent changes to the Aliens Act
Imagine that you have a well established life in Finland and a job you love, having lived here for several years under a residence permit issued for the purposes of employment. However, you then receive a decision from the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri), that your residence permit will not be extended further. What are the steps you can take after receiving such a decision, and will you be able to live and work in Finland while your appeal is being considered?
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10/23/20263 min read
Photo: Emmi Korhonen / Lehtikuva (www.helsinkitimes.fi)
Recent amendments to the Aliens Act regarding removal from the country and entry bans, which entered into force on 12 June 2026, have changed the rules on entry bans, the expiry of residence permits, and the way in which deportation decisions are enforced. Many international people living and working in Finland have been affected by these changes, and have recieved a negative decision from the Finnish Immigration Service. What can they do in such situations?
A good number of these decisions are wrongly made. Therefore, our firm steps in to bridge this dangerous gap, be it evidentiary, procedural or a clear wrongful interpretation and application of the law. The new reform has provided clarification on the validity of residence permits. A residence permit will expire immediately after Migri has made a decision on the deportation of a foreign national from the country. Alternatively, if a person’s residence permit is withdrawn, it will be expired when the Finnish Immigration Service has made a decision on withdrawal, which will also result in a deportation decision.
The reform extends further to those living under temporary protection, who can no longer simultaneously have temporary protection and a valid Finnish residence permit. A residence permit based on temporary protection will expire if a person’s purpose of residence has changed, and they have been issued a new residence permit, if their right of residence as an EU citizen has been registered, or they have been issued a residence card of a family member of an EU citizen.
What should you do after receiving a deportation decision?
A person who disagrees with the deportation decision they have received should first check why the residence permit was refused an extension, and when the appeal deadline is. The decision itself will contain information on how it can be challenged, and within what time period. In addition, a person may also need to request prohibition of enforcement from the Administrative Court. Under the new rules, the enforcement of deportation decisions will be expedited, which means that making an appeal in itself does not automatically suspend the enforcement of a deportation decision.
How does the amendment affect a person’s right to work?
If a person's residence permit is withdrawn or an extension is refused, their right to work may continue until the deportation decision becomes enforceable, which is typically 30 days after being served the decision. However, it is crucial to note that this continuation only applies if you applied for your extended permit before your previous permit expired. If your permit expired prior to submitting your renewal application, your right to work ended immediately on that expiration date. If the decision is appealed and an administrative court approves a prohibition of enforcement, the right to work continues until the court issues its final decision.
Something worth noting is that the amendments on the expedited enforcement of deportations will not apply to the deportation decisions made in asylum matters, as it explicitly concerns deportation decisions outside the asylum context. This makes it particularly important to confirm why the deportation decision has been issued, and it should not be assumed that the thirty day enforcement rule is universally applicable to each case.
What has changed regarding entry bans?
The amendments also affect entry bans, which can now be imposed on an individual in advance,
even on foreign nationals who are not currently residing in Finland and have no Finnish residence permit history. Prior to the amendments, entry bans were generally utilised when a person’s removal from Finland was concerned. This new form of entry ban, which is imposed by the police either on the proposal of other security authorities or on its own initiative, is intended for persons that are considered a serious threat to public security, order, and national security. Such an entry ban can apply to just Finland, or in some cases, to the entire Schengen and EU area.
To summarise shortly, the amendments to the Aliens Act have introduced notable changes regarding residency and deportation decisions. For those whose residence permits are not extended, or withdrawn, the most important thing to understand is that submitting an appeal will no longer automatically prevent enforcement of a deportation decision issued to you, unless it has been explicitly prohibited by an Administrative Court. At the same time, the changes are not universally applicable to every person’s case, particularly in terms of asylum matters.
If you have received a negative decision from Migri, or a request for additional information, we are here for you. Contact us now!
Harshita Mardikar
Legal Intern,
Lakiasiaintoimisto Jeslor | Law Firm
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