Fewer foreigners apply for Finnish passport

The number of applications for Finnish passport submitted by the foreigners decreased by nine percent during January to September this year compared to the stipulated period of the previous year.

On 1 January 2017, the processing of licences and permits for foreign nationals was transferred from the police to the Finnish Immigration Service. The fall in the overall volume is mainly due to the transfer of licence matters for foreign nationals and the lower volume of passports early in the year, said a recent press release issued by police.

Around 420,000 electronic passport applications were received in January-September, which accounts for around 70 percent of all passport applications. Of these, around 230,000, or 38.5 percent, were granted without a visit to a police department (so-called simpler procedure).