Iraqis submit 1359 family reunification bids till Sept

Iraqis are clearly the largest group of applicants currently applying for residence permits on the basis of family ties, according to the Finnish Immigration Services.

In January 1 to September 30, 2017, Iraqis submitted a total of 1,359 first applications for residence permits on the basis of family ties, said a press release. The figure was 665 in the corresponding period of the previous year.

The number of Syrian applicants has also increased considerably, making them the fifth largest group to apply for residence permits on the basis of family ties. By the end of September, they submitted 405 family reunification applications, while between 1 January and 30 September 2016, they submitted 156 applications.

The total number of residence permit applications on the basis of family ties submitted by the end of September was 8,872.

Applications for residence permits on the basis of family ties are divided into three categories: family members of Finnish citizens, those of other foreign nationals who live in Finland with residence permit, and family members of persons who have been granted international protection.

The number of applications from family members of persons granted international protection has increased, reflecting the large number of asylum seekers who arrived in Finland in 2015. Twenty-four per cent of all applications on the basis of family ties submitted between 1 January and 30 September 2017 were by such family members.

Meanwhile, the largest group of family reunification applicants consisted of family members of other foreign nationals who have not been granted international protection. They submitted 49 per cent of all applications on the basis of family ties. The remaining 27 per cent were submitted by family members of Finnish citizens.

Between 1 January and 30 September, the total number of all residence permit applications submitted was 20,062. This includes applications on the basis of work, studies, family ties, and other grounds.