The situation in Syria has remained uncertain since the Assad regime collapsed late last year.
The Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) has resumed processing of asylum applications from Syrians. Those applications have been in limbo since December due to dramatic changes in the security situation in Syria.
Migri said on Friday that it had begun conducting asylum interviews again for all permit categories last month. Asylum seekers whose applications are approved may be granted either refugee status, subsidiary protection or residence permits on other grounds.
Those receiving negative decisions are generally given 30 days to leave Finland voluntarily. Those who do not do so may be removed from the country by police, Migri warns.
Return charter flight possible
Syrians may be eligible for assisted voluntary return or return assistance provided by wellbeing services counties, it notes. This may include travel and relocation costs, expenses related to obtaining travel documents and a discretionary return assistance of up to 1,187 euros for individual or 2,374 euros per family.
If a large number of people choose to return to Syria voluntarily, Finnish officials may arrange a charter flight, says Migri.
The situation in Syria has remained uncertain since the dictatorial Assad regime fell on 8 December 2024 after more than half a century in power and 14 years of civil war.
That followed a lightning offensive by an Islamist rebel group called Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) led by Ahmed Al-Sharaa, who is now Syria’s president. On Thursday, he became the first Syrian leader in nearly 60 years to address the UN General Assembly.
HTS, which was linked with al-Qaeda, has been designated as a terrorist group by the UN, the US, the UK and others. There are also still other armed groups operating in various parts of Syria.
