Ombudsman slams slow immigration officials, police
Finland’s Deputy Ombudsman has sharply criticised the slow pace at which the Finnish Immigration Authority and Helsinki immigration police process residence permit applications.
Finnish legislation provides for residence applications based on family reunification to be processed in one month. However, such decisions currently take as long as six months.
Deputy Ombudsman Maija Sakslin says the time limit should only be exceeded in exceptional circumstances.
Immigration Authority officials say that processing times may be extended because police are obliged to interview permit applicants as well as their spouses. The Authority adds that permit decisions may also be delayed when applicants renew their passports, as the new identity documents must then be verified.
For their part, Helsinki police officials say that the process has been delayed by the significant increase in 2010 in the number of foreigner-related cases.
Yle
