Finland, as part of amendments to the law on foreigners, plans to tighten a number of rules regarding entry into the country from September 1, according to a statement published on the government website.
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“New amendments to the legislation will make it possible to prevent evasion of entry provisions more effectively than before. At a meeting on July 4, the government proposed to the President of the Republic to approve amendments to the law on foreigners and the law on scientists and students. The President of the Republic must approve the amendments on July 5, and they will come into force on September 1, 2024,” the country’s government website says.
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According to the report, the law on foreigners will spell out each situation in which a residence permit may be refused. Grounds for refusal include providing false information, illegal stay, illegal work in the country, and marriage of convenience.
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In addition, stricter requirements will be introduced to verify the identity of asylum seekers. They will also not be able to change the legal basis for being in the country, for example related to work, in order to obtain a residence permit. “This will prevent cases where an applicant applies for asylum with the sole purpose of finding work or studying in Finland,” the government explains.
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Also, according to the amendments, the changes will involve adding biometric data to the information about refusal to enter into the Schengen information system.
