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Appeals

Appeal Migri Decision

You can appeal any Migri decision — including residence permit refusals, deportations, entry bans, and citizenship denials — to the relevant administrative court within 30 days of being notified of the decision. The appeal must be in writing, state the grounds for appeal, and include any new evidence. A&Co. Legal drafts and files appeals and provides full representation in administrative court.

Any decision by the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) can be appealed. Understanding the deadlines, grounds, and process is essential — a well-grounded appeal can overturn a negative decision.

What decisions can you appeal?

You can appeal virtually any decision made by Migri, including: negative residence permit decisions, residence permit revocations, deportation orders, entry bans, negative citizenship decisions, negative family reunification decisions, and decisions to refuse or revoke international protection. You can also appeal decisions on the processing fee, the processing time, and certain procedural decisions. The key is that the decision must be a formal, appealable decision — not, for example, a request for additional information during processing. The decision document states your right to appeal and the deadline.

What is the deadline for appealing a Migri decision?

The standard appeal deadline is 30 days from the date you are deemed to have been notified of the decision. If the decision was mailed, the notification date is typically 7 days after mailing (unless you can prove you received it later). If the decision was handed to you in person or sent electronically, the deadline runs from that date. The 30-day deadline is strict and cannot be extended. If you miss it, the decision becomes final. In urgent cases — such as an entry ban issued at the border — the deadline may be shorter. Always check the decision document for the exact deadline and the correct appellate authority.

How do you write an appeal against a Migri decision?

The appeal must be in writing and must state: which decision is being appealed, the specific grounds for appeal, and what outcome you are seeking. The grounds must be concrete and legal — for example, that Migri misapplied the Aliens Act, failed to consider evidence, or that new circumstances have arisen. The appeal should include all evidence and arguments you want the court to consider; you generally cannot introduce new grounds or evidence later in the process without a good reason. A well-drafted appeal is specific, references the relevant legal provisions, and directly addresses each ground for refusal stated in Migri's decision. This is where a lawyer's expertise is most valuable.

What happens in the administrative court?

Once the appeal is filed, the administrative court requests the case file from Migri and asks Migri to provide a response to the appeal. You may be asked to provide additional information or clarification. The court then either decides the case based on the documents or schedules a main hearing. At a main hearing, both parties present their arguments, and the court may question you, Migri's representative, and any witnesses. After the hearing, the court issues a written decision. The court can uphold Migri's decision, overturn it (meaning Migri must grant the permit or reconsider), or remand the case back to Migri. The process typically takes 6–18 months.

Can you appeal further to the Supreme Administrative Court (KHO)?

If the administrative court's decision is unfavorable, you can apply for leave to appeal (valituslupa) to the Supreme Administrative Court (KHO). KHO only grants leave if the case has significance for the consistency of legal practice (precedent), if there is a clear error in the application of the law, or if there is another important reason. KHO does not re-hear the full case — it reviews questions of law. The deadline to apply for leave to appeal is 14 days from the administrative court's decision. KHO cases are complex and require careful drafting; they are most likely to succeed when the case raises a novel legal question or when there is a conflict in lower-court practice.

How much does it cost to appeal a Migri decision?

Many Migri appeals qualify for public legal aid, which covers most or all of the lawyer's fees for applicants meeting the income thresholds. For private clients, our hourly rate is 250 EUR/h. Drafting an appeal typically costs 1,000–3,000 EUR, and full representation in a main hearing adds 1,500–4,000 EUR. KHO appeals are billed separately. We always provide a written cost estimate before starting any work. If you qualify for legal aid, your out-of-pocket cost may be zero or a small deductible based on your income.

Immigration Law Finland

This page covers the Migri appeal process. For a full overview of our immigration law services — including residence permits, citizenship, deportation, and entry bans — visit our main immigration law page.

View all immigration law services

Sources

Content reviewed by: Pezhman Ahmadi, OTM — Immigration Law

Updated: September 13, 2026

Need to appeal a Migri decision?

The 30-day deadline is strict — contact us as soon as you receive the decision. We assess the grounds and draft the appeal.

Contact us+358 45 1368392