Residence Permit Withdrawal in Finland: How the Migri Process Works
A Finnish residence permit can be withdrawn before the expiry date printed on the card. Migri may review a valid permit when information suggests that the reason for granting it has ended, a continuing requirement is no longer satisfied, or another legal ground for withdrawal may exist.
If Migri has sent you a Plea request concerning possible withdrawal of your residence permit, the permit has not yet been withdrawn. Migri is investigating the matter and asking for your explanation, opinion and evidence before deciding whether the permit should remain valid.
What is residence permit withdrawal in Finland?
Migri's current English terminology is withdrawal of a residence permit. You may also see people refer to cancellation or revocation, but withdrawal is the terminology used in Migri's current guidance.
Withdrawal is different from a residence permit simply reaching its normal expiry date. Migri makes a separate decision that ends a permit which was previously granted.
Under the Aliens Act, withdrawal may become possible for several reasons. A central ground for a fixed-term residence permit is that the conditions on which the permit was granted did not exist or no longer exist. The Act also contains rules concerning deliberately false information, concealed information, permanent residence outside Finland and other situations.
Different residence permits also have their own requirements. Losing a job, stopping studies, ending a family relationship and changes in a business do not therefore produce the same legal analysis.
Why does Migri start reviewing a valid residence permit?
A permit may be reviewed because something relevant has changed after it was granted, or because Migri receives information that creates doubt about whether the permit requirements are still met.
- The employment supporting a work-based permit has ended.
- A student may no longer be studying or may not be progressing sufficiently.
- The family relationship supporting a family-ties permit has ended.
- The circumstances supporting an entrepreneur or startup permit have changed.
- Financial resources required for the permit may no longer be sufficient.
- Migri receives information suggesting that material information was incorrect or concealed.
- The permit holder may have moved permanently away from Finland.
These are examples, not an exhaustive list. The legal question depends on the exact permit and the exact reason Migri is considering withdrawal.
A useful detail: Migri currently states that, in general, it does not withdraw residence permits that will expire in less than six months. That is Migri's general practice, not a guarantee that every case with less than six months remaining will be treated identically.
How does Migri find out that circumstances have changed?
Migri conducts post-decision monitoring. This means that the authority checks whether people who already have residence permits continue to meet important permit requirements.
As of August 2026, Migri states that automated post-decision monitoring covers students, startup entrepreneurs, specialists and employed persons.
Register checks can include information from:
- the Incomes Register;
- the KOSKI education database;
- Kela;
- the Population Information System; and
- the Legal Register Centre.
Migri may check matters such as whether a person actually moved to Finland, how the person supports themselves, whether studies are progressing, whether the right to study remains valid and whether salary requirements are met.
Information can also come from employers, educational institutions, research organisations and other authorities.
Automated monitoring does not itself withdraw a residence permit. If the information indicates a possible problem, a Migri official assesses the individual case.
What do real Migri withdrawal cases look like?
Anonymised Migri plea requests reviewed by Legally.fi show how detailed the authority's information can already be before the permit holder responds.
In real student cases, Migri referred to KOSKI records showing absence from studies while the Incomes Register showed salary payments. Migri questioned whether the permit holders were actually studying or were residing in Finland primarily for work.
In another case, Migri referred to only 10 completed credits over two academic years and requested a transcript, registration certificate, study plan and evidence explaining the slow progress.
In a researcher case, Migri had information that the original research agreement had ended and income information showing employment elsewhere. Migri asked about the new work, research plans, income and any new research agreement.
These examples do not define all withdrawal cases. They show something more practical: Migri may already have specific register data and third-party information when the plea request arrives.
What is a Migri plea request?
Real Migri correspondence reviewed by Legally.fi uses the heading Plea request. Migri's public guidance describes the same stage as asking the person for their opinion on the possible withdrawal before a decision is made.
The letters explain why withdrawal is being considered and request a written statement. Migri calls the written statement submitted by the permit holder a response.
Depending on the case, Migri may ask:
- whether you oppose withdrawal of your residence permit;
- your position on possible deportation and an entry ban;
- questions directly connected with the suspected problem;
- whether you have another ground for a residence permit;
- documents supporting your explanation; and
- updated address or contact information.
The real letters also state that the person has the right to use counsel when giving the response.
What if you do not respond?
Migri can still make a decision.
The plea requests reviewed by Legally.fi expressly state that Migri will issue a decision even if no response is submitted within the deadline. They also state that the request will not simply be sent again.
Can you ask for more time?
Yes. Section 33 of the Administrative Procedure Act allows a deadline to be extended when additional time is necessary for investigating the matter. Migri's real plea requests also tell customers that they may ask for more time where there is a special reason.
If you genuinely need an extension, request it before the deadline whenever possible.
Before answering Migri, identify the actual problem
A plea response should not start with a generic template. It should start with the reason Migri opened the case.
What does Migri believe happened, and what information is it relying on?
Determine which legal requirement Migri believes is no longer satisfied.
Explain what actually happened and when. Correct incomplete or inaccurate assumptions directly.
Relevant evidence may include employment documents, study records, bank statements, family evidence, medical records, business documents or statements from institutions.
If your original circumstances have genuinely changed, another residence permit may be relevant. Mentioning another ground in the plea response is not the same as submitting a new application.
Received a Migri plea request?
Send the actual letter for review. The first task is to identify the withdrawal ground, what Migri already knows, what evidence is missing and whether another residence strategy should be acted on before a decision is made.
What can happen after your response?
Migri decides not to withdraw the permit
Your explanation and evidence may show that the permit requirements are still met, that the information available to Migri was incomplete, or that withdrawal is otherwise not justified after the individual assessment.
Another residence ground becomes relevant
Sometimes the original permit ground genuinely no longer exists, but another legal ground may exist. A person may move from studies to qualifying employment, from one work situation to another, or have an independent family or other residence ground.
Timing matters. If another permit application is needed, it should not be confused with the plea response itself.
Migri withdraws the permit
Under the current rules, the residence permit ceases to be valid when Migri issues the withdrawal decision.
If you do not have another valid right to reside in Finland, a deportation decision may also be issued. Withdrawal, deportation and an entry ban are separate legal decisions even when they appear in the same matter.
Important 2026 rule: since 12 June 2026, appealing a deportation decision does not automatically prevent enforcement. A deportation decision can generally become enforceable after the appeal period has expired. A prohibition of enforcement may need to be requested from the Administrative Court.
If a deportation decision is issued together with the withdrawal decision while you are in Finland, the current rules also allow the right to work to continue until the deportation decision becomes enforceable.
Residence permit withdrawal in numbers
Migri's latest complete annual figures show how significant post-decision monitoring has become.
These numbers do not mean that 1,913 of the 3,645 cases ended in withdrawal. Migri does not state that those figures represent the same closed group of cases.
What they do show is that being checked, having withdrawal considered and actually receiving a withdrawal decision are different stages.
A current 2026 Supreme Administrative Court example
In KHO 2026:23, a student had not begun the studies for which the residence permit had been granted. The Supreme Administrative Court agreed that the student permit had to be withdrawn because the permit requirements had ceased to be met and the person's residence was considered to be for a purpose other than the one for which the permit had been issued.
The case is important because it illustrates a basic principle behind withdrawal: the future expiry date on a residence permit card does not by itself protect the permit if the legal basis for the permit has disappeared.
The student-specific legal rules, including study progress, absence, working during studies, financial resources and evidence requested by Migri, are covered separately in the student withdrawal guide.
Detailed guides by residence permit type
The legal test and the evidence change substantially depending on the permit. Continue with the guide that matches your situation.
Protect your position before Migri makes the decision
Legally.fi assists with residence permit withdrawal reviews, plea responses, supporting evidence, alternative residence grounds and appeals when a withdrawal decision has already been issued.
Sources and legal basis
- Finlex: Aliens Act 301/2004, current consolidated text
- Finlex: Administrative Procedure Act 434/2003
- Finnish Immigration Service: Withdrawal of residence permits
- Finnish Immigration Service: Post-decision monitoring
- Finnish Immigration Service: Immigration statistics 2025
- Finnish Immigration Service: Aliens Act amendments effective 12 June 2026
- Supreme Administrative Court: KHO 2026:23
General legal information. Individual residence permit withdrawal cases depend on the permit type, applicable legislation, evidence and the contents of the actual Migri decision or plea request.