Pro-Palestinian demonstration at the Market Square in Turku on 14 August 2025. Photo: Elsa Paakkinen / Lehtikuva
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A group of Palestinian researchers in Finland are at risk of deportation following a legal change that invalidates Palestinian passports as accepted proof of identity in residence permit applications.
The Finnish Union of University Researchers and Teachers (Tieteentekijät) said on Friday that the situation affects multiple doctoral researchers at Finnish universities. The union is calling on the Ministry of the Interior and the government to intervene immediately.
Under changes to the Aliens Act, which came into effect on 1 September 2024, applicants for residence permits must now verify their identity with a passport issued by their recognised country of citizenship. The Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) no longer accepts Palestinian passports for this purpose, although the Ministry for Foreign Affairs continues to recognise them as national travel documents.
One affected researcher, whose identity remains confidential, said they submitted their permit renewal application in March 2025, well ahead of the expiry date on 31 May. Months later, the only response from Migri was an email stating the passport was no longer accepted.
“This leaves me in a state of extreme uncertainty, despite applying on time and holding a valid employment contract with the university. This is not only a personal crisis but also a broader question of academic freedom, equal treatment, and the safety of international researchers in Finland,” the researcher said.
The union has verified the employment documents and email correspondence involved.
Tieteentekijät criticised the government’s handling of the legislative process, describing it as unusually closed and rushed. The request for comments on the draft legislation (VN/24628/2023) was sent to a limited group, excluding the union, which represents international researchers. There was no public consultation round, and the deadline for feedback was described as exceptionally short.
The union said the situation contradicts the government’s stated support for knowledge-based immigration and risks disrupting academic careers already underway.
“It is unreasonable that skilled international professionals who have arrived legally and are contributing to Finnish research are being placed in a position where their studies and doctoral work are at risk due to administrative technicalities,” the union said.
Tieteentekijät urged the government to clarify that Palestinian passports will continue to be treated as valid national travel documents, aligning Migri’s interpretation with that of the Foreign Ministry.
The union also called for future legislative reforms to follow transparent procedures, include expert consultation, and respect fundamental rights.
HT
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Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
