An estimated 1,000 British citizens living in Finland have yet to apply for a right of residence to remain in the country, a mandatory requirement under the terms of the UK’s withdrawal agreement.
The deadline for submitting the so-called 'Brexit permit' applications to the Finnish Immigration Service Migri is Thursday 30 September.
The office said that a total of 3,923 applications had been received by the end of last month, but there are an estimated 5,000 British citizens currently residing in Finland.
"As the deadline for submissions draws closer, we are still expecting to receive a large number of applications from British citizens," Migri Senior Adviser Mika Walldén said in a press release.
The Brexit permit application period opened in October last year for British citizens who resided in Finland before the end of the so-called Brexit transition period to apply for the right to remain in the country.
Migri has so far issued 2,280 decisions regarding the permits, but warned that processing times can take up to 14 months due to a backlog of applications. The office therefore urged all British citizens to submit their applications before the deadline.
"Once the application has been submitted, the applicant’s right of residence in Finland is valid until processing has been completed, and they may continue to work or study as before," Walldén said, adding that the fastest way to submit an application is via the Enter Finland online service.