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Are you considering returning to your home country?
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is implementing a return programme that provides travel arrangements for persons who want to return voluntarily from Finland to their country of origin. In addition to the travel arrangements, returnees can receive cash grants ranging generally from €200 to €1,500 for an adult and €100 to €1,000 for a child to support their reintegration in the communities of return. The project may alternatively grant a higher level of support paid in services, such as education, tools or vocational training. 

Who can receive support under the IOM programme?
You may apply for voluntary return support if you are an asylum seeker in Finland, if you have received a residence for protection reasons or if your residence permit is no longer valid and you are in need of humanitarian return assistance. If your asylum application is still in process you will have to withdraw it in order to return and receive support under the programme. You are not eligible if you are a citizen of an EU country or if you have acquired Finnish citizenship.

If you are in vulnerable situation, as for example if you are an unaccompanied minor, you have a serious medical condition or you are a victim of trafficking, it is important that you indicate this on the application form. This information is essential when planning the travel arrangements and reintegration.

How to apply?
You must complete an IOM Assisted Voluntary Return application form and an IOM application form for reintegration assistance. In the application form for reintegration assistance you must indicate how you intend to use the reintegration support after you have returned. All applications are processed individually by IOM, taking into consideration both your status in Finland and the application you have submitted.
You can get the application forms from:

• Your social worker in the municipality or the reception centre
• The local police station
• The IOM office in Helsinki (contact details below)
• The project website

The completed and signed forms should be returned to IOM Helsinki who will process the application and inform you about your eligibility. If your application is accepted, IOM Helsinki will start the travel arrangements in consultations with you.

IOM research on information sources
IOM will in this project also seek to collect information on the information sources used by possible returnees through a separate questionnaire. This information will only be used by IOM to develop our services to voluntary returnees and not for any purposes related to an application for residence in Finland. All information gathered will be confidential and you can fill in the questionnaire anonymously. If you do not at all want to answer any questions on information sources, you are free to say no.

IOM’s project is funded by the EU Return Fund and the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri).