Twelve Minutes

Our client came to us with an additional information request from the Finnish Immigration Service, and this is exactly the moment when it makes the most difference to ask for legal assistance. When the authority contacts you first, the file is still open, the interpretation is still flexible, and the decision is not yet shaped by assumptions. That early stage allows us to do what matters most in immigration cases, which is to build a clear, credible narrative while the authority is still listening, and to place the right documents in the file before a negative outcome becomes the default direction.

In this case, the goal was simple but urgent. We needed to respond in a way that did not merely “answer questions,” but removed uncertainty entirely, and prevented the situation from drifting into the kind of unnecessary dispute that later forces clients into appealing the decision to the Administrative Court. We drafted an extensive response and ensured that every relevant supporting document was included, so the authority had no reason to speculate and no excuse to leave core facts unaddressed. This approach is not about volume. It is about control. If you allow the case to be defined by gaps, the authority will define it for you, and often not in your favour.

What followed was one of those rare moments that reminds you why this work matters. A positive decision was issued within twelve minutes from the moment the response was sent. Our client was still seated in the same meeting room with us when the decision arrived. The pressure had been building heavily around this matter, and the relief was immediate and deeply human. The decision was met with tears, not because of bureaucracy, but because the result meant safety, continuity, and the right to remain where life is being built.

The final decision granted our client a continuous residence permit on the basis of family ties as the spouse of a Finnish citizen, valid from 30 July 2025 to 30 July 2029, and confirmed an unrestricted right to work as a family member under the Aliens Act provision referenced in the decision.

Many people wait until the negative decision arrives and only then seek assistance, but by that stage the process is slower, heavier, and far more stressful than it needs to be. Early contact from the authority is not a formality. It is an opportunity. If you use it properly, you can resolve the matter quickly, protect your legal continuity, and avoid months of uncertainty.