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Thu, 21 Apr, 2016 01:20:11 AM FTimes- Report, Apr 21  Iraqi Refugees left Helsinki Airport for Iraq. File Photo Lehtikuva. A record number of asylum seekers returned to their home countries through the assisted voluntary return system at the beginning of this year, said the Finnish Immigration Service.
February saw the highest ever number of returnees, 176. Almost as many, 173, returned in March.
Iraq is still the most common country of return. In March, 60 people returned to Iraq. The second highest number of people, 42, returned to Albania, and the third highest number of people, 30, returned to Afghanistan.
In the past nine months, 871 people have returned to their home countries through the system of assisted voluntary return.
In the late autumn of 2015, the system experienced backlogs when a high number of asylum seekers who had just arrived in Finland decided to return home.
The backlogs have now been cleared and it is usually possible to return home in a few weeks’ time, said the immigration service.
Preparations have been made within the system for increasing the number of asylum decisions and resources have been added so that voluntary returns can be arranged quickly and smoothly despite the increasing number of returnees.
Approximately one-fourth of those who have returned through the system received a negative asylum decision.
The majority of returnees have cancelled their asylum applications.
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Finland Times
| Thursday, 18 April, 2024 |
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