Contents
Abbreviations.............................................................................................................................................................6
1. Introduction...........................................................................................................................................................7
1.2 Executive summary.............................................................................................................................................8
1.3 Statelessness across the globe.........................................................................................................................8
1.3.1 Defining “a stateless person”..................................................................................................................................................9
1.3.2 Causes of statelessness............................................................................................................................................................9
1.3.3 Consequences of statelessness..........................................................................................................................................10
1.4 The international and regional legal framework...................................................................................... 10
2. Face of Statelessness in Finland............................................................................................................... 12
2.1 Background........................................................................................................................................................ 12
2.1.1 Historical background.............................................................................................................................................................. 12
2.1.2 National legal framework.....................................................................................................................................................14
2.2 A statistical overview of the stateless population in Finland............................................................... 14
2.2.1 Specifics of the data used....................................................................................................................................................14
2.2.2 The target population........................................................................................................................................................... 17
2.2.2.1 Groups covered by administrative data..............................................................................................................18
2.2.2.2 Groups not covered by administrative data................................................................................................... 22
2.3 Qualitative analysis of stateless persons................................................................................................... 23
2.3.1 Specifics of the information used.................................................................................................................................... 23
2.4 Conclusions and recommendations............................................................................................................ 23
3. Determination of statelessness and rights attached to the status....................................... 25
3.1 Introduction....................................................................................................................................................... 25
3.2 National legal framework.............................................................................................................................. 26
3.3 Statelessness determination procedure or other procedures in which
statelessness status is determined..................................................................................................................... 29
3.3.1 Competent authority.............................................................................................................................................................. 31
3.3.2 Procedural aspects...................................................................................................................................................................32
3.3.2.1 Initiating the procedure and the course of the procedure........................................................................32
3.3.2.2 Questions of proof (burden and standard).......................................................................................................33
3.3.2.3 Access to courts.............................................................................................................................................................35
3.3.2.4 Other procedural aspects......................................................................................................................................... 36
4
MAPPING STATELESSNESS IN FINL AND