Europe Up to a third of "underage" asylum seekers prove to be older

10 May 2009 |

The ‘Helsingin Sanomat’ reports that up to a third of the asylum seekers who have been placed in refugee reception centres have proven to be older than they claimed. Some of those who understated their age were found out in medical age determination tests, while personal information of others has been found in other EU countries. Some have even admitted to having previously lied about their age. Last year the number of unaccompanied minors coming to Finland exploded. There were 706 applicants in 2008, while there were fewer than 100 in the previous year. The growth has led to suspicions of the use of “anchor children”; minors are granted asylum more easily than adults, and are entitled to get their parents and siblings to Finland. The government decided to commission a study on how asylum policy should be developed, and whether or not there are factors that especially attract asylum seekers to Finland. The study is to be completed by the end of May.

Source : Helsingin Sanomat