Foreign Nationals Arriving in Finland    

Schengen Visa

Starting 19.12.2009 persons holding a biometric passport from the following countries: Serbia, Montenegro and Macedonia do not need to apply visa. They are entitled to stay 90 days during the six month´s period.

The entry to and residence in Finland of foreign nationals are subject to the provisions of the Finnish Aliens Act and the Schengen Acquis. Nationals of foreign countries, are required to present a visa (visa nationals).

Foreign nationals are requested to apply it at the nearest Finnish mission.  In countries where Finland does not have a mission, another Schengen country can represent Finland in visa matters.

• Aliens Act (Finlex)
• Aliens Act: text pdf (Finlex)

• Schengen Acquis (website of the European Union) -> ulkoiseen

It is important that there is enough time to process your Visa-application, so you should leave it early before you travel. The processing takes at least one week. Application should be left to Embassy or Consulate in person.

The Schengen agreement allows you to obtain a visa that is valid in 25 European countries. The Schengen countries are: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France,  Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy,  Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta,  Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia,Spain,Sweden and Switzerland.

A Schengen Visa can be applied for at the Embassy or Consulate of the country of your main destination. If no country is your main destination, you should apply at the Embassy or Consulate of the country of your first destination.  

For the application the following documents are required:

• A completed and signed visa application form. The form may be printed out (Requires Acrobat reader) or you can get one at the embassy
• One passport-sized photograph
• A valid travel document
• Proof establishing the purpose of the planned trip (for example an invitation)
• Proof of sufficient funds (for example last bank statements, pay slips, credit card statements)
• Travel insurance (not E111) to cover the whole period of the visa. Insurance must cover accidents, sickness and repatriation for minimum of €30.000,00
• Reservation of travel tickets is required

More information on internetsites of Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland.

Residence Permit

If you intend to stay in Finland for longer periods you will need a residence permit. There are exceptions to this rule for the citizens of other Nordic countries, EU states and EEA states.

As a rule, the first residence permit must be applied for from a Finnish embassy within the applicants native country. The embassy will provide application forms and further information on the application process. A final decision will be given by the Application forms in Finland.

More information on internet sites of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland.