Residence permits to Finland
If you want to stay in Finland for a longer period than three months, you need a residence permit. Nationals of an EU member state, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland do not need a residence permit to come to Finland.
How to apply for a residence permit
- You can apply for a residence permit in Finland if you have a job, a study place or a family member in Finland. Apply for a residence permit before you come to Finland.
- According to the EU visa rules, one of the requirements for granting a Schengen visa is that the person must leave the Schengen area before the visa expires. For this reason, a visa cannot be granted to a person who has come to Finland in order to obtain a residence permit or to wait for the decision on a pending residence permit-related matter. This also applies to family members of Finnish citizens.
- Only you may initiate the application.
- Apply for a residence permit electronically at enterfinland.fi(Link to another website.) (Opens New Window) or on paper at migri.fi(Link to another website.) (Opens New Window)
- Choose the correct application form based on why you are coming to Finland (job, study place or family member in Finland).
- Fill in the residence permit application carefully. Make sure that the appendices are correct.
- Having filled in the application, find out which Finnish mission or VFS Global Application Centre you can visit for identification and for submitting biometric identifiers (signature, photograph, fingerprints) and book an appointment there.
- A Finnish mission or VFS Application Centre may be located in a different country from where you are staying. Be prepared to apply for a visa for the country in question.
- Go to the mission, authenticate yourself, and pay the fee collected for the residence permit application. This fee will not be refunded even if you cancel your application or receive a negative decision.
- After this, your application will be transferred to the processing queue at the Finnish Immigration Service
- You can follow the progress of the processing online. You may be asked for further information and you may be invited for an interview.
- Processing the application takes time. Please be patient. Waiting times are usually long, but each application will be processed.
- You will be notified once a decision has been made.
- If you receive a positive decision, the residence permit card will be delivered to the mission. A negative decision means that is was considered that you do not have sufficient grounds for a residence permit.
- You can get further information about applying for a residence permit at the Finnish Immigration Service website migri.fi(Link to another website.) (Opens New Window)
Guide for Students
When you are applying for your first residence permit for your studies, check out the guide for students. In the guide you can easily find the information you need. The guide will also help you make a checklist of the attachments you need for your application.
Guide for students(Link to another website.)Guide for an employed person
When you are applying for your first residence permit for an employed person, check out the guide for employed persons. In the guide you can easily find the information you need. The guide will also help you make a checklist of the attachments you need for your application.
Guide for an employed person(Link to another website.)
If you encounter problems at work, you can find information on the work-related rights and obligations in Finland, and instructions on how to proceed, on the website of the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri)(Link to another website.).
Loss of residence permit card
If your Finnish residence permit card has been lost, stolen or expired, you may apply for a D visa for return to Finland if your residence permit is valid. To apply for a D visa, you must visit the Finnish mission in person and present there proof of the loss of your card.
You must report a lost or stolen card to the authorities of the country where your card was lost or stolen.
Read more about the D visa on the website of the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri)(Link to another website.).
Expired residence permit
If your residence permit has expired while you have been abroad, apply for a new residence permit at a Finnish diplomatic or consular mission. A visa cannot be granted for this purpose, because the return requirement set out in the Visa Code is not met. A visa may be granted only in situations referred to in the Visa Code, such as in a serious humanitarian situation – not because the applicant is in a hurry, has lost his or her air ticket or cannot pay the residence permit fee, for example.
If a mission cannot grant a visa under the Visa Code, you must apply for a residence permit before returning to Finland.
Fast track for holders of a D visa who have been issued with a residence permit
You can be issued with a D visa for Finland if you are applying for one of the following:
- a residence permit for a specialist
- an EU Blue Card
- a residence permit for startup entrepreneur
- a residence permit for intra-corporate transferee (ICT)
- a residence permit for work in senior or middle management
- a residence permit for studies
- a residence permit for research
- a residence permit for family member of an applicant for one of the above permits.
Citizens of countries exempt from visa requirement do not need a D visa.
For more information, please visit the website of the Finnish Immigration Service(Link to another website.).
Applying for a residence permit
Residence permit applications are to be handed in by each applicant (in person) to the Application Centre maintained by VFS Global. Applications are received by appointment only.
Website: https://services.vfsglobal.com/irn/en/frp/(Link to another website.)
Call center: +98 2191314204, +98 2191008045, Sun- Thu 8.00-14.00
The Embassy can receive applications only by Iranian citizens or other nationals permanently living in Iran who hold a valid Iranian residence permit (not visas). A valid Iranian residence permit has to be presented when handing in the residence permit application. If this permit is missing or expired, the application cannot be received by the Embassy. Please note that an Iranian visa is not considered a valid documentation of residence in Iran.
Every applicant fills in a separate application, also minors. Fingerprints are collected when application is handed in (excluding applicants under 12 years).
All documentation presented has to be in Finnish, Swedish or English. Any documentation in Farsi has to be translated into English and legalized first by the Iranian Ministry for Foreign Affairs and then by the Embassy of Finland in Tehran. More information on www.finland.org.ir /Services / Residence permits.
If the applicant cannot present a valid residence permit of Iran, applications are handled by the following Embassies:
- Citizens of Pakistan Embassy of Finland in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- Citizens of Iraq Embassy of Finland in Ankara, Turkey
The handling fee of the applications is paid in cash in Euros to the Embassy of Finland in Tehran. Electronic applications (EnterFinland) can be paid also electronically. The handling fee is not returned regardless of the decision.
The Finnish Immigration authorities are processing the applications. All decision making in the process is done by Migri as well.
More detailed information about the application process is found on the webpages of the Finnish Immigration Service www.migri.fi(Link to another website.).
Each applicant is contacted when the decision has arrived in Tehran. The Embassy is not in a position to provide any updates of the application processes.
Please note that arrival of the decision by the Finnish Immigration Service takes a minimum of one month to reach Tehran.
Application process and the processing fees
The applicant has to submit all required documents or the application is not accepted. The applicant must provide standard paper size (A4, 210 x 297 mm) copies of the filled in application form and of all the supporting documents. The Embassy does not make any copies.
Processing fees are paid in cash in Euros. Service fee-list (Opens New Window).
The processing time depends on the type of permit applied. Average processing time for students and workers is two months, for family members six months.
Average processing times are listed on the Finnish Immigration Service website(Link to another website.) (Opens New Window).
Delivery of the documents
General Requirements for all Residence Permit Applications.
All applicants must cover these requirements despite of what type of residence permit he is applying.
Personal appearance of the applicant - all applicants are interviewed and fingerprinted. All documents must be presented in original.
All applicants or their representative must fill out the residence permit application form.
The application must be filled in duly and it must be signed.
Valid passport (valid at least up to applied duration of stay)
Passport must contain at least two (2) empty pages
Photocopies of all relevant pages of the passport, that is to say all pages with markings (A4, 210 x 297 mm.)
Two photographs. The photo must be less than 6 months old and 47 mm high and 36 mm wide. Length of the face must be in the range of 32-36 mm. The photo must show the person looking directly at the camera. The background should be plain and light-colored. The photo should not be retouched.
Legalized Birth Certificate in English
Two (2) pieces of standard size (A4, 210 x 297 mm) photocopies of each document must be presented
All forms are available at the Embassy of Finland and at the Finnish Immigration Service's webpage.
Application forms (Link to another website.) (Opens New Window)
Quality requirements for photos (Link to another website.) (Opens New Window)
Required Supporting Documents by Residence Permit Category
Residence permit application for the spouse of a foreigner resident in Finland
Form OLE_PH1
Legalised marriage certificate in English
Photocopies of all relevant pages of the inviting family member's passport and of the applicant
Residence permit application for the spouse of a Finnish citizen
Form OLE_PH2
Legalised marriage certificate in English
Photocopies of all relevant pages of the inviting family member's passport and of the applicant
Residence permit for child
Form OLE_PH4
Legalised birth certificate in English mentioning both parents' names
Originals and one photocopy of each document must be presented
Residence permit for student
Form OLE_OPI
Study and work certificates from SLC level up to date in English
Copy of the original study certificate (legalized at the Ministry for Foreign Ministry, Iran and at the Finnish Embassy, Tehran) in Farsi language and translation in English
Acceptance letter from the Finnish University
A deposit of equivalent of € 6.000 on applicant's own account
If student stays in Finland under 2 years, an insurance must cover: cost of medical treatment up to € 100.000
If student stays in Finland more than 2 years, an insurance must cover: cost of medical treatment up to € 30.000
Originals and one photocopy of each document must be presented
English language certification (IELTS 5.0 or TOEFL 550) is recommended
Residence permit for an employed person
Residence permit for work purpose can be submitted by the employer to the local employment office or the local police in Finland or it can be submitted by the employee abroad to the Embassy. All required documents should be submitted at one time; i.e. if the application is submitted to the Embassy, the employer must send the original form of the employment office to the applicant, whether the employment office has made the decision or not. Required documents:
Residence permit application for self-employment (520 euros)
Form OLE_EHA
Proof of earlier work experience in the concerned field in English
Originals and one photocopy of each document must be presented
Residence permit application for employment
Form OLE_TY1 and TEM054
Proof of earlier work experience in the concerned field in English
Originals and one photocopy of each document must be presented
Researcher
Form OLE_TUT
Study and work certifications in English
Copy of the original study certificate (legalized at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Iran and at the Finnish Embassy, Teheran) in Farsi language and translation in English.
Agreement between the researcher and the university (required also from family members who are applying for a visa)
English language certification (IELTS 5.0 or TOEFL 550) is recommended