Applying for a residence permit at the Embassy of Finland, Kathmandu
The Embassy of Finland in Kathmandu accepts all types of residence permit applications. Appointment requests by email only at [email protected].
Instructions on how to apply for a residence permit
Residence permit applications are submitted electronically on Enter Finland(Link to another website.) service. After the application is submitted, applicant needs to book an appointment for identification, biometrics collection (excluding applicants under 12 years) and interview at the Embassy. Every applicant applies with a personal application form, including minors.
Residence permit applications are accepted by appointment only. Appointments are booked by e-mail at [email protected]. Certificate of a pending online case from Enter Finland needs to be attached to the e-mail. Residence permit applications can be submitted also on paper at the Embassy. If the residence permit application is submitted on paper, applicant needs to inform the Embassy about it when booking an appointment.
All documentation presented has to be in Finnish, Swedish or English. The documents in Nepali need to be translated into English and the required original certificates legalized first by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs Nepal and then by the Embassy of Finland in Kathmandu.
The Embassy accepts applications only from Nepalese citizens or other nationals legally residing in Nepal. A valid documentation of legal residency has to be presented when submitting the residence permit application. Please note that a Nepalese visa is not considered as a valid documentation of residence in Nepal.
If the applicant is not legally residing in Nepal, applications are handled by the following Embassies:
Citizens of Bangladesh: Embassy of Finland in New Delhi, India
Citizens of Pakistan: Embassy of Finland in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Processing of residence permit applications and decision-making
The processing fee of the applications is paid to Embassy's bank account as per separate request. Electronic applications (EnterFinland) can be paid also electronically. Regardless the decision, the processing fee is not returned.
Finnish Immigration Service processes the applications and all decision-making in the process is done by the Finnish immigration authorities. More detailed information about the application process can be found on the webpage of the Finnish Immigration Service www.migri.fi(Link to another website.). If the application has been submitted electronically, the decision can be found at Enter Finland service. If the application has been submitted on paper, applicant is contacted by the Embassy when the decision has arrived. The Embassy is not in a position to provide any updates on the application process.
Please note that it takes approximately 2-3 weeks for the residence permit card to reach Kathmandu once the decision has been made by the Finnish Immigration Service.