How can I extend my visa if I cannot leave Finland?

The police in Finland can extend an existing visa under certain conditions. Please see further information at Restrictions on movement at Police of Finland’s web page(Länk till en annan webbplats.) (Öppnar nytt fönster).

Your residence permit or your visa-free stay is about to expire and you cannot leave Finland

According to the Aliens Act of Finland, you need to apply for a residence permit if you cannot travel to your home country or country of permanent residence.

If your residence permit is about to expire but you still qualify for the permit, you can apply for an extended permit. Please make sure to apply for the extension before your permit expires. Most applications can be submitted using the online service Enter Finland at enterfinland.fi(Länk till en annan webbplats.) (Öppnar nytt fönster).

Extensions to visas can be sought from the Police. 

Residence permits are not granted automatically on the basis of the Coronavirus situation. If it is impossible for you to return to your home country or country of permanent residence because of the restrictions imposed due to the Coronavirus outbreak, the Finnish Immigration Service can consider granting you a short-term temporary residence permit. For more detailed instructions on how to apply, please see migri.fi/en/residence-permit-on-other-grounds. You can apply for this permit only with a paper form (OLE_MUU). The application is subject to a fee: EUR 520 for an adult, EUR 270 for a child. For more detailed instructions on how to submit the application, see the part ‘ You are in Finland and applying for a residence permit or an extended permit(Länk till en annan webbplats.) (Öppnar nytt fönster)’ on this page.

You must have sufficient financial resources during your entire stay in Finland and during the validity of your residence permit. Read more about the income requirement(Länk till en annan webbplats.) (Öppnar nytt fönster). Attach documentation of your means of support to your application. 

Your application should include a document explaining why you cannot return to your home country or country of permanent residence. Financial reasons, such as expensive flights, are not considered grounds for granting a residence permit. A short-term temporary residence permit can be granted only if leaving Finland is not actually possible or if it, for example, poses a serious health threat.