Visa and residence permit of a Finnish citizen's family member

In accordance with section 37 of the Aliens Act (Ulkomaalaislaki 301/2004), a Finnish citizen's foreign family members are:

  • the spouse of a Finnish citizen
  • a person in a registered partnership with a Finnish citizen
  • an unmarried child under 18 years of age, whose guardian or the spouse of the guardian resides in Finland
  • if the person residing in Finland is a minor, his or her guardian is the family member

Persons living in a marriage-like relationship and sharing the same household are comparable to a married couple regardless of their sex, provided that they have lived together for at least two years. The two-year requirement does not apply if the persons have a child in their joint custody or if there are other weighty reasons.

Residence permit application by a family member who is a visa national

If you are a family member of a Finnish citizen and you intend to travel to Finland for a period of time exceeding three months, please follow the instructions:

Residence permit application by a family member who is exempt from the visa requirement

If you do not need a visa to Finland, you can stay in the country for a maximum of 90 days.

If you are a Finnish citizen's family member and you intend to travel to Finland for a longer stay than three months, you can apply for a residence permit in advance at a Finnish mission.

You can submit a residence permit application at the Finnish Immigration Service(Link to another website.) (Opens New Window), too.