Finland Guide: Visas & Permits

Which documents do you need when going abroad? What are the regulations on visas and residence permits? Our legal guide will help you understand the paperwork you need to complete before moving abroad.

• 

  Visas in Finland

  Who does and doesn't need a visa

  Whether you need a visa or not to come to Finland depends on what country you are coming from, as well as how long you are staying for. You should check this as far in advance as possible.

  more
• 

  Short-stay visas

  Visas for stays up to 3 months

  A visa is issued for a limited period of time in Finland and other Schengen countries. Any stay in Finland that exceeds a three month time period will require a residence permit rather than a visa.

  more
• 

  Residence permits

  Who needs a residence permit for Finland?

  Whether or not you need a residence permit in Finland depends on where you come from, how long you intend to stay and what you plan to do in the country.

  more
• 

  Students

  Permits for studying in Finland

  Foreign students coming to study at a Finnish educational institution usually have to apply for a residence permit, unless their duration of study is less than three months.

  more
• 

  Work permits for Finland

  Requirements and applications

  In general, EU, EEA and Nordic citizens do not need to have a work permit in order to work in Finland. However, everyone else needs to get one in order to work legally in Finland.

  more
• 

  Citizenship

  How to get Finnish nationality

  There are various ways of obtaining Finnish nationality. As well as gaining nationality through your parents, you can also become a Finnish citizen by naturalization. However, obtaining Finnish citizenship also depends on regulations set by your country of origin.

  more
• 

  The Finnish personal identity code

  The key to the Finnish services

  Finland has an extensive population information system that identifies everyone living in Finland with a personal identity code. Since February 2019, you are assigned your code automatically, but you still need to confirm certain information in person.

  more