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Residence permit for athletes, coaches and referees

Apply for a residence permit using this application if you are coming to Finland as a professional athlete, coach, or referee. You must have a job before you apply for a residence permit.

To be considered a professional athlete, you need to gain a sufficient amount of income from sports. Whether or not you can be considered a professional athlete will be assessed based on your salary from sports. If you apply for a residence permit as a coach or referee, you need to have either relevant previous work experience or education in your field of work. Your employer must verify that you have the professional skills required for the job.

If your employer has obtained employer certification, you can apply for a D visa at the same time as you apply for a residence permit. The D visa allows you to travel to Finland immediately after you have been issued with a residence permit and a D visa sticker has been attached to your passport. Read more about the D visa.

Your spouse and children can apply for a D visa if they are applying for a residence permit on the basis of family ties.

  • Expected processing time for electronic application

    First permit 2 months / extended permit 2 months

     

  • Expected processing time for paper application

    First permit 2 months / extended permit 2 months

  • Electronic application fee

    First permit 380 € / extended permit 170 €

  • Paper application fee

    First permit 480 € / extended permit 430 €

This is what you should do

Prepare:

Fill in the application:

Right to work

  • If you are in Finland when you are applying for a residence permit, you have the right to work as a coach, referee or player already before you are granted a residence permit. In this case, you must reside in Finland legally (you have a valid visa or you are allowed to stay in Finland without a visa). However, your right to work will end after three months at the latest, or even earlier if your visa expires. Your right to work only applies to playing, coaching and working as a referee.
  • Your right to work gives you the right to perform only the work for which you have been granted a residence permit.
  • If you apply for an extended permit, check if you have the right to work while your application is being processed.

Residence permit application for sports or coaching, OLE_TY4

Fill in an electronic application

Extended permit for an athlete or a coach, OLE_TY4

Fill in an electronic application

Prepare for your life in Finland