Apply for a residence permit for an employed person to pick wild berries in Finland

Finland’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs will not issue visas for wild-berry pickers from countries within the consular district of the Embassy of Finland in Bangkok for the summer 2024. If you are coming to Finland to pick wild berries and are in an employment relationship, you can apply for a residence permit for an employed person instead.

For more information, see the press release of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs (um.fi). 

You must apply for a residence permit for an employed person if: 

• you are coming to Finland to pick wild berries in the summer 2024 and will perform the work in an employment relationship; and
• you are not a citizen of an EU or EEA country.

You must have an employment relationship to obtain this residence permit. An employment relationship means that you have an employer in Finland with whom you have agreed on your duties at work and your salary.

A residence permit for seasonal work cannot be granted for picking of wild berries.

Use the online service Enter Finland to apply for the permit:

1. Before you apply, check that you meet the permit requirements listed on our website: Residence permit for an employed person
2. Fill in an application for a residence permit for an employed person online in Enter Finland.
3. Submit the application.
   • You can pay the processing fee on Enter Finland or when you visit a Finnish mission (embassy or consulate) to prove your identity.
   • Your employer can pay the processing fee on your behalf.
4. Book an appointment for proving your identity.
   • To find the Finnish mission or service point closest to you, see the website of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs (finlandabroad.fi).
   • We may invite you to an interview. In the interview, the Finnish authorities will examine whether you are eligible for a residence permit.
5. Your employer must add the terms of employment to your application.
   • Once you have submitted your application, your employer can easily submit the terms of employment within the online service Enter Finland.
6. The application will be processed in two stages.
   • First, an Employment and Economic Development Office makes a partial decision.
   • After that, the Finnish Immigration Service decides your residence permit application.
7. Use your Enter Finland account to follow the processing of your application.
   • We will send you a message if we need additional information for your application.
   • You will receive a notification once a decision has been made on your application.