You have a job.

• Your employer must supplement your application by filling in your terms of employment either online in Enter Finland or by using a paper form.

You work professionally in the field of culture or arts

• You are, for example, a professional musician or an artist working in ballet, opera or circus. Professional musicians can perform, record, compose and arrange music in Finland in various ways.
• Your employer must verify that you have the professional skills required for the job.

You have sufficient financial resources for the entire validity period of your residence permit.

• You may work in paid employment or pursue a trade or business without establishing a company.
• Your main source of income must be the work for which you are applying for a residence permit. 
  • If your main source of income is paid employment, your salary must be at least the minimum specified in the relevant collective agreement. 
  • If there is no collective agreement in your sector or if you will be working part-time, your salary must be at least EUR 1,463 per month in 2026.
  • If your main source of income is pursuing a trade or business, or if you are combining paid employment and pursuing a trade or business, you must make at least EUR 1,463 per month in 2026.
• Some of your salary may consist of fringe benefits, such as company car or employer-provided accommodation. The taxable value of your fringe benefits will be taken into account when your salary is assessed. For more information about the taxable values of fringe benefits, see the website of the Finnish Tax Administration (vero.fi) (Only in Finnish and Swedish).
• Read more on the page Income requirement.
• When you apply for an extended permit, the Finnish Immigration Service will assess whether your salary and income have been sufficient.

In addition, you must meet the general requirements for obtaining a residence permit. Read more on the page First residence permit. 

Have the attachments translated and legalised if needed.

General attachments

• A valid passport issued by your country of nationality. For more information, see the page Passports and other travel documents. Show the passport when you visit a service point to prove your identity.
• A passport photo complying with the photo guidelines issued by the police (poliisi.fi) or a photograph retrieval code you received from a photo shop
  • The passport photo must be no more than 6 months old.
• Colour copies of the passport page containing personal data and of all passport pages that contain notes
• Document showing that you are legally staying in the country where you submit the application
  • This document is not needed if you apply for an extended permit. 
• Response to possible denial of admittance or stay and to entry ban (the form MP_1) 
  • This form is needed only if you, for some reason, submit your residence permit application in Finland. Please note that an application for a first residence permit must usually be submitted abroad.
  • This form is not needed when you apply for an extended permit.  

If you pursue a trade or business, add to your application:

• your contracts with clients; or 
• an explanation of how you will earn income from pursuing a trade or business if you have not signed any contracts with clients.