Students may now apply for a residence permit online
The Finnish Immigration Service and the Finnish police have launched an e-service for the purpose of handling foreigners’ permit and license matters. Among other features, the e-service enables customers to submit an application and to follow the progress of its processing.
At first the e-service will be available only to students who are applying for their first residence permit. The rest of the electronic application forms and extension application forms will be added gradually. Later it will also be possible to submit an electronic residence permit application on grounds such as work, self-employment, etc. In addition, the service will include selected application forms relating to Finnish citizenship, registration of EU citizens’ right of residence, and residence cards for the family members of EU citizens.
Not all application forms will be converted into an electronic format just yet. For example, residence permit applications on the grounds of family ties may only be submitted on a paper form until further notice. The possibilities of expanding the e-service to cover even some of the forms for family ties applications will be considered on the basis of experiences received of the service.
You may only apply in person for asylum within the Finnish borders, with a form available from the police or the border control authorities.
Using the e-service for foreigners’ permit matters you may
- create your own user account using online user authentication from a Finnish bank, an electronic identity card (HST card), or a combination of user ID and password
- submit an application
- add appendices to your application
- pay the application fee online (as from week 2)
- view your application after you have completed and submitted it
- supplement information on your own initiative or when requested by the authorities
- follow the progress of the application
- receive notification when a decision is made on your application (log in with user ID and password)
- receive the actual decision (log in with online authentication information from a bank or HST card)
- receive notification by e-mail or SMS of any messages received on your user account, such as requests for clarification or notices of decisions; for the time being, SMS messages can only be sent to Finnish mobile numbers.
You may access the e-service via the websites of the Finnish Immigration Service or the Finnish police. The direct address is https://e-asiointi.migri.fi.
A visit to the embassy or a police station is required
Even when customers submit their application online, they will need to visit a Finnish embassy or a police station in person to verify their identity. They will also need to show the original copies of any appendices to their application. An application cannot be processed until the applicant has visited the embassy or a police station.
From the beginning of 2012, applicants will also be fingerprinted at the embassy or the police station, and the fingerprints will be recorded on a biometric residence permit card.
Further information for the media
Vesa Hagström, Data Administration Director, Finnish Immigration Service, tel.: +358 071 873 0431, e-mail: firstname.lastname@migri.fi
Press release of the Finnish Immigration Service and the police 3.1.2012
