Peak time begins for students’ residence permit applications
Thousands of international students who are due to begin their studies in Finland in the autumn of 2016 will be applying for residence permits during the summer. This will cause delays in the processing of residence permit applications submitted by students.
The period between June and September is the busiest time of year for residence permit applications for studies. In 2015, a total of 4,300 applications, or 68% of all student applications received that year, were submitted between June and September.
The Finnish Immigration Service processes all residence permit applications for studies as high-priority applications. Applications are decided in the order they are submitted, and emailing or calling the Finnish Immigration Service will not speed up the processing of your application. The Finnish Immigration Service also cannot fast-track your application for reasons such as flight tickets purchased in advance.
Please ensure that you submit your residence permit application in time and provide all necessary supporting documents according to the instructions
Apply online and then visit a Finnish embassy or consulate
Apply for a residence permit as soon as your study place in a Finnish educational institution is confirmed. Submit your application online. Applying online is the quickest and most affordable way to apply.
Once you have submitted your application online, you will need to visit a Finnish embassy or consulate in your home country or in a country where you reside legally. You will be asked to give your fingerprints, to prove your identity and to present the original documents you are attaching to your application. Your application will only be processed after you have visited a Finnish embassy or consulate in person.
You can also submit your application on paper at a Finnish embassy or consulate abroad. However, please note that it takes several weeks for paper applications to reach the Finnish Immigration Service by post.
Before you visit the embassy or consulate you have chosen, make sure that you can go there in person and remember to check the opening hours.
You can also apply for a Finnish personal identity code
You can apply for a Finnish personal identity code at the same time as you apply for your first residence permit in Finland. Public authorities, banks and employers, for example, often need to know your personal identity code.
Wait for your residence permit card abroad
The expected processing time for your application is one month. Processing times are always case-specific. In cases where we need to request further information, the processing time is longer.
If you are granted a residence permit, a residence permit card will be ordered for you at the same time. It takes a few weeks to manufacture and post a residence permit card. Your card will be sent to the Finnish embassy that you visited to prove your identity. You should therefore wait for the decision abroad. You cannot come to Finland while your application is still being processed and receive a residence permit card in Finland. Please remember that the Finnish Immigration Service or the embassy cannot speed up the delivery of the card.
Most applicants receive their residence permit before their studies begin.
Information on the processing queue at Migri.fi
Information about the processing queue for students’ residence permit applications is published on the website of the Finnish Immigration Service. The information on the website is regularly updated. Those who have filed their application using the e-service Enter Finland can track the status of the application in the e-service.
Further information
Checklist for students applying for a residence permit
Applying for a residence permit for studies
