1. You are a professional athlete, coach, or referee.

Your employer has ensured that you have the necessary professional ability. The employer must provide an explanation showing that this criterion is met when supplementing your application by filling in your terms of employment. Read more on the page Filling in the terms of employment.

2. You have a job, or pursue a trade or business in Finland.

If you have a job, your employer must supplement your application by filling in your terms of employment either online in Enter Finland for Employers or by using the paper form. Read more on the page Filling in the terms of employment.

3. You must have a sufficient level of income in Finland during the entire period of validity of your residence permit.

• Your income must come mainly from the work for which you are granted a residence permit. 
• You may work in paid employment or pursue a trade or business without establishing a company.
  • If you are an athlete:
    • Your gross salary from sports must be at least EUR 1,149 per month in 2026.
    • If your income comes from pursuing a trade or business, or from a combination of paid employment and pursuing a trade or business, your gross income from sports must be at least EUR 1,149 per month in 2026.
  • If you are a coach or referee:
    • If your livelihood is based on income from employment, your salary must be no lower than the salary specified in the relevant collective agreement. 
    • If there is no collective agreement in your sector or if you work part-time, your gross salary must be at least EUR 1,463 per month in 2026.
    • If your income comes from pursuing a trade or business, or from a combination of paid employment and pursuing a trade or business, your gross income must be at least EUR 1,463 per month in 2026.
• Your employer may pay part of your salary as fringe benefits, such as an accommodation benefit or company car. Fringe benefits are taken into account according to their taxable value. See the website of the Finnish Tax Administration (vero.fi) for more information about the taxable values of fringe benefits (in Finnish).
• Read more on the page Income requirement.
• When you apply for an extended permit, the Finnish Immigration Service verifies that you have earned a sufficient amount in salaries and income. 

In order to be granted a residence permit, you must also meet the general requirements for issuing residence permits. 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, attach to your application

• your contracts with clients, or 
• an explanation of how you will engage in business activities if you have not signed any contracts with clients.