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Extended permit for a family member

If your residence permit is going to expire but you want to stay in Finland, apply for an extended permit. Submit the application for an extended permit before your previous permit expires. A residence permit on the basis of family ties is usually granted for 4 years at a time.

There are several extended permit application forms. The form you should use depends on whether your family ties are still the same as they were when you applied for your previous residence permit. For example, if you are still married to the same person and you are applying for an extended permit on the grounds of your marriage, your family ties are still the same. If you are applying for an extended permit on the grounds of a new relationship, your family ties have changed.

  • If you are not sure what application form you should use, use the Application Finder to find out.
  • If you were a child when you got your residence permit on the basis of family ties, you cannot get an extended permit on the same grounds after you have turned 18.
  • If you no longer have a family member living in Finland but you have a job or a study place, you may apply for a residence permit on these new grounds.

In Finland, a person you are dating is not considered to be your family member

However, the person you are dating may get a residence permit on other grounds. If you are applying for an extended permit on the basis of an intimate relationship, the permit can usually be granted for only one year at a time. If your residence permit was granted to you on the basis of your intimate relationship and your situation has not changed, apply for an extended permit with the same form that you used when you applied for your previous residence permit.

Extended permit on the basis of adoption

If the ground for your application is adoption and you intend to submit a paper application, use the same application form you used when you applied for a first residence permit.

If the ground for your application is adoption you intend to apply via Enter Finland, select extended residence permit on the basis of family ties for a child. Attach the paper application for residence permit on the basis of adoption to the online application.

Right to work

If you apply for an extended permit only after your residence permit has expired, you are not allowed to continue working. Read more about the right to work while an application for an extended permit is being processed.

You may not need to visit a service point if you apply for an extended permit in Enter Finland

If you are applying for an extended permit in Enter Finland you may not necessarily need to visit a service point to prove your identity and to have your fingerprints taken. Log in to Enter Finland using strong electronic identification and then fill in the application. When you submit your application, Enter Finland will let you know if you have to go and prove your identity at a service point or not. For more information, see the page Identification.

Application process when you are applying for an extended permit on the basis of family ties