Extended permit for a family member
A residence permit on the basis of family ties is usually granted for 1–4 years at a time. If your residence permit is going to expire but you want to stay in Finland, apply for an extended permit. Apply for an extended permit before your previous permit expires.
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. 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. Please notice that 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 your residence permit was granted to you on the basis of your dating 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.
- 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.
- If the ground for your application is adoption and you intend to submit a paper application, use the same form you used to apply for a first permit.
- If the ground for your application is adoption and 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.
- If you are not sure what application form you should use, use the Application Finder to find out.
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.
If you are applying for an extended permit through the Enter Finland service and have used strong electronic identification, you do not necessarily need to prove your identity and can provide your fingerprints at a service point. Enter Finland will tell you whether you have to visit a service point or whether the electronic identification is sufficient.
Application process when you are applying for an extended permit on the basis of family ties
Apply for a residence permit by submitting an application that suits your situation. Submit the application in the e-service Enter Finland or on paper.
You need to submit the application yourself. Your family member cannot apply for a residence permit on your behalf. However, your family member must supplement your application. Read more about the role of a family member in the residence permit process.
If you apply for a residence permit in the e-service, you must use your personal user account. Also remember that you may not use another person’s online banking credentials to sign in.
After you have filled in the application, you must visit a service point of the Finnish Immigration Service.
- If you have applied through the e-service, visit the Finnish Immigration Service to prove your identity, have your fingerprints taken and show the originals of the documents that you have attached to your application. If you submit your application through the e-service, pay for it there or when you visit a service point of the Finnish Immigration Service.
- If you have filled in a paper application, bring the application with you. Have your fingerprints taken, prove your identity and show the originals of the documents that you have attached to your application. Pay for your application at the service point.
The processing time of your application depends on the grounds on which you applied. You can find the expected processing times on the page Processing times. You may also use the Processing Time Checker to get an estimate on the remaining processing time of your application. You can follow the processing of your application with the help of our chatbot Kamu. In addition, you will usually receive automated messages at the different processing stages of your application.
If we notice that something is missing from your application or if we need additional information from you, we will contact you. In some cases, we may ask you for additional information in writing or in an interview.
We use the same criteria for assessing applications for first and extended permits.
You may legally reside in Finland during the processing of your application and the possible appeal process.
If you need to supplement your application, you can do so in one of the following ways:
- If you submitted an electronic application:
- Send the additional information in the e-service through the page "Send additional information". This is the only way you can supplement an electronic application.
- If you submitted a paper application:
- by post
- by email
- by bringing your additional documents to a service point of the Finnish Immigration Service during their opening hours. There is a postbox meant for additional documents in all of our service points. Put your documents in the box.
Read more on the page Notify us of changes.
You may cancel your application at any time during its processing. Read more on the page Cancelling an application.
If you have applied for a residence permit through the e-service Enter Finland, you will get an e-mail or a text message when a decision has been made. You will also see it in your user account in the e-service.
If you applied for a residence permit by submitting a paper application, you will be informed about the decision by the police, or the Finnish Immigration Service will inform you about it by post.
You must be in Finland in order to receive a decision on your extended permit application.
Some decisions will be sent by post with an advice of delivery. Read more about collecting your letter on the Advice of delivery page.
If you get a positive decision, you will get a residence permit card.
If you receive a negative extended permit decision, you may be deported.
If you are not satisfied with the decision, you have the right to appeal against the decision to an Administrative Court. Instructions on how to appeal will be attached to the decision.
The majority of decisions made by the Administrative Courts are subject to a fee. Contact an Administrative Court to find out more about court fees.