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Permits and citizenship

Proving your identity abroad

If you are submitting a residence permit application abroad, you must visit a Finnish mission (embassy or consulate) to prove your identity. You can also prove your identity at a VFS Global application centre.

You must have a valid passport or other travel document. You must also reside legally in the country where you submit your residence permit application.

If you are not a citizen of the country where you submit your residence permit application, you must prove that you are staying in that country legally, as defined by the legislation of that country. Usually you can prove this by showing a residence permit or a visa. Another accepted document is a certificate of the fact that you have been registered as a refugee or as an applicant for refugee status in the country where you submit your application. This certificate must be issued by the UNHCR or the authorities of the country of residence.

Handling your matters at a Finnish mission

You must have a valid passport or another travel document and you must reside legally in the country where you submit your residence permit application.

If you are not a citizen of the country where you submit your residence permit application, you must prove that you are staying in that country legally, as defined by the legislation of that country. Usually you can prove this by showing a residence permit or a visa. Another accepted document is a certificate of the fact that you have been registered as a refugee or as an applicant for refugee status in the country where you apply for a residence permit in Finland. This certificate must be given to you by the UNHCR or the authorities of your country of residence.

The Finnish Immigration Service cannot influence at which Finnish mission (embassy or consulate) you must handle your matter. The Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs makes this decision. Further information about Finnish missions is available on the websites of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and the missions themselves. For example, citizens of Iraq and Syria should visit the website of the Embassy of Finland in Ankara.

Interview at application

If the Finnish mission where you are interviewed is located in another country from the mission that you visited to submit your residence permit application, you must bring with you to the interview a certificate showing that you are legally staying in the country where the interview is held. An interview will not be held without this certificate.

Handling your matters at a VFS Global application centre

A VFS Global application centre is an external service provider receiving residence permit applications and an official partner of the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs. If you visit a VFS application centre to prove your identity, you will not automatically be registered in the Population Information System, which means that you will not be given a personal identity code. You can ask for the registration afterwards by contacting the Digital and Population Data Services Agency.

If you applied for a residence permit via the fast track service and proved your identity at a VFS Global application centre, see the Digital and Population Data Services Agency’s web page related to the fast track service. The page provides more information about obtaining a Finnish personal identity code.