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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.

Proving your identity at a Finnish mission

You must have a valid passport or some other valid 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 present a document proving that you are staying legally in that country, in accordance with local legislation. Usually, a residence permit or a visa is sufficient proof. The document can also be a certificate issued by the UNHCR or the authorities of the country where you are residing, proving that you have been registered as a refugee or as an applicant for refugee status in the country where you submit the application.

The Finnish Immigration Service does not have influence over which Finnish mission you are required to visit. The choice of Finnish mission is determined by the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Further information on the Finnish mission you shoul visit is available on the website of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and the missions (finlandabroad.fi). 

  • Select your country of departure on the start page.
  • The country-specific pages will tell you which Finnish mission or VFS Global application centre you can visit to prove your identity.  

Proving your identity at a VFS Global application centre

In some countries, the reception of residence permit applications has been outsourced to a VFS Global application centre. VFS Global is an official partner of the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs. See website of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs (finlandabroad.fi) to find out which Finnish mission or VFS application centre you can visit to prove your identity. The website of the mission or application centre contains instructions on how to manage your application matters with them.

If you visit a VFS Global application centre and prove your identity only to a representative of the VFS, you will not be automatically registered in the Finnish Population Information System. This means that you will not automatically obtain a Finnish personal identity code. You can request registration afterwards by contacting the Digital and Population Data Services Agency (dvv.fi).

If you used the fast-track service to apply for a residence permit and proved your identity at a VFS Global application centre, see the fast-track service website of the Digital and Population Data Services Agency (dvv.fi) for further information on how to apply for a Finnish personal identity code.

Interview regarding your application

The residence permit process may require an oral hearing (an interview). The interview may be conducted at a Finnish mission (embassy or consulate) or at a VFS Global application centre. The interview location will be mentioned in the invitation.

When you attend an interview, you must bring with you a document proving that you are staying legally in the country where the interview is conducted. The document can be, for instance, a travel document, a residence permit or a visa. If you do not bring with you this document, the interview will be cancelled.