General requirements for entry into Finland
Make sure you meet the general requirements for entry into Finland before you submit an application.
You can only get a residence permit if you are able to travel to Finland and stay in the country legally. This means that you must have a valid passport. If your passport expires while the residence permit is valid, remember to renew it early enough. Your residence permit may be withdrawn if you don’t have a valid passport while residing in Finland.
You must also meet the following requirements:
1
You and your partner are in an established relationship and intend to continue your life together in Finland.
You and your partner are in an established relationship and intend to continue your life together in Finland.
2
You or your partner are not married to anyone else.
You or your partner are not married to anyone else.
This is what you should do
1
Make sure you meet the requirements for the residence permit you are applying for.
Make sure you meet the requirements for the residence permit you are applying for.
2
Make sure you have all the attachments needed for the application and that they are up to date. If necessary, have them translated and legalised.
Make sure you have all the attachments needed for the application and that they are up to date. If necessary, have them translated and legalised.
3
Fill in your application.
Fill in your application.
4
Pay for your application at a Finnish mission (embassy or consulate) or at a service point of the Finnish Immigration Service.
Pay for your application at a Finnish mission (embassy or consulate) or at a service point of the Finnish Immigration Service.
5
If you are abroad, visit a Finnish mission (embassy or consulate). If you are already in Finland, book an appointment at a service point of the Finnish Immigration Service.
If you are abroad, visit a Finnish mission (embassy or consulate). If you are already in Finland, book an appointment at a service point of the Finnish Immigration Service.
6
Wait for a decision. The Finnish Immigration Service will contact you if necessary.
Wait for a decision. The Finnish Immigration Service will contact you if necessary.
Income requirement
You have secure means of support.
- You cannot secure your means of support with benefits paid by the society, or with the income and savings of your partner who lives in Finland. The income of your partner who lives in Finland is not taken into account because under Finnish law, he or she is not considered to be your family member.
-
The funds you need to have to meet the income requirement (EUR 1,000 per month for one adult) must be freely available to you, for example in your personal bank account.
Right to work
If your residence permit was granted to you on the basis of your dating relationship, your right to work is restricted. However, you have the right to work in the following positions:
-
In expert duties that require special expertise. Your salary must be at least the same as the average wage-earner’s gross earnings in Finland (EUR 3,473 per month in 2023).
-
In the top or middle management of a company.
-
In an international organisation or in duties concerning official cooperation between states.
-
As a professional athlete, coach, or sports referee.
-
Professionally in the field of culture or the arts.
-
In the service of a religious community in a position that involves practising the religion.
If you apply for an extended permit, check if you have the right to work while your application is being processed.
General attachments
- Valid passport accepted by Finland (um.fi). Present your passport when you submit your residence permit application
- Passport photo complying with the photo guidelines issued by the police or a photograph retrieval code you received from a photo shop, OLEL_PK
- 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
Application-specific attachments
- A written statement of your personal income that will also be at your disposal in Finland
- a certificate of deposit or a bank statement
- property, and capital income from your property
- income from employment or business enterprise
- pension income
- other income
- A statement of your dating relationship and possible living together
- for example a rental agreement or an extract from a register of occupants
- colour copies of your partner’s passport page containing personal data and all passport pages that contain notes
- A statement of pregnancy, if applicable
- a certificate of pregnancy
- A free-form written statement of the reasons why apply for a residence permit on other grounds
- Divorce certificate (if you or your spouse has previously been married and have divorced) (must be legalised if not issued in the Nordic countries or in an EU Member State)
- Intimate relationship attachment form
Prepare for your life in Finland
Among other things, the authorities may ask you for information about whether you have enough money to live in Finland.
If you were not issued a personal identity code together with your residence permit card, you must visit a service location of the Digital and Population Data Services Agency in person.
The Digital and Population Data Services Agency enters your personal details, information about your family relations and your address in the Population Information System. You can also apply for a municipality of residence at the Digital and Population Data Services Agency.
For more information, visit the website of the Digital and Population Data Services Agency (dvv.fi)