Permanent residence permit and P-EU permit

You can apply for a permanent residence permit or for a P-EU permit (a long-term resident’s EU residence permit for third-country nationals) if you have lived in Finland for a sufficient time and meet all the permit requirements.

Permanent residence permits and P-EU permits are valid until further notice. In other words, their period of validity is not limited. Even if your permit is valid until further notice, you must renew your residence permit card every 5 years.

Before you apply, please make sure that you meet the requirements for a permanent residence permit or P-EU permit. When you fill in the application form, you must choose which permit you want to apply for: a permanent residence permit or a P-EU permit.

• Permanent residence permit

• P-EU permit (long-term resident’s EU residence permit)

What is the difference between a permanent residence permit and a P-EU permit?

A permanent residence permit is a residence permit that is valid until further notice and is based on Finland’s national legislation. The P-EU permit is based on an EU directive. The P-EU permit is very similar to a permanent residence permit, but there are some differences. The purpose of a P-EU permit is to simplify moving between EU Member States. With a P-EU permit, it will be easier for you to move to another EU Member State.

The most important differences between a permanent residence permit and a P-EU permit are the requirements that must be met before you can be granted a permit. The requirements for your period of residence and income, for example, are different.

• Required period of residence:

  • When you apply for a permanent residence permit, you must have lived in Finland for at least 4 years with a continuous residence permit (an A permit) when we decide your application.

  • When you apply for a P-EU permit, you must have lived in Finland for at least 5 years with a continuous residence permit (an A permit) when you submit the application.

• Income:

  • When you apply for a permanent residence permit, the required income depends on the grounds for your application. 

  • When you apply for a P-EU permit, you are always required to have enough money to live in Finland.

Applications can only be submitted in Finland

Apply for a permanent residence permit or for a P-EU permit in Finland. These permits cannot be granted to you if you submit the application abroad. Applications submitted abroad will be processed as applications for a first residence permit.

Wait for the decision on your application in Finland. If you travel abroad and your current residence permit expires while we still process your application for a permanent residence permit or for a P-EU permit, you may not necessarily be able to return to Finland.

You will find the expected processing times on the page Processing times.

You may reside in another Schengen country for 90 days with a permanent residence permit or P-EU permit 

If your stay in another Schengen country takes more than 90 days, you must apply for a national residence permit of that country.

Your P-EU permit granted by Finland will expire if another EU Member State grants you a long-term resident's EU residence permit for third-country nationals (a P-EU permit).

Residence permit cards are valid for 5 years

Even if you hold a permanent residence permit or a P-EU permit, your residence permit card is only valid for 5 years at a time. The card must be renewed every 5 years because the chip of the card contains your biometric identifiers, meaning your facial image, fingerprints and signature. When your residence permit card is about to expire, you do not need to apply for a new residence permit. Apply for a new residence permit card instead.

Right to work

Your right to work during the processing of your application depends on the grounds on which your previous residence permit or right of residence in Finland was granted.

You may continue working while your application is being processed if you meet one of the following conditions:

• You have a residence permit for an employed person (the ‘TTOL’ permit) and you still work for the same employer or in the same field of work.

• Your right to work is based on another residence permit, such as a residence permit on the basis of family ties or studies.

• You reside in Finland with a residence card for a family member of an EU citizen or with a right of residence under the withdrawal agreement (Brexit permit).

You cannot continue working if you have been living in Finland with a residence permit but you apply for the permanent residence permit or P-EU permit after your residence permit has already expired. Read more on the page Right to work while your application for an extended permit is being processed.

After you get a permanent residence permit or an EU residence permit, you have an unrestricted right to work. However, your right to work is only valid in Finland. As a holder of an EU residence permit, you may only work in the EU Member State that has granted the permit to you.