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Residence permit types

Residence permits are either fixed-term or permanent. A fixed-term residence permit is either continuous (an A permit) or temporary (a B permit). The type of your residence permit is indicated on the residence permit card with a letter.

Fixed-term residence permits

A permit

The A permit is a fixed-term residence permit that is valid for a given time period. The A permit is continuous residence permit, which means that it is intended for someone who moves to Finland for a longer period. You may be issued with an A permit if you are granted a residence permit for a specialist or when you move to Finland to live with a family member who is a Finnish citizen, for example.

B permit

The B permit is a fixed-term residence permit that is valid for a given time period. The B permit is temporary residence permit, meaning that it is intended for temporary residence in Finland. You may be issued with a B permit if you move to Finland temporarily for work, internship or student exchange, for example. 

Temporary protection 

Temporary protection is intended for people fleeing the war in Ukraine. The purpose of temporary protection is to offer provisional protection without a long wait. Read more about the residence permit for temporary protection.

Permanent residence permits

P permit

The P permit is a permanent residence permit. You can apply for a permanent residence permit once you have lived in Finland for 4 years with a continuous residence permit (an A permit) without gaps between your residence permits. You will also need to meet the rest of the requirements for a permanent residence permit.

P-EU and P-EY permits

The P-EU permit and the P-EY permit are permanent EU residence permits granted to third-country nationals. You can apply for a permanent EU residence permit once you have lived in Finland for 5 years with a continuous residence permit (an A permit) without gaps between your residence permits. You will also need to meet the rest of the requirements for a permanent EU residence permit.

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Validity of residence permits

For how long a residence permit is valid depends on, among other things, the purpose of your stay in Finland.

A first residence permit is usually granted for one year at the most. A permit may also be valid for a shorter or longer period, depending on the grounds for the permit. Students, for instance, may be granted a permit that is valid for the entire time it takes to obtain a degree. A permit may be valid for a shorter time if, for instance, you are a seasonal worker and your employment relationship is valid for less than a year. 

An extended permit can be issued for up to four years. If you hold a residence permit that was granted on the basis of work, the duration of the extended permit depends on the duration of your employment relationship. If you hold a residence permit granted on the basis of family ties, the duration of the extended permit depends on the duration of your family member’s residence permit.

For information on how long a residence permit for temporary protection is valid, see the page Temporary protection.

Residence permit entries

Finland introduced biometric residence permit cards at the beginning of 2012. Biometric identifiers stored on the residence permit card chip include a facial image and two fingerprints.

Residence permit stickers for travel documents are no longer issued but they may still be used until the expiry date of the sticker.

The design of a residence permit card and the location of markings on the card vary depending on the type of permit and the point of time when the card was issued. All residence permit cards contain the following information:

  1. Permit type or the grounds for issuing the permit.
  2. The expiry date of the card, before which the residence permit or the card must be renewed.
  3. Finnish Immigration Service customer number.
  4. Statement on the right to work.