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Residence permit application for scientific research

Apply for a residence permit with this application if:

  • You are coming to Finland in order to conduct scientific research
  • Your highest degree is a bachelor’s degree
  • The legal relationship between you and the research organisation is not an employment relationship.

If you have a bachelor’s degree and an employment relationship with the research organisation, you can apply for a residence permit on the basis of other employment.
 

  • Expected processing time for paper application

    First permit 1–2 months /

    extended permit 1–4 months

     

  • Paper application fee

    First permit 520 € / 

    extended permit 260 €

This is what you should do:

1

Make sure you meet the requirements for the residence permit you are applying for.

2

Make sure you have all the attachments needed. If necessary, have them translated and legalised. The processing time may be longer if your application is incomplete.

3

Fill in your application.

4

 Pay for your application at a Finnish mission or 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.

6

Wait for a decision. The Finnish Immigration Service will contact you if necessary.

7

Read what happens after you have applied. Check the expected processing time of your application here.

8

You should wait for the residence permit in the same country or locality where you submitted your application and proved your identity.

General requirements for entry into Finland

Make sure you meet the general requirements for entry into Finland before you submit an application.

Requirements

You must also meet the following requirements:

General attachments

  • Valid passport (you must present it when you submit the 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
  • Form MP_1 (if you already are in Finland and apply for your first residence permit)

Income requirement

You must have secure means of support.

  • If you are coming to Finland to conduct scientific research but you are not in an employment relationship with the research organisation, you must have at least EUR 1,000 per month at your disposal for your living costs in Finland. You can secure your income with your own funds or with a research scholarship. 

Right to work

  • If you are in Finland when you are applying for a residence permit, you have the right to work as a professional scientist already before you get a residence permit. In this case, you must reside in Finland legally (you have a valid visa or you are allowed to stay in Finland without a visa). However, your right to work will end after three months at the latest, or even earlier, if your visa expires.
  • Your right to work gives you the right to perform the work for which you have been granted a residence permit.
  • If you apply for an extended permit, check if you have the right to work while your application is being processed.

 

Application-specific attachments

 

  • Invitation from the research organisation or an agreement with the research organisation
  • Degree certificate
  • Documentation of means of support

 

Residence permit application on other grounds, OLE_MUU

Fill in a paper application
You cannot apply for this permit in the e-service