Finland Visa

Finland is in Northern Europe and has borders with Russia to the east, Norway to the north, and Finland to the west. Finland is a thoroughly modern welfare state with well-planned and comfortable small towns and cities, but still offers vast areas of unspoiled nature.

WHO DOES NEED SCHENGEN VISAS

Finland is a member of Schengen countries therefore it will apply Schengen visa policies.

Under the Schengen agreement, transiting from one country to another within the Schengen area is done without border controls. If you are a foreign national requiring a Finland visa, you must always have one when entering the Schengen area. If you would ordinarily need a visa but have a residence permit valid in one of Schengen countries, you do not need a visa to enter another Schengen country if the intended duration of your stay is less than three months.

EU citizens

You will not need a visa for traveling within the EU.

There are 34 countries whose nationals do not need a visa to visit the EU for three months or less. These include Australia, Canada, Croatia, Japan, New Zealand and the United States. The list of countries whose nationals require visas to travel to the United Kingdom or Ireland differs slightly from other EU countries. If in doubt, check with the nearest consulate of any EU country.

Non-EU citizens

Passport: You will need a valid passport.

Visa: If your visa is from a country fully applying the Schengen rules, it automatically allows you to travel to the other Schengen countries as well. Moreover, if you have a valid residence permit from one of those Schengen countries, it is equivalent to a visa. You may need a national visa to visit non-Schengen countries.

Even if you did not need a visa to visit Finland, you need a valid passport or some other travel document accepted by Finland. It must be valid for at least ninety days after your intended date of departure from the Schengen area.

TYPES OF FINLAND VISAS

There are many types of visas that you should know before applying for a Finland visa, each type of visa is issued for a specific purpose of stay.

Tourist visa

This is probably one of the most popular Finnish visas people apply for! This visa is meant for those looking to visit Finland for less than 90 days for leisure and recreation.

Business visa

This visa is given to those who are planning to visit Finland for temporary work related purposes.

Visa for visiting family and friends

This visa is for those individuals planning to visit their family or friends in Finland. This type of Schengen visa is also granted for a period of 90 days.

Visa for seamen

This unique visa is only for seamen who are nationals from a country which is required to have a valid visa to enter the Schengen space or if they intend to join a ship that is (or will be) in a Schengen port.

FINLAND VISA REQUIREMENTS

Here is a list of generic documents that need to be submitted in order for you to meet the Finland visa requirements and qualify for a visa.

Passport – You must hold a valid passport to be able to apply to the Finnish embassy for a visa. the passport needs to be valid for at least 6 months from when you send in your application.

Photos – 2 passport-sized photos

Proof of accommodation – It needs to show that you have either booked your own accommodation in Finland or have someone sponsoring your stay.

Proof of transportation – This refers to documents showing proof of your flight reservations

Travel health insurance

Bank statement – A document from your bank showing your monthly transactions for the past 3 months to be able to prove that you will be able to sustain yourself during the trip

No objection letter – This letter is required to validate your current status and assure the embassy that your have permission to travel.

Depend on the purpose of visit, each types of visa has specific required documents as the following:

Tourist visa required documents

Invitation letter with the address and phone number from family member or sponsor – if applicable
Bank statement from the last 6 months
Passport copies

Business visa required documents

Invitation letter from the Finnish company you will be visiting and their detailed address along with your travel dates
A letter from your employer stating/allowing your business travel
Bank statement from the last 6 months
Proprietorship/Partnership documents
The invitation letter must also mention how the expenses of the applicant is going to be covered during his/her travel. It must be made clear whether it will be sponsored by the employer or the Finnish company.

Requirements of Visa for visiting family and friends

A letter from the applicant stating who she/he is visiting, who covers the expenses and travel itinerary including countries to be visited during the trip.
Proof of sufficient funds of the invitor if he/she claims to bear all the costs (accommodation, travel etc.)
Original invitation letter and one photocopy. The invitation letter should state the required personal and contact details of the inviter and visitor (name, date of birth, address, phone number, e-mail), the purpose and duration of the visit,
accommodation details including address and clarification of the relationship between the inviter and the visitor. The invitation letter must be signed by the inviter and dated.
A marriage certificate, if the applicant and the inviter are married. A certificate of a family relationship between the inviter and the applicant (such as a birth certificate) must also be submitted, in case of a family visit.

HOW TO APPLY FOR FINLAND VISA

Submit your visa application at a mission or visa centre in person. An application cannot be sent by e-mail or telefax.

Step 1: Schedule your appointment

Determine the type of Schengen Visa that you need to apply for. Then schedule your appointment for VFS

Step 2: Prepare documents

Prepare the required documents for your application

Step 3: Submit your application

Submit your application at VFS on your appointment date: The process usually goes like this: Arrival and waiting period, Submission of documents, Biometrics, Visa payment

Step 4: Wait for result

Wait for the results of your Schengen Visa application

FINLAND VISA PROCESSING TIME

It usually takes at least two weeks to process Filand visa. Therefore, it is recomended to submit Filand visa application no later than 15 days before travel.

FINLAND VISA APPLICATION FORM

To apply for a visa, applications must complete a Finland visa application form downloaded from this website then print and sign it before going to the visa application center.

FINLAND VISA FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. When should I apply for a Finland visa?

You should submit your visa application at a mission of Finland or a visa centre no later than 15 days before travel. The application can be submitted at the earliest three months before the intended visit. In case Finland is represented in the country by another Schengen state, the processing time is usually longer.

2. How can I book an appointment for submitting a residence permit application?

Booking an appointment is mandatory. You can book an appointment via this website to Schedule an appointment ,via email or by calling the Helpline. You cannot make an appointment to submit residence permit application any other way.

3. Where can I submit my application?

You can submit your Finland visa application at the VFS Application Centre for Finland in your country.

4. If I fill in the visa application form today, when will the visa be ready?

Application processing time starts on the day, when printed and signed application with supplementary documents is submitted to the visa centre , and the visa fee has been paid, but not on the day of filling the application. Schedule of estimated processing terms can be found on the website of the Embassy and visa centre.