Finland Visa Information

Learn4good provides general information on study, travel, work visa and business visa requirements and the addresses of embassies worldwide. You should contact your local embassy or consulate for the most up-to-date information or visa forms.

Who needs a visa?The Schengen member states – Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland – have jointly agreed about the rules concerning the movement of third-country nationals in their territories and decided which countries’ citizens are required to present a visa. Furthermore, each Schengen State has decided which travel documents citizens of different third countries have to present upon entering the country.

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.
NOTE: Travelers planning a trip across the border to Russia must have a visa. It is advisable to get it at the Embassy of Russia in the traveler’s country of origin, because it takes at least eight weekdays to obtain a visa in Helsinki.

When arriving in a Schengen country, citizens of countries that are subject to the visa requirement must have a passport or some other travel document, which will remain valid until at least three months after the intended date of departure from the Schengen area. The travel document must have been issued within the previous 10 years. Citizens of countries that are subject to the visa requirement must always hold a visa when entering the Schengen area. Those holding a valid residence permit issued by a Schengen country do not need a separate visa.

Applying for a Schengen VisaIf you are required a Schengen visa for travel to Finland, you must visit the nearest Finnish mission or a mission of another Schengen country representing Finland in visa matters. The application must be lodged not earlier than three (3) months prior to the planned visit.

The required form is to be filled in and signed, and a passport-size photograph is to be attached to the application. Processing of the visa application can start only after the visa fee has been paid. The application form is to be submitted, together with a valid passport and the required additional documents, to the Finnish embassy or consulate at which the visa is applied for. The required documentation includes e.g. proof of valid travel insurance and flight tickets. Some embassies or consulates may require additional documentation, and therefore the applicant should always check the requirements with the mission in question.

If Finland does not have official representation within a country, another Schengen member state can represent Finland in visa matters. Likewise, Finland can represent another Schengen member state when agreed upon.

Types of visasA visa is an entry permit for a short, temporary stay of less than 90 days. Using this entry permit as a foreign national requiring a visa you are allowed to enter and stay in the Schengen area once certain other preconditions have been met. Despite possessing a visa these requirements for entry into the country are checked at the border. If the entry requirements are not fulfilled, the passport inspector of the Border Guard Service may refuse you entry.

• A single-entry visa – is issued for one journey during which you can stay in the Schengen area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
• A double-entry visa – allows entry into the Schengen area twice and may be valid within the Schengen area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
• Multiple-entry visa – is granted for several consecutive visits to the Schengen area. The total duration of the stays may not exceed the number of days stated in the visa sticker, which may be up to 90 days in a 180-day period. A multiple-entry visa is valid for a maximum of five (5) years.
• Airport transit visas – are needed by citizens of the following countries: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Democratic Republic of the Congo (former Zaire), Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia and Sri Lanka. If you require an airport transit visa, you are permitted to use the international part of the airport during intermediate landing or during a change between two journeys, and without entering the country in question.

What documents will be required?Passport: Citizens of Nordic countries (Denmark, Iceland, Sweden and Norway ) do not need a passport for entering Finland. EU-nationals, and citizens of Liechtenstein, Monaco, San Marino, Switzerland and Schengen Agreement countries can enter Finland with a valid passport or a valid identity card. All other nationalities require a valid passport.

The processing chargeThe processing charge must be paid in cash when you leave your application, except in the case of bank transfers at Finland’s missions abroad.

Who issues a visa and how long does it take to process a visa?A visa is issued by a diplomat or consul representative of a Schengen country. It is advisable to apply for a visa well in advance of the planned date of travel. A minimum of 14 days should be reserved for processing. If the visa application for Finland is delivered in your country to a representation of a mission of another Schengen country, the process will usually take much longer. Applications should be delivered well in advance so that there will be proper time to process them.

Appeal procedure for a visa:As from 5 April 2011, a visa applicant or a visa holder has the right to appeal against a refused, annulled or revoked visa by lodging an appeal to the authority that has issued the negative decision. The appeal must be addressed to the authority that has made the decision, for example a mission, by lodging an appeal against a decision. A person whose visa application has been refused, annulled or revoked, receives the decision together with a separate appeal instruction. The appeal must be lodged within thirty (30) days from the date when the decision was informed to the applicant. The appeal must be made in writing and either in Finnish or Swedish.

Like before, applicants cannot lodge a complaint against the visa decision to the administrative court. An exception to this rule is still family members of EU citizens who have used the right of free movement, who always lodge their complaints with the Helsinki Administrative Court. Unlike other visa applicants, they cannot lodge an appeal against a decision.

How long is the Visa valid for?
A visa granting multiple entries may be valid for one year at a time so that the number of days spent in the country of residence does not exceed more than 90 days within six months. The number of days will be counted based on the stamps in your passport. A multiple-entry visa may be valid for a year, a single-entry visa for six (6) months and a transit visa for three (3) months.

Other information:
Extending a visa when in Finland
Local police authorities can extend the residence time defined in a visa. The extended period of the residence permit must not exceed its final date and the total duration may not exceed three months within half year. In addition an applicant’s travel insurance must be sufficient to cover the extended time.

Vaccination certificate requirements:
No vaccination requirements for any international traveler.

Embassy contact information: 
Please contact the nearest Finland embassy for information on what documentation you may require to enter Finland. Finnish EmbassiesWorldwide.

SOURCE-http://www.learn4good.com/