Finland Work VISA

VISA FORMALITIES TO STUDY IN FINLAND

 

A huge number of international students enroll in Finnish universities to pursue higher studies and also to take advantage of the balanced schemes and interactive courses. But, there are many things that you should be aware of related to a Finnish student visa. 
 

Students from EU/EEA don’t need a student visa or resident permit to study and reside in Finland. Also, students from Sweden, Norway, Iceland, and Denmark can stay and study in Finland without any restrictions. However, students from these mentioned regions should register with local authorities for the right of residence once they have arrived in Finland.
 

Non – EU/EEA students require a student visa for pursuing their higher studies in Finland. If your stay period or course duration is longer than three months (90 days) then you will need a resident permit for extending your stay.

 

Finnish Student visa and resident permit requirements: -

 

1) You must be accepted by a Finnish university for a course or program you applied for. You cannot issue a student visa or resident permit without the offer letter from your hosting university/institute.

 

2) You must have a valid passport with a validity exceeding your visa or resident permit’s duration by at least 3 months.

 

3) A signed copy of your complete application form.

 

4) Financial proof that you can support yourself during your studies. A student will require around 6720EUR/year to cover her/his expenses.

 

5) You must provide an official bank statement to ensure your financial availability. If you have financial benefits from a scholarship or stipend then you must specify proof of that while applying for a visa.

 

6) You might have to attach official translations if the documents are not in English, Finnish, or Swedish.

 

7) You should be mentally and physically healthy and most importantly not contain any contagious diseases. 

 

8) You must have valid international student health insurance.

 

9) You must not have a criminal record and must not have been refused to enter Finland previously. 

 

Steps to apply for a resident permit in Finland

 

Get the resident permit application from the internet and download it.

 

1) Fill out the required details and submit electronically or print the application form and submit to the Finland embassy in your home country.

 

2) Make a checklist of all the documents required for the resident permit and keep them ready for submission.

 

3) Submit recent photographs that are not older than 6 months. You will require a color photograph that meets all the specifications for a residence permit application.

 

4) Check the fees required in the embassy for submission. For electronic submission – 300EUR. For paper submission – 330EUR.

 

5) Submit the application along with all the required documentation and photographs to the nearest Finland Embassy. Also, in case of electronic submission, you need to personally visit the embassy to present the original copies of the documents to process the application.

 

6) You will have to provide biometric details like fingerprints to the officials at the embassy.

 

7) Pay the required application fee as per your mode of submission – in person or online. 

 

8) After your permit is issued, you will get notified about it. You can collect your resident permit through the embassy or get delivered to you.

 

The time taken for processing of the electronic application takes 2 to 3 months and processing paper application may take around 3 months. 

 

If you wish to study abroad, please connect with Whizstorm for the best international career plans.