Important Travel Document Information – Please Read
There are many sorts of visas that may apply to your trip to Finland, depending on the reason for your visit. Depending on whether you are visiting for tourism, study, work or wish to dwell in Finland permanently, you must apply for a particular kind of Finland Visa.
We strongly advise to apply as soon as possible to ensure that you are approved for a Finland Visa in time for your trip. You will not be allowed on your flight without a valid visa document.
Finland Visa Options
You can choose the following when applying for a visa to Finland:
Finland Schengen C-Visas
A Schengen Visa for Finland is an official travel document. It allows a person to travel to any country in the Schengen Area for stays of up to 90 days for tourism or business purposes.
Please select one of the following options when applying for your Finland Visa:
- Single-entry visa – enables the holder to enter Finland once and remain for up to 90 days during any 180 days.
- Double-entry visa – Permits entrance into Finland twice and may be valid for up to 90 days inside the Schengen region in any 180 days.
- Multiple-entry visa – is provided for many travels to the Schengen region. The cumulative length of stays cannot exceed the number of days specified on the visa sticker, which is 90 days within a 180-day term. A visa with numerous entries is valid for five (5) years.
Finland Visa Requirements
The following is the standard set of requirements you should submit for your Finnish Visa application:
A visa application form that is filled out and signed
A color photograph of yourself
Your Passport
Confirmed flight tickets
Hotel reservations / accomodation
Proof of financial means
Travel insurance
Schengen Member Countries (Finland)
The Schengen area is a zone in which 27 European countries have abolished their internal borders to allow for free and unrestricted movement of people, while also adhering to common rules for controlling external borders and combating criminality by bolstering the common judicial system and police cooperation.
Except for Ireland and the nations that will soon be part of Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, and Cyprus, the Schengen Area encompasses the majority of EU countries. Denmark, Iceland, Switzerland, and Lichtenstein are all members of the Schengen zone despite not being EU members.
A Finland Schengen visa allows you to travel to Finland and other Schengen countries for a short stay of up to 90 days within a 180-day period.
Finland Schengen Visa Purposes
Below are some of the most common reasons for applying for a Schengen visa to Finland:
- Tourism: If you are planning to visit Finland for tourism purposes, you will need to provide evidence of your travel arrangements, such as hotel bookings, flight tickets, and itinerary.
- Business: If you are planning to travel to Finland for business purposes, you will need to provide evidence of your business trip, such as a letter from your employer or client, and a business visa itinerary.
- Study: If you are planning to study in Finland for a short period of time, you will need to provide evidence of your acceptance to a Finnish educational institution, and proof of financial support.
- Family visits: If you are planning to visit Finland to visit family members, you will need to provide evidence of your family relationship, such as a birth certificate, marriage certificate, or other relevant document.
Finland National D-Visas
You must apply for a residency permit or national D-Visa, rather than a Finland Schengen Visa if you plan to stay in Finland for more than 90 days.
Your long-stay visa must be for a period of three months to one year, regardless of the length of your anticipated stay. You must apply for a residence permit at a prefecture in order to prolong your stay beyond the duration of your visa.
The long-stay visa is comparable to a Schengen Visa throughout its validity term, allowing you to travel and remain in the Schengen area outside of Finland for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, under the same circumstances as if you had a Schengen visa.
If you are a citizen of a country that can visit the Schengen zone without a visa, then you may travel visa-free and apply for your national visa / residence permit from within the country you wish to stay in long-term.
If you are a family member of a Finnish citizen and plan to go to Finland for more than three months, you may apply for a residence visa at a Finnish mission in advance.
For detailed information on specific parts of the visa process for Finland, you can refer to the links to the right to find the answer to your query. If you are unable to find any particular information, please contact us via email.
Schengen Member Countries
A Visa is required for any third national wishing to enter Finland or any other Schengen country. It could be a short-stay Schengen C-visa for stays of up to 90 days or a national D-visa / residence permit for longer stays in the country.
Finland Visa Processing Time
Submit your visa application to a Finnish embassy or Consulate at least 15 days before departure. You must file the application at least six months in advance of the planned visit. When Finland is represented in a Schengen nation by another state, the procedure time is often lengthened.
The Consulate typically determines within 15 days.
The consulate may extend up to 30 days and, in rare situations, 60 days if a more thorough review of your application or additional documentation is necessary.
Some Schengen states demand that they be consulted on visa applications filed by nationals of specific countries visiting other Schengen states. The consultation procedure might take up to seven days.
Similarly, a Schengen State may demand notification when a visa is given to a person of a particular third country.
The applicant is advised of the decision to deny a Schengen visa and the grounds for the denial using a standard form. The decision to deny a visa must disclose the grounds for the denial and the processes and deadlines for filing an appeal.
Visa refusal, cancellation, and revocation
To qualify for a visa, you must legally reside within the nation you submit your application. Your visa application will be denied if you do not meet the requirements. You will be informed in writing of the denial.
A visa may be denied for the reasons listed in the common Visa Code of the Schengen nations.
Examples include:
- You lack an authorized, valid travel document
- you do not give evidence to verify the purpose and terms of your stay
- You lack adequate means of support for the length of your stay
- You do not have the right to return to your place of origin or proceed to a third nation
- The mission has reasonable grounds to suspect that you do not plan to leave the Schengen region before the expiration of the visa for which you are requesting.
- You may have an entrance ban to Finland or another Schengen state or be deemed a threat to a member state’s public order, internal security, or foreign relations.
If the visa requirements were not satisfied at the time it was issued, the visa already granted to you would be revoked.
If the circumstances for obtaining the visa no longer exist, the visa that has previously been issued to you will be canceled.
Extending The Validity of a Finland Visa
If you cannot leave Finland and the Schengen region owing to force majeure or humanitarian reasons, local police authorities in Finland may extend the visa’s validity. Such causes may include a last-minute travel cancellation or an extreme sickness. In these instances, the expansion is gratis.
It may be possible to extend the visa’s validity for compelling personal reasons, such as the unexpected and severe sickness of a close relative with permanent residency in Finland. In such instances, a 30-euro fee is required for a visa extension.
The Police make determinations about the extension of visa validity.
People Also Asked...
This depends on a number of things such as whether or not you have had a Schengen visa in the past or how many countries you intend to visit. Generally you first Schengen visa will be issued for the duration of your stay. Future Visa Applications may be granted for multiple entry for a number of years.
There are 27 Schengen members states in Europe which include Finland. You can see the full list of countries in the Schengen zone on the table found on this page.
You can expect an update on your application within 3 days of submission. You can choose express processing at checkout for a response within 24 hours.
Once you attend your appointment, Visa Applications can take up to 15 working days to be processed by the Embassy.
A Finland Schengen visa allows you to travel to Finland and other Schengen countries for a short stay of up to 90 days within a 180-day period. A Finland national visa allows you to stay in Finland for a longer period of time, such as for work or study.
The processing time for a Finland Schengen visa varies, but it is typically around 15 days. However, it is important to note that the processing time can be longer during peak travel seasons.