Finnish visa resources
Documents for a Finland visa application
The documents typically needed for a Finnish national long-stay (D visa) residence permit application, submitted via Enter Finland or on paper.
Important
For a Finnish long-stay stay, you apply for a residence permit from the Finnish Immigration Service (Maahanmuuttovirasto / Migri), and, where eligible, a D visa so you can travel before your permit card reaches Finland. The core document set is the same whether you apply online through the Enter Finland service or on paper: a valid passport, a compliant photo, and attachments proving the ground for your stay (work, study, family, business or other).
Migri does not publish a single universal checklist. Instead, each application type lists its own required attachments on the application form and on the matching page at migri.fi, so you should assemble the set that matches your route and submit only the attachments that apply to your situation.
Core documents for most applications
- A valid passport issued by your country of nationality (you must present it in person to prove your identity).
- A passport-style photo that meets the police photo guidelines; the photo may not be more than 6 months old (a photo retrieval code from a photo shop is also accepted).
- The completed application (online in Enter Finland, or the correct paper form for your route).
- Proof of the processing fee having been paid.
Attachments that prove your ground for the permit
- Work: your employer completes a separate 'Terms of employment' (TEM054/equivalent) form to attach to your application; specialists and other categories have their own required attachments.
- Studies: proof of admission to an educational institution and evidence you meet the requirements set for students.
- Family ties: documents evidencing the family relationship to your sponsor in Finland.
- Evidence of secured means of subsistence appropriate to your route.
Translation and legalisation
- Documents not in Finnish, Swedish or English must be officially translated.
- Attachments must be legalised unless issued by the authorities of a Nordic country or an EU Member State.
Next steps
Official sources
For the most accurate and up-to-date information, always refer to the official government sources.
Verified against official sources · last reviewed 2026-08-21. Information only — not legal advice.