Visa requirements

For foreigners who intend to travel to Finland for a temporary or short (for no longer than three months) time, a Schengen visa is an entry permit to enter Finland. Finland is a member state of the Schengen countries that have agreed on the visa rules and requirements for third country nationals. A visa is needed for all foreigners who are not members of a country that has been exempted from visa requirements.

Foreign citizens required to have a visa must always obtain it before travelling to Finland. Visas must be applied from the Finnish embassy or consulate. If there is no Finnish embassy or consulate in your area, a visa must be applied from the nearest mission of your country. Sometimes there might be certain cases when Finland is represented by another Schengen country and from which visas to Finland must be applied. If the stay in Finland is no longer than three months and you have a residence permit valid in one of the Schengen countries, a visa is not needed to enter another Schengen country.

Visa formalities need to be taken care of well in advance of the planned arrival but not earlier than three months prior to it. At least 14 days should be reserved for processing visas. Please notice that the process might have a much longer processing time if the application for Finland is delivered in your country to a mission of another Schengen country that has agreed to represent Finland there. Before applying for a visa, please verify that you have all the documents that are required for the application. When obtaining a visa to the Schengen area, generally you must have the application form, a passport or another travel document, a photograph, documents related to the purpose of your trip, evidence of your financial means and travel insurance. You also need to pay the administrative fee.

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland is responsible for visas. Whether you need a visa and further information on visa requirements and applications, please visit the website of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland.