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Application for students and researchers: residence permit to look for work or to start a business
Apply for a residence permit with this application if you need a residence permit to look for work or to start a business and you do not yet have a job. The permit must be applied for within five years from the date when your residence permit for studies or research expired.
If you are abroad, apply for this permit as a first residence permit. If you wish to apply for an extended permit, submit the application before your current permit expires. Read more about extended permits.
- You may get the permit for two years at the most.
- If you wish, you can take the permit in three parts.
- The last part must end within three years from the date when the first part started and
- the duration of each part must be at least six months.
- If you have a residence permit for studies, you must have finished your studies and graduated.
- If you have a residence permit for research, you must have finished your research work or you must have completed a doctoral degree in Finland after finishing your research work.
You must also meet the following requirements:
- You have or have had a residence permit for studies or for research.
- You have:
- studied and completed a degree in Finland, or
- finished your research work or
- completed a doctoral degree in Finland.
Get ready
Remember to apply for an extended permit before your previous residence permit expires.
Before you begin, please check that you have all the necessary attachments and information at hand.
When you apply for an extended permit, you may not need to visit a service point if you use strong identification in Enter Finland. You must use the same account as you previously used when you applied for a permit. Log in to Enter Finland using your Finnish online banking credentials, citizen certificate or mobile certificate. Read more at migri.fi/identification#account.
Complete the application
Fill in the application form and add the required attachments. Choose a service point.
Add the retrieval code for your digital passport photo from the photo shop to your application.
- If you do not add a retrieval code or you add it after you have submitted the application, you must visit a service point to prove your identity and bring a passport photo with you.
Book an appointment to visit a service point
Applications are subject to a fee. You can pay the processing fee in Enter Finland with the most common credit cards or using Finnish online banking services.
- If you do not pay the processing fee in Enter Finland, you must visit a service point to prove your identity and pay the processing fee there.
Visit the selected authority to prove your identity
After you submit your application, Enter Finland will tell you what you need to do next. If required, visit a service point of the Finnish Immigration Service to prove your identity and present the original copies of the attachments you added to your application. Book an appointment in advance using the appointment system of the Finnish Immigration Service.
- Remember to bring a passport photo to the service point, unless you already submitted a photograph retrieval code together with your application in Enter Finland. Passport photo instructions can be found on the website of the Finnish Police.
Follow the processing
You can follow the processing of your application in the e-service. If further information or documents are required for your application, we will send you a request through the e-service. You will receive a notification when a decision has been made and can be read online.