EnterFinland : Residence permits

For information and instructions related to possible service disruptions, see the following page: Technical difficulties and interruptions in Enter Finland.

If you are applying for an extended permit or citizenship or renewing your residence permit card or residence card, it is possible that you do not need to visit a service point to prove your identity. For more information about when visiting a service point is not necessary, see the page Identification.

Home

Apply for a first residence permit

On this page, you can apply for a first residence permit. You need a residence permit if you are coming to Finland for over 90 days.

Usually, an application for a first residence permit must be submitted outside Finland. If you submit your application for a first residence permit in Finland, you may get a negative decision. Read more about applying for a first residence permit (migri.fi).

Please begin by selecting the reason why you are coming to Finland: for work, for studies, or to join a family member.

If you are

a citizen of an EU Member State, Liechtenstein or Switzerland, register your right of residence
a citizen of a Nordic country (Denmark, Iceland, Norway or Sweden), notify the Digital and Population Data Services Agency of your move to Finland on their website (dvv.fi)
a family member of a citizen of an EU Member State, a Nordic country, Liechtenstein or Switzerland but you yourself are not a citizen of any of these countries, apply for a residence card for a family member of an EU citizen.

If you have previously applied for asylum, you cannot get a first residence permit on the basis of studies, work or pursuing a trade.

When you apply for a residence permit, you must have a valid passport issued by your country of nationality. Read more about the passport requirement (migri.fi).

Select the application that suits your situation

Work

You are coming to Finland to work. You may be an employee, an entrepreneur or a researcher, for example.

Studies

You are coming to Finland for studies.

Family

You and your family member are moving to Finland, or a family member of yours is already living in Finland.