Finland's immigration system is largely digital, fairly strict about paperwork and very clear about one thing: why you are coming decides everything else — which permit you need, how much money you must show and how long you wait.
Two systems, depending on your passport
Citizens of EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland do not need a residence permit. If you will stay for more than three months, you register your right of residence with the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri), on the grounds that you are working, self-employed, studying, a family member of an EU citizen, or have enough money to support yourself. The fee is €53 at the time of checking, the registration does not expire, and after five years of legal residence, you have the right to permanent residence. Nordic citizens (Danish, Icelandic, Norwegian, Swedish) skip Migri entirely and register with the Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV).
Everyone else staying in Finland for more than 90 days must apply for a residence permit.
The routes to a permit
The main grounds are:
- Work — as an employed person (salary at least €1,600 gross per month in 2026), a specialist, an EU Blue Card holder, a seasonal worker, or one of a dozen narrower categories.
- Business — as an entrepreneur or a start-up founder.
- Study — with €800 a month for living costs, or €9,600 in your own bank account for a year or more of study.
- Family — as the spouse, partner or child of someone living in Finland.
- Finnish roots — former citizens, descendants of Finnish citizens and a few historical groups.
Each has its own conditions, and they are set out in the five main grounds for a residence permit. If you are marrying a Finn, see marrying a Finnish citizen.
Permit types, and what the letter on the card means
- B, temporary — for a stay that is not intended to be permanent, such as seasonal work or an exchange.
- A, continuous — for someone moving to Finland in the longer term.
- P, permanent — valid until further notice.
- P-EU — the long-term resident's EU permit, which is open-ended and easier to transfer to another EU country.
The distinction matters because the residence period for a permanent permit is calculated based on the time spent on an A permit (or a Brexit permit).
How you apply
- Check that you meet the requirements for the specific permit. Get documents translated and legalised where necessary.
- Apply via the Enter Finland online service or on a paper form. Applying online is cheaper.
- Pay. Migri does not start processing your application until the fee is paid. A refusal is not one of the listed grounds for a refund, although an online application cancelled before the identity visit will be refunded.
- Prove your identity at a Finnish embassy or consulate. First permits are applied for from abroad; applying from within Finland is allowed only in a few cases, such as for family members of Finnish citizens.
- Wait in the country where you applied.
You must apply in person: nobody — not your spouse, not your employer — can submit your application for you, although they may have to add forms of their own. If you are in Finland when you apply, you must be there legally (on a valid permit, a visa, or a visa-free stay of no more than 90 days in any 180-day period). Otherwise, you must leave and wait abroad.
Fees are current as checked on 26 September 2026: a first permit for an employed person costs €750 online and €950 on paper; for studies, €600 and €750; for family ties, €750 and €800; and an extended permit is €230 online. The full table is on the residence permit conditions page.
How long it takes
Migri publishes estimated processing times for every permit and updates them every two months; if you applied online, you can track your application in Enter Finland. Some permits have a legal maximum processing time: two months for most work permits, three months for a first student permit and nine months for family ties.
How long a permit lasts
A first permit is usually valid for up to a year. Students may get one for their entire degree; seasonal workers for the length of their contract. An extended permit can be granted for up to four years, tied to how long your job lasts or how long your family member's permit is valid.
Apply for an extension in Finland before the current permit expires. A late application can be refused simply for being late. A residence permit is issued as a biometric card containing your photo and fingerprints; a permanent permit is open-ended, but the card itself must be renewed every five years.
Permanent residence
Since 8 January 2026, there have been several paths, each with its own requirements:
- 6 years on an A permit, at least 2 years of work history in Finland, and satisfactory (B1) Finnish or Swedish;
- 4 years on an A permit with an annual income over €40,000; or with a recognised master's or doctoral degree and 2 years of work; or with 3 years of work and particularly good (C1) Finnish or Swedish;
- no minimum period if you completed a master's, licentiate or doctoral degree in Finland, or a bachelor's degree at a university (not at a university of applied sciences), and have basic (A2) Finnish or Swedish, or 15 credits of Finnish or Swedish studies.
Permanent permits can only be applied for in Finland.
Losing a permit
Migri can withdraw a permit if you provided false information, if the grounds for it no longer exist — a relationship ends, income falls short — or if you move away permanently or live abroad for more than two years. If you are on a work-based permit, losing your job triggers a protection period of three or six months to find a new one. Any decision can be appealed to an administrative court; instructions are included with the decision.
After you arrive
Migri usually issues a Finnish personal identity code alongside the permit. The rest — registering your address, a tax card, Kela and a bank account — is covered in first steps after moving to Finland. For work, start with finding a job in Finland; for everything else, see living in Finland.
