The Finland startup permit allows founders to move to Finland to establish and run an innovative, growth-oriented company. Before applying to the Finnish Immigration Service (Maahanmuuttovirasto, known as Migri), your founding team must secure a positive Eligibility Statement from Business Finland. Without this statement, you cannot apply for the start-up permit.
What the start-up permit is, and who it is not for
A start-up entrepreneur owns a recently founded growth-oriented company or is about to establish one. You must obtain a positive Eligibility Statement from Business Finland before you can apply for the start-up permit.
The start-up permit does not include investment or financial support. Businesses without an innovative competitive advantage, such as restaurants, consultancies, import and distribution and other service businesses, are not eligible.
A Finnish subsidiary or branch of a foreign company, or a company aimed solely at the Finnish market, is not eligible; such founders are pointed to the entrepreneur permit. You can read more about other categories in our overview of residence permit conditions.
Getting the eligibility statement from Business Finland
A team of two founders is the minimum; all founders need a significant role and must move to Finland. The founding team must hold at least 60% of the company. The founders must own the majority of the company and work full-time for it; just owning a start-up is not enough. Detailed criteria can be checked directly via Business Finland's permit instructions.
The idea must be innovative with an international competitive advantage, and validated with potential customers; an idea alone is not enough. The plan for the first year of operations should include incorporating a limited liability company, not a sole trader business (toiminimi). To learn how these structures work in practice, read our guide to starting a business in Finland.
Only one team member applies for the statement in Enter Finland and shares it with the rest of the team. Business Finland's average processing time for an Eligibility Statement is up to one month, longer at peak and holiday times. External advisers are allowed but not required; Business Finland has no partner consultants and warns against paid "co-founders". The application and attachments must be in English, Finnish or Swedish, and the team needs sufficient English. When preparing to engage local clients, it helps to understand Finnish business culture.
Applying to Migri once you have the statement
The Eligibility Statement must be no more than 4 months old when you submit the permit application. Each team member submits their own residence permit application through Enter Finland. A first start-up permit is applied for abroad; an extended permit only in Finland. Complete criteria and filing instructions are published by Migri's start-up entrepreneur service.
A first start-up permit costs €650 online; an extended one €230. On paper a first start-up permit costs €800 and an extended one €430.
The start-up permit can be applied for through fast track, with the permit in two weeks. Migri's estimate for a first start-up permit is 2 weeks in most cases and 2 months in a minority; the legal maximum is 2 months. Start-up applicants can apply for a D visa together with the permit.
How much money you need
In 2026 a start-up entrepreneur must have at least €1,210, €1,090 or €1,030 net a month depending on where they live. The required sum must be in your own bank account; it can be savings, income or funding of the start-up, or other continuing regular income.
You must have enough money for at least one year, or for 2 years to get a 2-year first permit. An extended permit is granted only for the period with proven continuous income.
How long it lasts, renewing it and working on it
A first start-up permit can be granted for 2 years. The start-up permit is issued for a maximum of two years and can be renewed. An extended start-up permit can be valid for up to 4 years.
An extension does not need a new Eligibility Statement; Migri asks Business Finland directly if needed. A statement is needed for an extension only if you have not held a start-up permit before.
To extend, the company must be registered in Finland as a limited liability company, still meet start-up criteria, have developed its product, and the founders must live in Finland with a Finnish personal identity code (henkilötunnus). On the permit your main activity must be the start-up, but you may also do other work. Migri has started automated post-decision monitoring of start-up permits, which can happen before the permit expires.
Bringing family
A spouse and children under 18 can apply for family-ties permits together with the founder; parents and other relatives do not count as family. Family members are fast-tracked only if they apply at the same time as the start-up founder.
The entrepreneur permit, for contrast
The entrepreneur permit covers sole traders, partners in general partnerships, general partners in limited partnerships, certain cooperative members and managers of limited companies. A limited company manager qualifies only by personally owning at least 30 per cent of the share capital or votes.
The entrepreneur permit requires your own Business ID (Y-tunnus); freelancers working through invoicing service companies cannot use it. The entrepreneur permit is decided in two stages; an Economic Development Centre makes a partial decision, then Migri decides.
The business must be profitable and support you, and you must work in it in Finland; owning a company is not enough. A first entrepreneur permit costs €750 online or €900 on paper. A first entrepreneur application includes a business plan and a financial forecast for the next two years. If you cannot get a positive Eligibility Statement you can apply for the entrepreneur permit instead.
