Finland is one of the most attractive destinations in Northern Europe. It offers must-see landscapes, natural beauties, and delicious local cuisine to try, and unique culture to experience. Whilst these increase the popularity of Finland, it also brings us to the point where you do not know if you need a Finland visa or not. Rest assured! Today, we are going to cover everything you need to know about the Finland visa application and what you should do to get a visa for Finland.
Guidelines for Finland Visa
It is crucial to understand what Finland expects from its visitors and for this reason, you should be aware of things you are going to need for your Finnish visa application.
Schengen visa requirements are becoming stricter every year, so does the Finland Schengen visa. If you are unsure about if you need to apply for the Finland visa, you should know the factors that determine whether you need a Finland visa or not depend on the purpose of your stay, the duration of your stay, and the country in which you are a citizen of. According to the Finnish airport visa regulations, you will not need to obtain a visa to go to Finland if you are a citizen of a country that is in the Schengen Area.
Also, the citizens of the Nordic countries or EU/EAA countries are not required to get a visa to Finland.
Who needs a Finland Visa?
According to European Union Border Control Legislations, if you are a citizen or a passport holder of the following countries you are required to get a Finnish visa: Afghanistan, Gabon, Oman, Algeria, Gambia, Pakistan, Angola, Ghana, Papua New Guinea, Armenia, Guinea, Palestinian Authority, Azerbaijan, Guinea-Bissau, Philippines, Bahrain, Guyana, Qatar, Bangladesh, Haiti, Russia, Belarus, India, Rwanda, Belize, Indonesia, Sao Tome And Principe, Benin, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Bhutan, Iraq, Senegal, Bolivia, Jamaica, Sierra Leone, Botswana, Jordan, Somalia, Burkina Faso, Kazakhstan, South Africa, Burma/Myanmar, Kenya, South Sudan, Burundi, Kosovo, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Kuwait, Sudan, Cameroon, Kyrgyzstan, Suriname, Cape Verde, Laos, Swaziland, Central African Republic, Lebanon, Syria, Chad, Lesotho, Tajikistan, China, Liberia, Tanzania, Comoros, Libya, Thailand, Congo, Madagascar, Timor-Leste, Cote D’ivoire, Malawi Togo, Cuba, Maldives, Tonga, Dem. Rep. Of Congo, Mali, Tunisia, Djibouti, Mauritania, Turkey, Dominican Republic, Mongolia, Turkmenistan, Ecuador, Morocco, Uganda, Egypt, Mozambique, Uzbekistan, Equatorial Guinea, Namibia, Vietnam, Eritrea, Nepal, Yemen, Ethiopia, Niger, Zambia, Fiji, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, North Korea, and Northern Mariana’s.
Finland visa requirements
If you are a citizen of the countries which we have listed above, you are required to get a Finland visa. It is always recommended to know what Finnish visa requirements are before you apply for it. Any failure with providing the necessary documents may result in the rejection of your Finland visa application. For this reason, we have listed below all the Finland visa requirements you should know of:
- Firstly, you should download the Finland visa application form and fill it carefully. Make sure you bring the form you filled to your Finnish visa interview.
- You are required to provide 2 Finland visa photos.
- Your passport and its copy should involve your previous visas and your passport should be valid for at least 3 months after your visa expires. Also, there should be at least 2 blank pages to attach your Finnish visa.
- You are required to show general health insurance that covers the whole duration of the visit which you have stated in your Finnish visa application form.
- You are required to attach your cover letter to prove the purpose of your visit to Finland.
- You are required to attach your flight ticket and hotel reservations to your Finland visa application. If you are not sure about which hotel you are going to stay in, you can show any hotel reservation on paper which you can cancel for free if you change your mind.
- You are required to attach some documents to your Finland visa application form that proves your civil status in your home country.
- Last but most importantly, you should be financially capable of your visit to Finland. Any failure with showing the required amount of money may result in the rejection of your Finnish visa application.
In addition to these Finland visa requirements above, self-employed visitors are required to submit a copy of their business license, company bank statement of the latest 6 months, and income tax return (ITR) for their Finland visa application. Also, students are required to show proof of enrollment and a no-objection certificate from school or university. Finland visa applications without this university certificate may result in visa denials. Ultimately, if you are retired in your home country, you are required to submit proof of your pension statement to be eligible for a Finnish visa.
Finland visa photo requirements
As we advised you to be careful about the Finnish visa requirements, you should also be careful about the Finland visa photo requirements. Any failure with providing the required photo size and specs may result in refusal of your Finland visa application. For this reason, we have listed all Finnish visa photo requirements you should know of:
- The background on your Finland visa photo should be white or off-white. This spec is highly important and it is required by the officials.
- Finland visa photo size should be 0,36 x 0,47 cm (36×47 mm).
- Finnish visa photos must be in color. Black and white photos will result in a visa denial.
- A neutral facial expression is essential in a Finland visa photo.
- You should avoid excessive makeup on your Finland visa photo. Make sure it is light makeup, not a makeover.
- Any item like jewelry and glasses should not be worn. However, glasses that are worn for health reasons are allowed.
- Your mouth should be closed in your Finland visa photo.
- You should look directly into the camera.
Finland visa types
According to the type of Finland visa you are applying for, there may be additional documents required. For this reason, the Finland work visa requirements and the Finland student visa requirements are different. You need to be extra careful about the type of visa you are applying for and the necessary documents for your Finnish visa application. Here’s a list of different Finland visa types you can apply for:
- Finnish Tourist Visa
- Finland Visa for Business Purposes
- Finland Visa for Medical Purposes
- Finland Visa for Cultural, Sports, Film Crew, or Religious Purposes
- Finland Visa for Members of Official Delegations,
- Finland Student Visa for Studying, Training, Research, or other types of Internship Purposes
- Finland Visa For The Wife/Husband of a Finnish citizen
- Finnish Airport Transit Visa
- Finland Visa for Under-Age Children
For a Finland tourist visa, you are required to provide a bank statement of the last 6 months, passport copies, and an invitation letter from family or friends in Finland.
If you are traveling to Finland for business purposes, you should be applying for a Finland Business Visa. This Finnish business visa will require you to provide documents like an invitation letter from the Finnish company, a certificate from your employer for your business travel, a business bank statement of the latest 6 months, a trade license (if any), and coverage of financial expenses.
If you are traveling to Finland for medical purposes, then you can apply for a Finland visa for medical purposes. However, you need to prove your local medical report, a medical attestation from the hospital or doctor in Finland, and lastly payment receipt of medical fees.
If you are employed by a Finnish company, then to get a Finland work visa, you are required to provide documents like an employment contract, current bank statement of the latest 6 months, leave permission from the employer, and an income tax return (ITR) form or a certificate of income tax deducted at the source of salary.
Finland visa fees
The last step of the Finland visa application is the payment for your application. The Finnish visa fees depend on the purpose of your stay, the duration of your stay, and your age. Here’s a list of fees for a Finland visa:
- Adults – 80€
- Child between 6-12 years of age – 40€
- Child younger than 6 years of age – Free
- Holders of diplomatic, official, or service passports traveling for official purposes – Free
- A family member of an EU/EEA national – Free
- Pupils, students, and accompanying teachers during a school trip – Free
- Researchers traveling to perform scientific research – Free
- Nationals from Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Russia. – 35€
Extending Finnish visa
If you need to stay in Finland for longer than your visa allows you to, then you can apply for a new Finland visa to extend your stay in Finland. However, if you know that you are going to need to stay longer in Finland, you can apply for a long-term Finland visa in the first place. If an unexpected situation happened for you and you are already in Finland, then you should advise the national authorities and let them know why you need to stay longer in Finland. If the reason you have proposed is feasible for a possible visa extension, then your Finland visa will be renewed and extended.
