If you’re planning a visit to Finland for tourism, business, or family reasons and intend to stay for up to 90 days, you may need to apply for a Finnish Short-stay visa, known as the Finland Schengen Visa.
Our visa experts have crafted the following guide to assist you at every stage of the Finnish Schengen visa application process. Filled with valuable insights and in-depth information based on our expertise, this comprehensive guide will aid you in thoroughly preparing for your upcoming Finnish adventure.
Here’s the step-by-step process for how to obtain a visa to visit Finland:
Not every traveller heading to Finland needs a visa. Before you travel, check the information below to determine whether you must apply for a visa or not.
You will have to apply for a visa when travelling to Finland if you are:
You are exempt from applying for a visa to enter Finland if you fall into any of the following categories:
For those exempt from a visa, check out the required documents for entry into Finland. It’s always good to be prepared!
If your plan involves a short trip to Finland, lasting up to 90 days, whether it’s for tourism, visiting friends and family, or business purposes, you should apply for a short-stay visa, commonly referred to as a C-type or Schengen Visa.
However, if your visit involves other purposes or you plan to stay in Finland for more than 90 days, you’ll need a long-stay visa, also known as a D-type visa.
A Finland Schengen visa follows a standardised application process, offering a single type of visa that can be granted for various reasons. Those include:
You can lodge your application for a Finnish visa at a VFS Global application centre or at a Finnish embassy or consulate. If there is no Finnish embassy in your country of residence you have to apply for a visa at another Schengen embassy which is representing Finland.
| Residents of | Submit the application at |
|---|---|
| Bulgaria, Ireland, Kosovo, Romania, Serbia | The Finnish Embassy or Consulates in these countries |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | The Croatian Embassy |
| North Macedonia | The Austrian Embassy |
| Moldova | The Hungarian Embassy |
| Georgia | The German Embassy |
Residents in all other European countries not mentioned above have to submit their Finnish Schengen visa applications to the Luxembourg embassy or consulate in their country of residence.
| Residents of | Submit the application at |
|---|---|
| Algeria, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania | The Finnish Embassy or Consulates in these countries |
| Cabo Verde | The Portuguese Embassy |
| Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo | The Belgian Embassy or Consulates in these countries |
| Cameroon | The Nigerian Embassy |
| Eritrea | The Italian Embassy |
| Ivory Coast | The German Embassy |
| South Africa, Niger | The Spanish Embassy or Consulates in these countries |
| Benin | The Netherlands Embassy |
Residents in all other African countries not mentioned above have to submit their Finnish Schengen visa applications to the Finnish embassy or consulate in their country of residence.
| Residents of | Submit the application at |
|---|---|
| Afghanistan, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Israel, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nepal, Palestine, South Korea, Syria | The Finnish Embassy or Consulates in these countries |
| Brunei | The Malaysian Embassy |
| Singapore | The Danish Embassy |
| Turkmenistan | The German Embassy |
| Iraq, North Korea | The Swedish Embassy or Consulates in these countries |
| Timor-Leste | The Polish Embassy |
Residents in all other Asian countries not mentioned above have to submit their Finnish Schengen visa applications to the Finnish embassy or consulate in their country of residence.
| Residents of | Submit the application at |
|---|---|
| Argentina, Chile, Peru | The Finnish Embassy or Consulates in these countries |
| Paraguay | The German Embassy |
Residents in all other South American countries not mentioned above have to submit their Finnish Schengen visa applications to the Finnish embassy or consulate in their country of residence.
| Residents of | Submit the application at |
|---|---|
| Canada, Mexico | The Finnish Embassy or Consulates in these countries |
| Canada | The Swiss Embassy |
| Belize | The Mexican Embassy |
| Haiti | The French Embassy |
| Jamaica | The German Embassy |
| El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua | The Spanish Embassy or Consulates in these countries |
| Cuba | The Swedish Embassy |
| Trinidad and Tobago | The Netherlands Embassy |
Residents in all other North America and the Caribbean countries not mentioned above have to submit their Finnish Schengen visa applications to the Finnish embassy or consulate in their country of residence.
Residents in all other Oceanian countries not mentioned above have to submit their Finnish Schengen visa applications to the Finnish embassy or consulate in their country of residence.
If Finland is the only country in the Schengen Area you plan to visit, it’s straightforward – apply at the Finnish embassy/consulate or the authorized Visa Application Center (VAC) in your country of residence.
However, if your journey includes Finland and at least one more Schengen state, apply at the Finnish embassy/consulate/VAC in your country of residence only if:
You will spend more days in Finland than in the other Schengen countries.
You will spend an equal amount of time in each country, but you are starting your Schengen adventure by entering through Finland.
You can’t apply for a short-stay Finnish visa from a country where you are currently on a short-stay visa. You must hold a residence permit in the country where you are applying.
For more in-depth details, please refer to: How to Choose the Right Embassy/Consulate/VAC to Submit the Visa Application
The first step of the visa application process involves filling out the application form, which is available online. To access the online application service, you need to register by creating an account. Before you start your application, have these documents on hand:
Click on Start a new application to begin.
These are the sections you have to complete:
For each of the sections you need to fill out, there is a helpful Guide on the right-hand side of the screen, detailing how each question should be answered.
Write down your personal details exactly as they appear in your travel document.
Under parental authority, if the applicant is under 18 years old at the time of the application, fill in the necessary information of the parent (s) or guardian (s) in the designated fields.
If applicable, include details for both guardians. However, if it does not apply to you, you can skip it.
Additionally, you must only check this box if you’re a family member of an EU, EEA or CH citizen or of UK nationals who are Withdrawal Agreement beneficiaries. You will, then, be required to present official documents to prove the relationship. Otherwise, proceed to the next part of the application form.
Under Travel Document, select the type of your travel document.
Next, enter the number of your travel document exactly as shown in your travel document. As well as the date of issue, its validity period, and the issuing country.
In the Occupation and Residence section, you must provide your home address (optionally, you may add an address where you are officially registered). Enter all other information that is marked with an asterisk (*).
After, select your occupation from the drop-down menu.
Provide the information about your employer and employment place. If you’re a student, select ‘Student/Trainee’ and provide the school’s details.
The Journey Details section involves information about your purpose (s) of travel. The main purpose of travel is mandatory. You may write down additional information about the purpose of your stay; however, this is optional.
Select the Schengen country you will enter first and any other countries you will visit during your trip. Enter the planned entry and departure dates. Make sure that the arrival date falls after your application submission date. For multiple entry visas, detail your first stay (the duration between arrival and departure should not exceed 90 days). Your insurance should cover this period of your first intended stay in the Schengen area.
If you have submitted your fingerprints for a Schengen visa in the past, tick Yes and enter the date of fingerprint submission and the number of your last visa sticker (if you know it). If this does not apply, simply tick No.
If someone in the Schengen area has invited you, you must provide details of the inviting person (surname, first name). However, if you will be staying at a hotel or temporary accommodation, provide the name of the hotel or the temporary accommodation and other details.
Additionally, you must share details of who will be sponsoring your trip to the country. Select who will cover your travel and living costs during your stay. Once you select, you must check means of support, e.g., cash, traveller’s cheques, credit card, etc.
Before completing your application, you’ll be able to choose the country where you plan to submit the visa application and the purpose of your travel. This selection will generate a checklist of required documents tailored to your main purpose of travel.
Once you complete the application form, you can download it, print it out, and sign it at the end. You must attach it to the rest of your documents when attending your visa appointment.
Your visa application will only begin to process after you have submitted the printed and signed application with all supporting documents to the Visa Application Centre or Finnish mission and have paid the visa fee.
Once you have filled out the application form, schedule your appointment with the VFS Global application centre or Finnish embassy.
You can schedule your Finland visa appointment with VFS Global by selecting your country of residence from the menu. You will be redirected to the website of the VFS office accepting Finland visa applications in your country of residence through which you have to book an appointment.
See for example, the VFS centre in Algeria:
If you live in a country with a Finnish embassy, you have to schedule your appointment by contacting the embassy. See all of Finland’s representative offices abroad here.
Click on the Finnish embassy in your country of residence, and you will be redirected to a page containing its contact information and instructions on how to set an appointment.
If you live in a country which has no VFS or Finnish embassy, then other Schengen embassies are in charge of processing Finland visa applications. See here for where to apply based on where you live.
Follow the instructions on the specific embassy’s website.
It takes about 15 days to process your application for a Finland visa. This means, you have to set your appointment at least 15 days before you plan to travel.
Taking into account the waiting time and the availability of appointment slots, we suggest you start checking for available appointments at least one month before your trip, but preferably earlier.
The earliest you can apply for a visa is six months before you plan to travel to Finland.
Scheduling an appointment for a Finnish visa application is free of charge. However, there are other fees associated with the application process, which we have outlined below in this article.
We highly advise against scheduling appointments through non-accredited third-party intermediaries, as they may add extra fees.
You cannot change your appointment, but you can cancel the current appointment you have and then request a new one.
To cancel your appointment, you need to use the “cancellation appointment services” available on the websites of each visa application centre. Please note that cancellations are available only well in advance (a minimum of one or two days) but not on the day of the appointment itself.
To meet the short-term stay visa requirements for Finland, applicants must submit the following documents to the Finnish embassy or consulate:
On top of the required documents, you may need to submit any additional documents which the Finnish embassy requests.
Each visa application undergoes a personalized review, so the required documents may differ. The Finnish authorities may also ask for additional documentation in some cases.
Please ensure that you have all the documents with you since you may risk getting your visa denied if something is missing from your application.
Travel Medical Insurance is compulsory for Schengen visas under Regulation (EU) 2009/810 of the European Parliament.
Finnish visa applicants can obtain visa insurance from either Europ Assistance or vti.travel, a European insurance comparison website, comparing insurance policies of AXA, Allianz, Europ Assistance and Mutuaide.
These insurance providers are acknowledged and accepted by Finnish Embassies and Consulates worldwide. Moreover, you can cancel the insurance at no cost by submitting proof of Finnish visa rejection.
To obtain a Finnish Schengen visa, you are required to have a minimum of €50 per day to cover your expenses in Finland for the duration of your stay.
On the day of your appointment, you have to submit the checklist of required documents along with the signed application form. Make sure to arrive on time and be presentable.
That day, you also have to submit your biometric information (fingerprints), pay the visa fee, as well as have a short interview.
You have to submit your fingerprints and a biometric picture in order for your visa application to be processed. During the online application form, you have to check off whether you have submitted your fingerprints in the last 59 months—if yes, you don’t need to submit them again.
Children under the age of 12 are also exempt from submitting fingerprint scans.
When applying for a Finland Schengen visa, you will be required to pay an €90 visa processing fee. Typically, you can pay in cash or via debit/credit card when you submit your application—sometimes, you have to pay beforehand though a payment slip, in which case you have to submit the payment receipt.
In either case, make sure you check with the VFS centre or embassy website in regards to the payment of the visa fee.
On the visa appointment, the person accepting your application may ask questions regarding your trip, whether you know someone in Finland, accommodation, trip itinerary, as well as personal information (where you work/study, what you work/study, family-related questions), etc.
Someone else can apply for a Finland visa on your behalf under certain conditions:
Generally, the most common third party who applies for a visa on your behalf are travel agencies or visa application centres. These are authorised by embassies to submit applications on behalf of applicants.
After you submit your application, the processing time for your visa is typically up to 15 days. However, this duration may be extended to 30 days for various reasons, such as the need for additional review of your application or a high number of applications, among others.
If you applied through a VFS application centre, you can track your application online through the VFS website. The Track your application button is on the navigation bar at the top of the website.
You have to enter the Reference Number present on the invoice/receipt issued by the Visa Application Centre as well as either your birth date or last name (depending on the centre).
If your Finland visa is approved, you can enter Finland within the dates specified on your Schengen visa sticker—the sticker also contains how many days you can stay in Finland or the Schengen Area in total.
If your Finland visa application is rejected, the reason for the rejection will be stated on the decision letter. You can either:
If you are unhappy with the decision made by a Finnish mission regarding your visa application (refusal of the visa), you can request an administrative review of the decision from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Here’s what you need to do:
If you disagree with the Ministry’s decision on your review request, you can appeal to the Helsinki Administrative Court. The appeal process also has specific requirements and fees, so be sure to consult the instructions provided by the Ministry for more details.
No, even if your visa application is rejected, you will not get a refund of the visa fee. Visa fees are non-refundable.
After a decision is made, you can collect your passport from the embassy or visa application centre where you applied. You can pick it up in-person or—if it is available—they may send it to you via courier. For this, there is an additional fee.
To enter Finland, you must present the following documents on the day of your travel to the country. These documents include:
The dates when you can enter Finland are indicated on your visa sticker, which is attached to your passport.
It is not allowed to extend your stay in Finland if you enter with a Schengen visa. Visa extensions are only allowed when there are exceptional circumstances, such as:
You have to submit your request for visa extension to a Finnish Police Station. For unforeseen circumstances the application is free, but for compelling personal reasons there is a EUR 30 fee.
No, a Schengen visa does not permit employment in Finland. To work in Europe, you must apply for the appropriate visa/work permit. You can study only if it is a short-term study course which begins and ends within the validity period of your visa.
The Schengen Hungary visa allows a maximum stay of up to 90 days within any 180-day period.
Overstaying your visa can lead to serious consequences. Previous overstays may complicate future visa issuance.
Yes, you can visit other Schengen countries with a Finland visa (excluding Limited Territorial Validity Visas). However, Hungary should be your primary destination, and any time spent in other Schengen countries counts toward the 90-day limit.
Yes, there are certain non-Schengen/EU countries that accept a Finland Schengen visa for entry.
