Finland Residence Permit for Students
Degree students in Finland get an A permit. It lasts for your whole study time. Exchange students get a B permit, which is shorter. You must keep following the permit rules while you study. If your studies take longer than your permit, apply to extend it while you are in Finland.
FinlandFINLAND RESIDENCE PERMIT CARD
Type: Student
ID#: Example
ID: Example
Status: Student
Example: Master's Programme
Example: University of Helsinki
Example card. Your residence permit card proves your right to live in Finland.
How to Keep Your Student Permit Valid
Migri keeps checking that you follow the permit rules after it says yes. Keep your studies, money and insurance in order for your whole stay.
Permit or Visa: What Is the Difference?
Valid for up to 100 days.
Lets you enter Finland right after your permit is granted.
You do not have to get it. Fee: EUR 95 online.
Valid for your whole study period.
Lets you live, study and work 30 hours a week on average.
Comes as a residence permit card.
Finnish Immigration Service (Migri)
Migri decides first permits, extensions and permits to look for work. You apply in Enter Finland, Migri's website for permit applications.
Your Key Documents
Residence permit card
Shows your permit type, its end date and your right to work.
D visa
A visa to enter Finland for up to 100 days, before you collect your card. Ask for it only if you can travel within 2 weeks of getting your permit.
Finnish personal identity code
An 11-character ID number from Finland. You need it for banks, jobs and offices.
What Can Go Wrong
Rules for Student Permit Holders
Study progress
Complete about 45 credits in each academic year.
Enough money
Have at least EUR 800 every month for housing, food and other needs (EUR 9,600 for a year).
Valid insurance
Your insurance must stay valid for your whole stay. Renew it if it ends before your permit.
Work limit
Work no more than 30 hours a week on average.
Valid card
Always keep a valid residence permit card.
Permits You May Need as a Student in Finland
Most students need two or three of these: a first permit, perhaps an extension, and a permit to look for work after graduation.
Key Dates to Plan
First permit
Before you travel
Register in Finland
After you arrive
Extended permit
Up to 3 months before expiry
Permit to look for work
After graduation
Permit Types and Fees
First Residence Permit for Studies
Fee: 600 euros (EUR) online or 750 euros on paper.
Key Requirements:
- Acceptance letter from a Finnish university.
- EUR 9,600 for one year of living costs (EUR 800 a month), in your own bank account.
- Also show your first year's tuition fee, unless you have paid it or a scholarship covers it.
- Insurance that meets Migri's rules.
Extended Permit for Studies
Fee: EUR 230 online or EUR 430 on paper.
Key Requirements:
- About 45 credits (study points) in each academic year.
- EUR 800 a month for living costs. Income from work can count.
- Valid insurance.
- A Finnish address, because the card is not sent abroad.
Permit to Look for Work or Start a Business
Online fee: EUR 230 if you apply inside Finland before your student permit ends, or EUR 750 if you apply from another country.
Key Requirements:
- A degree completed in Finland.
- You have not found a job yet, or your pay is too low for a work permit.
- EUR 800 a month. For a 2-year permit that is EUR 19,200.
New Residence Permit Card
Apply for a new card. Your permit stays valid.
Key Requirements:
- A valid residence permit.
Your Permit Path in Finland
First permit
Apply from abroad on Enter Finland, Migri's website for permit applications.
Duration: Before you travel
Register in Finland
Register your address with the Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV). You get a Finnish personal identity code, an 11-character ID number.
Duration: After you arrive
Extended permit
Apply in Finland if your studies run past your permit.
Duration: Up to 3 months before expiry
Permit to look for work
Up to 2 years to find a job or start a business.
Duration: After graduation
How to Apply and Extend
You apply for your first permit abroad and for every later permit in Finland.
First Permit in Enter Finland
Get your papers ready
Check you meet every rule before you start.
Acceptance letter, bank statement, insurance and tuition fee proof.
Apply in Enter Finland
Fill in the form for studies and attach your papers.
Pay EUR 600 online.
Prove your identity
Within 3 months of applying.
India: the VFS Global centre in New Delhi. Pakistan: the VFS Global centre in Doha, Qatar.
Wait for Migri
Answer any request for more information quickly.
1 month in most cases.
Collect your card and fly
Or fly with a D visa and collect your card in Finland.
Keep your bank statement in your hand luggage. The border officer may ask to see it.
Extending Your Student Permit
Check your credits
Check you have enough credits before you apply.
Apply on time
Apply in Enter Finland before your permit ends, but not more than 3 months early.
Pay the fee
EUR 230 online or EUR 430 on paper.
Give a Finnish address
Your new card is sent only to an address in Finland.
After Graduation
| From Status | To Status | Requirements | Processing Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residence permit for studies | Permit to look for work | Degree completed in Finland and EUR 800 a month | 2 months in most cases | Apply in Finland before your student permit ends (EUR 230 online). You can apply up to 3 months before you get your degree certificate. From abroad, apply within 5 years after the permit ended (EUR 750 online). |
| Permit to look for work | Work permit (residence permit for an employed person) | A job that meets the work permit rules | - | Apply only when your permit to look for work ends, even if you find a job earlier. |
Documents for Each Permit
Upload these in Enter Finland. Bring the originals to any identity visit.
First Residence Permit for Studies
Valid passport
Plus a colour copy of the page with your details.
Passport photo
No more than 6 months old.
Acceptance letter
From your Finnish university.
Bank statement
Showing the last 6 months, in your own name.
Insurance certificate
Must meet Migri's rules.
Tuition fee proof
A payment receipt, or a letter that says a scholarship covers the fee.
Extended Permit for Studies
Valid passport
Plus colour copies of the details page and any pages with notes.
Proof of money
A Finnish bank account is the easiest way to show it.
Reason for slow progress
Only if you have fewer credits than needed.
Insurance certificate
Still valid for your stay.
Permit to Look for Work
Degree certificate
You can apply up to 3 months before you get it. Add it after you get it.
Proof of money
EUR 800 for each month of the permit.
Papers for Any Permit
Personal papers
- Valid passport
- Passport photo no more than 6 months old
How Long Migri Takes
Migri decides student permits faster than many other permits.
From Application to Card
Apply
Send your application from abroad.
Key Activities:
- Fill in the form in Enter Finland.
- Upload your papers and pay.
Prove your identity
Give fingerprints and show your original papers.
Key Activities:
- India: the VFS Global centre in New Delhi. VFS Global is the company that runs the visa centres.
- Pakistan: the VFS Global centre in Doha, Qatar. Finland has no embassy in Pakistan.
Decision
You get an email or text message.
Key Activities:
- 1 month in most cases.
- Up to 6 months in a few cases.
Card
Collect your card.
Key Activities:
- Without a D visa: your card is sent to a Finnish embassy or consulate in another country.
- With a D visa: the card waits at a pickup point near your Finnish address.
What Can Slow It Down
Missing papers
Migri asks for more information, and your case waits until you answer.
Going late to give your fingerprints
Migri cannot go on with your case until you prove who you are.
Processing Times
Typical Cases
Complex Cases
Tips to Keep Your Status
Small habits keep your permit safe for your whole stay.
Good Habits
Keep your card valid
You must hold a valid card while you live in Finland.
Apply for a new card if yours is lost or damaged.
Earn your credits
Migri checks your progress when you extend.
Aim for about 45 credits each academic year.
Watch your hours
Both you and your employer must keep to the limit.
You can work full time in holidays, if your average over the whole year is 30 hours a week or less.
Online Services
Finnish online services
- Enter Finland, for applications and messages from Migri
- OmaKela, the website of Kela (Finland's social insurance office), where you pay the student healthcare fee
Common Mistakes
Plan Ahead
Most permit problems come from late applications. Put your dates in a calendar.
Common Finland Residence Permit Questions
Short answers about keeping, extending and changing your permit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Useful Links
Need More Help?
Ask Migri on Enter Finland, or ask your university's international office.
Who to Contact
Migri decides all permits. Your university helps with your study records.
- Your university's international office, for credits and letters about your studies.
- Migri, through the 'Send additional information' page in Enter Finland.
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