Residence permits

Licences > Licenses and permits for foreigners > Residence permits		District Police Departments Contact information
LICENCES Making an appointment for police licence services Service prices 2013 Time reservation and payment Identity cards » Identity cards as travel documents Issuing an identity card to a minor Issuing an identity card to a foreign citizen A temporary identity card Applying for an identity card Handing over a new identity card Lost / stolen identity cards Cancelling an identity card Unlocking an electronic identity card Driving licences » Right to drive » Driving licence permit » Requirements for granting a driving licence permit Medical certificate for a driving licence Driving licence for a car Driving licences for mopeds and light quadricycles Upgrading the driving licence category Renewing a driving licence Degrading the driving licence category Duplicate of driving licence International driving licence Foreign driving licence » Exchanging a foreign driving licence for a Finnish driving licence Exchanging a driving licence issued in a state that is party to the Geneva or Vienna Conventions on Road Traffic for a Finnish driving licence States that are party to the Geneva and Vienna Conventions on Road Traffic Driving instruction licence » Justification for granting a driving instruction licence Training licence for a motorcycle Taxi-driver licences Professional competence of bus and lorry drivers Health checks Alcohol ignition lock licence Delivery of a driving licence Permits and licences for firearms » Approved purposes of use » Indicating purpose of use Requirements for acquisition permit applicants Parallel permit Conveyance notification Permits required for firearm components Specially dangerous firearms, cartridges and shells Gas spray permit Firearms belonging to a deceased’s estate » Rendering a firearm or firearm component permanently deactivated Firearms permits for associations and foundations » Firearms officer European firearms pass » Transfer of firearms from one EU country to another for purposes other than target shooting or hunting Transfer of firearms between EU countries Trade permits for firearms dealing Unlicensed firearms and explosives Firearms notification issued by a healthcare professional Passport » Issuing a passport to a minor Passports for persons liable for military service Passports for veterans of Finnish wars A temporary passport An emergency passport National seafarer's card Alien's passports and refugee travel documents Applying for a passport Taking fingerprints Processing times Delivery of finished passports Loss / theft of a passport Cancelling a passport Store your passport carefully Technical component of the passport (microchip) Use and storage of fingerprint data Frequently asked questions Passport photo guidelines » General characteristics Position Expressions and accessories Background Lighting Technical characteristics faq The Finnish Country Signing Certficates Licenses and permits for foreigners » Residence permits » Preconditions for issuing residence permits New fixed-term residence permit (extended permit) Permanent residence permit and EC long-term residence permit for citizens of third countries Transferring a permit to a new travel document Cancelling a residence permit Family member of a Finnish citizen Students Scientific research Employment Self-employment Residence permit card EU » Registering a right of residence Residence card Cancellation of a registered right of residence and a residence card Visas Lottery licenses » Conditions for granting a lottery licence » Accounts on lotteries Small lotteries » Accounts on small lotteries Mini lotteries Guessing games » Accounts on guessing games Other special provisions Bingo licence » Conditions for granting a bingo licence Bingo accounts Licence for a non-money prize machine » Conditions for granting a non-money prize machine licence Accounts on non-money prize machines Licences for certain game machines and equipment Money collection licences » Conditions for organizing a money collection Duty to rendering accounts on a money collection Notice of public event » Public event Notification of a public meeting » Limitations concerning place of assembly Security steward certification » Appointing security stewards Temporary security steward Suitability as a security steward Security steward identity card Duplicate copy of a security steward identity card Cancellation of security steward certification Appeal Guard and temporary guard certification » Basic guard training Special forcible means training for guards Cancellation of guard certification Guard identity card and its duplicate copy Security officer certification » Cancellation of security officer certification Security officer identity card and its duplicate copy Disabled parking permit	Residence permits A residence permit is an authorisation to repeatedly enter the country and live in it issued to a foreign national for purposes other than tourism or similar short-term stays. A residence permit may either be a fixed-term or a permanent one. A fixed-term residence permit is issued for either a temporary stay (temporary residence permit, status B) or a continuous stay (continuous residence permit, status A) in the country. The type of residence permit depends on the purpose of the stay. For example, studying is temporary, whereas the residence in Finland of a family member of a Finnish citizen can be considered continuous. The permit authority will determine the purpose of the stay based on information provided by the foreign national. The first fixed-term residence permit is generally issued for one year. As a rule, an application for a residence permit should be submitted abroad before entering the country. The first fixed-term residence permit is granted by the Finnish Immigration Service, and subsequently a new fixed-term residence permit (extended permit) can be issued by the police. However, the first fixed term residence permit for a family member of a Finnish citizen resident in Finland or a family member's unmarried child is also issued by the police. For application forms for residence permits and more detailed instructions on completing the forms, see the Finnish Immigration Service website. The fees charged for permits issued by the police and the Immigration Service are different. For the fees charged for permits issued by the police, see the Ministry of the Interior Decree on service charges and this website under each permit type. The Finnish Immigration Service/Residence permit appliction forms The Ministry of the Interior Decree on chargeable performances by the police Back \| Print page