Visa to Finland for Russians

Finland is a small country located in Europe, in its northern part, on the Scandinavian Peninsula. Finland attracts a large number of tourists with its unique beauty, customs and, of course, saunas that have conquered all of Europe. This is a country with a favorable ecological situation, friendly and warm people. Rest in Finland is very pleasant, no less pleasant and explore its nature. But citizens of Russia, in order to visit the country, need to obtain a special document - an entry permit, since this state is part of the Schengen zone. Fortunately, a visa to Finland for Russians is issued quite simply.

Features of entering Finland

Since 2001, Finland has been a part of the Schengen area, so in order to be able to visit it, Russians and citizens of the CIS countries must obtain a visa allowing them to enter the country.

On a note! Having a visa to Finland, citizens will be able to visit other countries included in - for example, Spain, Norway, France, etc. The main thing is not to violate the validity of the permit.

It is important to remember that there is a so-called first entry rule. It means that if the visa was originally obtained to cross the Finnish border, then it is in this country that you need to enter after receiving the visa. Only then can you travel to other Schengen countries.

Attention! According to the laws relating to issues, foreigners must necessarily apply for a visa to enter the country in which they will stay the longest, even if their route passes through several states. That is, if a person plans to stay in Finland for a long time, then it is to the consulate of this country that you need to apply for an entry permit.

Table. Types of permits to visit Finland.

Where to apply?

Getting a visa to travel to Finland on your own is not at all difficult, contrary to the claims of some travel agencies that are trying to cash in on people and offer their services in issuing permits. In order to apply for a visa yourself, you just need to collect the necessary documents and take them to the appropriate organization that deals with this migration issue. It can be a visa center, the Finnish Embassy, ​​Consulate.

On a note! The easiest way is to make a visa on your own for residents of Moscow and where the Consulate General and the Embassy are located. However, there are also consulates of the country in Petrozavodsk and Murmansk.

By the way, you can even submit some documents for obtaining a permit online, which will avoid constant trips to institutions. On a specialized website, you can fill out a questionnaire. However, you still have to come to the organization that issues visas in person.

A visa to Finland is issued to almost everyone, the number of refusals is extremely small (no more than 1%), and most often they arise due to an error in the documents or the provision of an incomplete package. In general, the permit is issued fairly quickly.

What is needed for registration?

As for the necessary papers, their list in general terms is given below. However, the names of the locations may differ depending on the type of trip. Documents for obtaining a permit to enter Finland:

• long-term valid passport. That is, after the end of the trip, it must be valid for at least 3 more months. It should also contain blank sheets (at least 2 pcs.);
• photograph of a documentary format, fairly recent (not older than 6 months);
• a questionnaire filled out by hand or online and printed in the amount of 2 pieces;
• confirmed hotel reservation. It can also be replaced by a tourist voucher if the ticket was purchased at an agency;
• plane tickets printed and having a specific date of departure;
• medical insurance.

Sometimes, to get a visa, additional paperwork may be required. This can be a certificate of employment or confirmation of the availability of funds (bank statement). All these papers, as well as invitation or sponsorship letters, are filled out on a computer, not manually, otherwise they will not be accepted for consideration. Spouses with different surnames will have to provide a marriage certificate, and children - a birth certificate (copy). Also, notarized travel permits from parents can be useful for young travelers.

For those who are going to work in Finland, in addition to the above listed papers, they will also need to provide a migration card and a work permit in the country. For those who like to travel by private car, you will need to get a green card - an international car insurance policy. Students entering Finnish universities will need to demonstrate a certificate of admission to an educational institution (an electronic form is enough), data on previously received education.

On a note! Interestingly, foreign students studying in Finland can even work on their visa, but on condition that they are employed in the specialty for which they are studying.

Document Requirements

As for the questionnaire, it must be filled out without errors, otherwise there is a high risk of refusal to consider the application. Filling is carried out in Latin letters. A photo card is attached to the questionnaire, in which certain requirements are also presented:

• 36x47 mm;
• photo is not more than 6 months old;
• the head of the depicted person should have dimensions in the range of 25-35 mm, full face;
• the background is light, gray;
• The applicant should not wear accessories such as glasses and hats, except in special cases.

If the questionnaire was filled out on the site, it will be processed quickly enough. It is printed along with the barcode page. All information about the traveler is encrypted in this code. After that, the questionnaire must be signed in the appropriate place. The validity of such an application is no more than 2 weeks, so you should hurry with the delivery of documents.

Comments for travelers on completing the application:

• p.24 - the number of entries for a visa is indicated;
• item 25 is filled in in case of an application for a multiple entry visa. Here you need to indicate how long a person will stay in Finland for the entire duration of the permit;
• p.26 - if a visa has already been issued, then the period of its validity is indicated here;
• p.27 the answer is “No”;
• clause 28 is relevant only for those who need a transit visa;
• item 29 - it puts a mark on the date of the first entry into Finland on a previous visa. P. 30 - a field for the expiration date of the visa, but if a person has a multiple visa, then this cannot be the end date of the first trip;
• Clause 32 applies to businessmen and business people.

Medical insurance with the same validity period as the person will spend in the country. At the same time, the minimum amount of coverage cannot be less than 30 thousand euros.

Attention! Not all insurance companies can issue such a document, but only those accredited by the Finnish Embassy.

Also, during a visit to the organization for the submission of documents, you will also need to hand over fingerprints. Since 2015, fingerprinting has been mandatory. You will need to retake fingerprints only after 5 years.

How much to pay?

But no one will give you a visa for free - it is important to pay for the work of the Consulate staff. Thus, the tourist will face a number of expenses.

Table. The cost of obtaining a visa to Finland.

As it were, it is better to clarify the amount in advance by contacting the consulate directly. Payment is made on the day of application and is non-refundable in case of refusal to obtain permission. The following are exempted from paying the visa fee:

• children under 6 years old;
• children whose data are entered in the parents' passport (old-format passport);
• students, graduate students, schoolchildren visiting the country for the purpose of education;
• accompanying categories of citizens listed in the previous paragraph;
• relatives (close ones) of citizens of countries that are members of the European Union;
• relatives (close ones) of citizens living in Finland according to the law.

Terms of issuing a permit and its validity period

As a rule, a visa can be obtained within 14 days after the submission of the entire package of papers. Sometimes the term can be extended or reduced. Usually, at the time of submission of all papers, the applicant is informed about the approximate date of readiness of the visa.

On a note! A permit can be ordered in an expedited manner, but in this case, you will need to pay a certain amount for urgency. You can get your hands on it in 3 days.

The validity of a visa may vary, it is attributed to the permit itself. The document can be valid for 1, 6, 12, 24 months from the date of issue. Ordinary travelers most often receive a three-month visa. It will also indicate how long you can stay in the Schengen area in total.

Attention! must be submitted no later than 3 months before the planned trip.

Submission of documents

Step 1. The first step is to collect a complete package of all the necessary papers. It is better to clarify the list personally by contacting the organization that issues visas.

Step 2 The questionnaire is being filled. It is important to fill it out carefully and without errors. The easiest way to apply for it is at visa.finland.eu. Here you first need to select your city, and then go to the "Visa Application" section. The data is entered in Latin letters. The questionnaire will be printed after completion. In the case of filling out the questionnaire manually, only a blue or black pen is allowed. A photograph is also attached to the questionnaire.

Step 3 Next, you will need to select the place where the documents will be submitted. You can do this through the Consulate General, Visa Application Center in Moscow and St. Petersburg. In the first case, you need to clarify the date and time of admission, in the second - apply in accordance with the work schedule. Residents of other cities can also apply to other organizations - for example, residents of the Kaliningrad region - to the Consulate of Lithuania in Kaliningrad, the Republic of Karelia - in Petrozavodsk, etc.

Step 4 You should come with a full package of documents to the chosen place and at the appointed time.

Step 5 After the submission of documents, payment of consular and service fees is made.

Step 6 It remains only to wait for the visa to be ready. This fact can be clarified by phone.

Step 7 After the visa is ready, all that remains is to get it at the same place where the documents were submitted.

Video - Visa to Finland: how to get it?

Obtaining a visa to visit Finland on your own is not difficult if you follow all the requirements and recommendations given in this article. And maybe everyone who reads it will soon have permission to enter this charming northern country.