VR Team | Jul 1, 2017 | 0 comments

A Complete Guide to Finland Visa Requirements

Finland is one of the most beautiful Nordic countries in Europe that is visited by millions of tourists every year. In 2013 itself, Finland drew almost 8 million tourists. If you are also planning a visit to this beautiful country, read on to find out about the essential Finland visa requirements you need to fulfill in order to get a visa. Finland also being a part of the Schengen region of Europe, require tourists to apply for a Schengen visa at the Finnish embassy. In this article, we will share with you all that you need to do to fulfil Finland visa requirements and sail through the visa application process smoothly. Whether you are planning to go on a holiday, study or work and reside there permanently, you will have to apply for a different Finnish Schengen Visa accordingly.

TYPES OF FINNISH VISAS:

Along with understanding Finland visa requirements, it is good to know what are the different categories of visas available and which one you should ideally be applying for. In addition to a list of generic documents, which we will discuss later in the article, every visa type mentioned below needs the applicant to submit a few specific documents that may not be needed if they are applying for a different category of visa.

Tourist visa – This is probably one of the most popular Finnish visas people apply for! This visa is meant for those looking to visit Finland for less than 90 days for leisure and recreation. According to Finland visa requirements, the following documents are required to be submitted especially for a tourist visa application to the embassy:

Invitation letter with the address and phone number from family member or sponsor – if applicable
Bank statement from the last 6 months
Passport copies

Business visa – This visa is given to those who are planning to visit Finland for temporary work related purposes. However, do keep in mind that this does not grant the applicant to take up new employment in Finland. The documents required for applying for a business visa are:

Invitation letter from the Finnish company you will be visiting and their detailed address along with your travel dates
A letter from your employer stating/allowing your business travel
Bank statement from the last 6 months
Proprietorship/Partnership documents
The invitation letter must also mention how the expenses of the applicant is going to be covered during his/her travel. It must be made clear whether it will be sponsored by the employer or the Finnish company.

Visa for visiting family and friends – This visa is for those individuals planning to visit their family or friends in Finland. This type of Schengen visa is also granted for a period of 90 days. Apart from the usual set of documents, the following documents too have to be submitted for this visa:

A letter from the applicant stating who she/he is visiting, who covers the expenses and travel itinerary including countries to be visited during the trip.
Proof of sufficient funds of the invitor if he/she claims to bear all the costs (accommodation, travel etc.)
Original invitation letter and one photocopy. The invitation letter should state the required personal and contact details of the inviter and visitor (name, date of birth, address, phone number, e-mail), the purpose and duration of the visit,
accommodation details including address and clarification of the relationship between the inviter and the visitor. The invitation letter must be signed by the inviter and dated.
A marriage certificate, if the applicant and the inviter are married. A certificate of a family relationship between the inviter and the applicant (such as a birth certificate) must also be submitted, in case of a family visit.

Visa for seamen – This unique visa is only for seamen who are nationals from a country which is required to have a valid visa to enter the Schengen space or if they intend to join a ship that is (or will be) in a Schengen port. The following documents must be produced to the embassy if you want to apply for this category of visa:

Original cover letter from shipping company
Copy of contract with shipping company
Copy of CDC (Continuous Discharge Certificate), a seafarer’s identity document
Original invitation letter from agent in Finland

GENERAL FINLAND VISA REQUIREMENTS:

Apart from the above-mentioned documents, as part of the Schengen countries of Europe, here is a list of generic documents that need to be submitted in order for you to meet the Finland visa requirements and qualify for a visa.

Passport – You must hold a valid passport to be able to apply to the Finnish embassy for a visa. Not only that, the passport needs to be valid for at least 6 months from when you send in your application. So even if you have a valid passport, if it is about to expire in the next 3 months, it will not be accepted by the embassy.
Photos – 2 passport-sized photos need to be submitted as part of Finland visa requirements. The photos need to be clear and taken in well-lit conditions.
Proof of accommodation – When applying for the visa, one of the documents that needs to be submitted is a proof of accommodation. It needs to show that you have either booked your own accommodation in Finland or have someone sponsoring your stay. This is one of the key components of the Finland visa requirements.
Proof of transportation – This refers to documents showing proof of your flight reservations, showing your travel dates and duration. It is basically an itinerary of your travel plans in Finland. This is another key component of the Finland visa requirements as outlined by the embassy.
Travel health insurance – You must hold a valid and suitable health insurance plan covering the total number of days you will be staying in Finland. The minimum value of coverage should be EUR 30,000
Bank statement – A document from your bank showing your monthly transactions for the past 3 months to be able to prove that you will be able to sustain yourself during the trip
No objection letter – This letter is required to validate your current status and assure the embassy that your have permission to travel. A no objection letter is typically obtained from your employer or school authorities.

These Finland visa requirements should help you choose which category of visa you should apply for and guide you in fulfilling all the requirements. If you still face any trouble, our team at Visa Reservation Services is just a call or email away. Feel free to drop us a line through our contact us page and we will get right back to your with all the help you need.