Finland Visa For Indians: Types, Eligibility Criteria & Application Process

Finland offers an excellent education system and employment opportunities for people worldwide. So, if you are willing to visit Finland, you must be mindful of two mandatory things. One is applying for a visa for Finland, and the other is having valid travel insurance. The travel insurance for Finland became mandatory as of May 2022.

Read this article as it focuses on the details about the Finland visa.

Finland is not providing an eVisa or a Visa on Arrival to Indians. Therefore, if you wish to visit Finland for longer stays or are not eligible for ETIAS, you need to apply for a Schengen visa.

There are several types of visas in Finland that you can apply for depending upon your purpose and the duration of your stay in that country. They are as follows:

• Tourist Visa: A tourist visa is required if you visit Finland for travel and tourism.
• Employment Visa: You can apply for a job-seekers visa in Finland if you have completed any course or a degree program in Finland. A Finnish job seeker's visa is valid for one year, and you can stay in Finland while looking for a job. In addition, if you enter into a valid employment contract, you can apply for a continuous or temporary permit.
• Business Visa: A business visa allows you to stay in Finland for up to 90 days if you are an employee of a particular firm. Additionally, it will enable you to attend seminars and conferences. However, a business visa is essential during an employee's onboarding process if you do not stay to work in Finland. There is a residence permit for self-employment and a residence permit for an employed person. The residence permit for self-employment is valid for people working within your organisation. They might include partners, private entrepreneurs, and members of a cooperative. Before issuing the permit, you must register the business with the Trade Register at the National Board of Patents and Registration. The residence permit for an employed person is a standard visa for organisations that plan to expand their operations in Finland.
• Student Visa: You need a residence permit if your course in Finland takes more than 90 days. Additionally, the residence permit for studies is valid if you have a valid passport. However, you can come to Finland to study for 360 days if some other EU member state other than Finland has given you a residence permit. The Finnish Act on student residence permits must specify the program or course you intend to cover. Also, you are required to submit a mobility notification to the Finnish Immigration Centre in this regard.
• Visitor Visa: If you are planning to visit your family or friends residing in Finland, you require a visitor visa and a letter of invitation from your family or friend.
• Seasonal-work Visa: Generally, you require a residence permit to work in Finland. However, if you are planning to visit Finland to seek seasonal work, you do not need a work permit. Instead, you will require a visa to take up seasonal work in Finland. Seasonal work can be related to tourism or agriculture, which people do only during certain times in the year. You will get a valid visa for up to 90 days.
• EU Blue Card: So, if you are a highly qualified person with a higher education degree or a good salary and wish to work in Finland, you can get an EU Blue Card. Finland issues this type of permit and doesn't allow you to work in other Schengen countries apart from Finland. This is a type of visa in Finland that lasts for two years. You must renew it as long as you are employed there every two years.

So, now you have an idea about a visa in Finland. However, the Finland visa policy states certain eligibility criteria for Indians who wish to travel to Finland. Here they are:

• If you are an Indian National carrying a valid Indian passport, you are eligible to apply for a visa for Finland.
• You can apply for the same via Visa Lounge if you wish to visit Finland for tourism, business, or to see your family and friends. However, if you seek employment in Finland, you cannot apply via Visa Lounge.
• You can opt for travel insurance from Visa Lounge, a mandatory policy for anyone travelling to any foreign country.

The general documents required for Indians to apply for a visa in Finland include:

• Visa application form, duly filled and signed. You can also print a hard copy of the same.
• Two recent passport size photographs per the specifications given in a Finnish visa.
• A valid passport and copies of the previous passports and visas, which are valid for at least three months beyond the date of return. However, your passport must have at least two blank pages.
  
• A medical travel visa confirms a minimum coverage within Finland and the other Schengen countries.
• You must carry a cover letter detailing the reason for a visit to Finland and a detailed itinerary.
• A copy of the return ticket reservation mentioning the details of flight numbers. However, you must not purchase the ticket until you have your visa.
• Your accommodation proof for the entire stay in Finland- a hotel, rent, hostel, etc.
• Proof of your civil status- birth certificate, marriage certificate, death certificate of your spouse, etc.
• Proof of sufficient funds that you require during your stay in Finland.

Other than all these, you require the below documents as per your purpose of stay:

For employed:

• An employment contract mentioning in detail the employer and the employee.
• Consent letter/NOC from your last employer.
• Current bank statement for the past six months.
• ITR form or the Income Tax deduction at the source of salary.

For self-employed/Business:

• A document of your business license, deed, and MOA.
• Business registration certificate.
• Bank statement of the company for the past six months.
• Income Tax Return.
• An invitation letter from a Finnish company you are visiting mentioning their address and your dates of visit and return.
• A document or letter from your employer mentioning that they allow you for business travel.
• While you are staying in Finland, either you or the partner firm must provide the expenses covered in detail.

For a Student:

• A proof of the course enrolment in a university/school/institution in Finland.
• NOC from the last school or university.

If a Retired Person:

• Pension document for the past six months.

Medical Visa:

• A detailed medical report stating the reason for the visit to Finland.
• A medical document from the Finland hospital mentioning the appointment date and the medical condition that requires you to visit.
• Receipt of the medical fees.

Cultural And Religious, Sports, Film Crew:

• An invitation letter from the organiser of such events mentioning the details of the occasion.
• Details of crew members and their duration of stay in Finland.
• Detailed travel itinerary and your flight and hotel accommodation details.

For the Husband/Wife of a Finnish Citizen:

• Finnish marriage certificate.
• Family record book of Finnish.
• ID card/consular card/Finnish certificate as proof of Finnish citizenship.

If you Want to Visit Family/Friends:

• Proof of the family relationship.
• Details of stay mentioning the address and the dates -hostel, hotel, or rent.
• Invitation letter family residing in Finland. A copy of the residency permit is also mandatory.
• Details of the roundtrip reservation along with flight tickets, flight details, bookings, and day-to-day itinerary.
• Travel insurance policy.
• Proof of financial subsistence during the stay in Finland. That might include bank statements or a sponsorship letter mentioning the person willing to bear all your expenses.

For Minor Children:

• Proof of the parent’s income- bank statement, work contract specifying the monthly income.
• Consent from parents stating allowance of the kid to travel if they are travelling with any one parent.

For Tourists:

• Proof of the hotel and flight reservations mentioning the itinerary in detail during your stay in Finland.
• A copy of your ticket and the visa application form.
• A recent bank statement for the past six months.
• Proof of enough funds stating you can finance yourself during your stay in Finland.
• Valid medical insurance with a minimum coverage amount.

The process of visa application in Finland includes:

Step 1: Collect all the documents you need during the application process.

Step 2: Visit the embassy website and log in to the portal to fill in all details and apply with all details. Take a printout of the application form.

Step 3: After that, book your appointment for a visa at any embassy centre at a convenient time.

Step 4: You must attend the appointment and carry all the documents and the visa application form. Pay the fees and submit all documents there.

However, in case you have submitted documents in the past five years, you are not required to submit all of them again. You can submit the application personally. Nevertheless, ensure you submit all documents mentioning the correct information to avoid visa rejection.

Disclaimer: The visa fees are subject to change, based on new immigration rules as well as the country in which you apply and the local currency.

New Delhi

VFS Global Services Private Limited

Shivaji Stadium Metro Station, Mezzanine Level

Baba Kharak Singh Marg, Connaught Place

New Delhi- 110001

Gurgaon

Estonia Visa Application Centre

VFS Global Services Private Limited

ILD Trade Centre

4th Floor, Sector 47

Sohna Road, Gurgaon – 122001

Jaipur

Estonia Visa Application Centre

VFS Global Services Private Limited

Mangalam Ambition Tower

1st Floor, Agrasen Circle, Subhash Marg, C Scheme

Jaipur- 302001

Jalandhar

VFS Global Services Private Limited

3rd Floor, Aman Plaza, Plot No 310, Lajpat Nagar, Mahavir Marg,

Nakodar Chowk

Jalandhar, Punjab – 144001

Chandigarh

VFS Global Private Limited

B-209, 2nd Floor, Elante,

Industrial Area Phase 1,

Chandigarh, India - 160002

Mumbai

VFS Global Estonia Application Centre

Trade Centre,

‘G’ Block, 3rd Floor

Bandra Kurla Complex

Bandra (East), Mumbai- 400051

Chennai

VFS Global Services Private Limited

Fagun Towers, Third Floor,

No 74,Ethiraj Salai, Egmore,

Chennai- 600008

Bangalore

VFS Global Services Private Limited

Global Tech Park, No 11, First floor

O’ Shaughnessy Road

Langford town, Bangalore – 560025

Kolkata

Estonia Visa Application Centre

VFS Global Services Private Limited

Rene Tower, Building no. 1842

Rajdanga Main Road, Kasba

Kolkata- 700107

Ahmedabad

VFS Global Services Private Limited

First Floor, Emerald House,

Near Parimal Garden Cross Road,

Off C.G. Road,

Ahmedabad- 380006

Kochi

First Floor, Coastal Chambers, 

Manoj Tower, M.G.Road,

Ravipuram,

Cochin- 682015

Goa

Gera Imperium 1, Third Floor,

Office No. 301, Patto Plaza, Panjim,

Goa- 403001

Hyderabad

VFS Global Services Private Limited

8-2-700, Third Floor, Srila Anushka Pride,

Road No. 12, Banjara Hills 

Hyderabad- 500034

Pune

Estonia Visa Application Centre

Good Shepherd Square,

No.33, East Coast Road,

Elaipillaichavady, Pudupalayam Village,

Puducherry- 605005

Trivandrum

VFS Global Services Private Limited

First Floor- Asiatic Business Centre,

T c 2/2408-3, Attipra Village,

Kazhakuttam,

Trivandrum - 695583

It takes approximately 15 days to process your visa application for Finland. However you can also apply at the embassy six months before, but it is ideal to do the same fifteen days before your departure.

Sometimes even the best-planned tours get cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances. When such a thing happens, can you afford to lose a significant amount that you have spent on the bookings for the trip?

This is one of the ideal reasons why you must buy travel insurance. Travel insurance in a foreign land will provide you protection against trip cancellations. In addition, it will protect against accidental coverages, theft, loss of baggage, and medical emergencies and provide coverage for the entire family. This insurance will help you gain the benefits of traveling while ensuring that you are prepared to face any crisis that might approach you during the trip.

Travel insurance also promises to compensate for your longer stays in Finland in case you have a health breakdown. You will get a stress-free journey if you buy travel insurance for Finland.

So now that you have all information on your visa for Finland, you can start making your plans to visit the beautiful country. Whether you are an employee or a student, following the above guidelines will allow you to enjoy your stay there.