Staying here as a tourist

How to? Read other's experiences. Find useful advice on shipping, immigration, residence permits, visas and more.
Post Reply
laika
Posts: 19
Joined: Sat Jul 12, 2003 5:50 pm
Location: Helsinki

Staying here as a tourist

Post by laika » Tue Aug 26, 2003 10:16 am

I have a visa related question about being here in Finland as a tourist. So far I've been unable to find the information and well, maybe I'm not searching the right terms.. :)

When you come to Finland (from outside Europe), you're allowed to stay for 3 months. If you want to stay longer, you need to leave the country and then come back; my questions is about this..

When you leave Finland, where do you have to leave to; outside Scandinavia? Outside EU or are you required to go back to your own country?
How long do you have to stay there, is there some sort of time limit? Will a short trip (for a few days) be enough, or should you be gone for weeks or months before coming back?

If this has been discussed here before, would you be so kind and direct me to the discussion in question. Thanks :D

cordially,
Laura



Staying here as a tourist

Sponsor:

Finland Forum Ad-O-Matic
 

User avatar
Hank W.
The Motorhead
Posts: 29973
Joined: Sat Jul 06, 2002 10:00 pm
Location: Mushroom Mountain
Contact:

Post by Hank W. » Tue Aug 26, 2003 10:24 am

6 months outside IIRC.
Cheers, Hank W.
sitting here like a lemon looking for a gin.

Caroline
Posts: 1126
Joined: Sun Jul 13, 2003 8:38 pm

Post by Caroline » Tue Aug 26, 2003 12:46 pm

It used to be that a non-EU foreigner could renew a tourist visa by visiting another EU country and then returning to Finland. Now the Schengen Treaty is in effect. I'm not 100% sure, but the last I heard, the visitor visa is now valid for the entire EU, and the 3-month period is still counting even when a foreigner moves "internationally" within the EU. The passport stamp is for 3-month stay in the EU; not really any longer for the individual country that the visitor arrives in. I remember when I had to deal with that- oh was it annoying!
Former expat in Finland, now living in New Hampshire USA.

User avatar
Hank W.
The Motorhead
Posts: 29973
Joined: Sat Jul 06, 2002 10:00 pm
Location: Mushroom Mountain
Contact:

Post by Hank W. » Tue Aug 26, 2003 1:15 pm

Or you can do the "Albanian futbol" ...
Cheers, Hank W.
sitting here like a lemon looking for a gin.


Post Reply