Exchange study RP question

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elgarteo
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun Oct 29, 2017 4:01 pm

Exchange study RP question

Post by elgarteo » Sun Oct 29, 2017 4:09 pm

I’m an undergraduate student from Hong Kong and I’m accepted to the Univeristy of Helsinki as an exchange student in the spring semester of 2018. The study period is from January til May, and I want to travel around Europe for around 2-3 months before going back to Hong Kong and continue my study in September, but I haven’t had any planning yet since it’s still very early. Should I apply for a RP that is valid from Jan to Aug for maximum flexibility? Will the application get rejected easily?



Exchange study RP question

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heretostay
Posts: 637
Joined: Sat Apr 08, 2017 12:54 pm

Re: Exchange study RP question

Post by heretostay » Sun Oct 29, 2017 7:33 pm

elgarteo wrote:I’m an undergraduate student from Hong Kong and I’m accepted to the Univeristy of Helsinki as an exchange student in the spring semester of 2018. The study period is from January til May, and I want to travel around Europe for around 2-3 months before going back to Hong Kong and continue my study in September, but I haven’t had any planning yet since it’s still very early. Should I apply for a RP that is valid from Jan to Aug for maximum flexibility? Will the application get rejected easily?
After your studies end you don’t have grounds for a residence permit, so I personally would not apply for longer than my studies last. If you have HKSAR passport,you should be able to travel visa free in Schengen area for 90 days. Just keep your residence permit after it expires (and always have a digital copy for back up) to prove that you didn’t exceed 90 days.

Also, I would apply immediately for the residence permit. Student permit applications were backlogged this year and some people didn’t get the permit before their studies started.

elgarteo
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun Oct 29, 2017 4:01 pm

Re: Exchange study RP question

Post by elgarteo » Mon Oct 30, 2017 2:25 am

heretostay wrote:
elgarteo wrote:I’m an undergraduate student from Hong Kong and I’m accepted to the Univeristy of Helsinki as an exchange student in the spring semester of 2018. The study period is from January til May, and I want to travel around Europe for around 2-3 months before going back to Hong Kong and continue my study in September, but I haven’t had any planning yet since it’s still very early. Should I apply for a RP that is valid from Jan to Aug for maximum flexibility? Will the application get rejected easily?
After your studies end you don’t have grounds for a residence permit, so I personally would not apply for longer than my studies last. If you have HKSAR passport,you should be able to travel visa free in Schengen area for 90 days. Just keep your residence permit after it expires (and always have a digital copy for back up) to prove that you didn’t exceed 90 days.

Also, I would apply immediately for the residence permit. Student permit applications were backlogged this year and some people didn’t get the permit before their studies started.
Thanks a lot. Do I have to leave and enter the Schengen area again then to activate the 90-day visa-free after my RP is expired?

Upphew
Posts: 10748
Joined: Tue Apr 08, 2008 10:55 pm
Location: Lappeenranta

Re: Exchange study RP question

Post by Upphew » Mon Oct 30, 2017 10:23 am

elgarteo wrote:
heretostay wrote:
elgarteo wrote:I’m an undergraduate student from Hong Kong and I’m accepted to the Univeristy of Helsinki as an exchange student in the spring semester of 2018. The study period is from January til May, and I want to travel around Europe for around 2-3 months before going back to Hong Kong and continue my study in September, but I haven’t had any planning yet since it’s still very early. Should I apply for a RP that is valid from Jan to Aug for maximum flexibility? Will the application get rejected easily?
After your studies end you don’t have grounds for a residence permit, so I personally would not apply for longer than my studies last. If you have HKSAR passport,you should be able to travel visa free in Schengen area for 90 days. Just keep your residence permit after it expires (and always have a digital copy for back up) to prove that you didn’t exceed 90 days.

Also, I would apply immediately for the residence permit. Student permit applications were backlogged this year and some people didn’t get the permit before their studies started.
Thanks a lot. Do I have to leave and enter the Schengen area again then to activate the 90-day visa-free after my RP is expired?
No. See 16. http://www.migri.fi/our_services/faq/residence_permits
http://google.com http://translate.google.com http://urbandictionary.com
Visa is for visiting, Residence Permit for residing.

elgarteo
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun Oct 29, 2017 4:01 pm

Re: Exchange study RP question

Post by elgarteo » Mon Dec 04, 2017 6:15 am

Thanks a lot for the replies! I eventually applied for a RP that is valid until one month after the end of my study and I got approved!
One quick question though, do I have to present a return ticket when entering Finland?

heretostay
Posts: 637
Joined: Sat Apr 08, 2017 12:54 pm

Re: Exchange study RP question

Post by heretostay » Mon Dec 04, 2017 9:04 am

elgarteo wrote:Thanks a lot for the replies! I eventually applied for a RP that is valid until one month after the end of my study and I got approved!
One quick question though, do I have to present a return ticket when entering Finland?
Most likely not but it wouldn't hurt to be prepared in case they ask. If you hand them your passport and residence permit at the same time, they most probably won't ask for anything else. I have left and entered probably 20 times with a residence permit and maybe 2 times been asked an extra question or two. It threw me off for a second since it was unusual, but I simply answered honestly and had no problems.


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