Help, I'm in the process of my extended residence permit

How to? Read other's experiences. Find useful advice on shipping, immigration, residence permits, visas and more.
Post Reply
Joseph10001
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Aug 06, 2015 5:16 pm

Help, I'm in the process of my extended residence permit

Post by Joseph10001 » Thu Aug 06, 2015 5:22 pm

Hi, everyone, I wanna ask whether I can travel in Schengen countries while I'm still in the process of the extended residence permit. And my old RP will expire the day I leave Finland to France. So can I travel in the Schengen countries and come back to Finland after that?



Help, I'm in the process of my extended residence permit

Sponsor:

Finland Forum Ad-O-Matic
 

User avatar
Beep_Boop
Posts: 2087
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2010 8:29 pm
Location: Niflheim, Suomi

Re: Help, I'm in the process of my extended residence permit

Post by Beep_Boop » Thu Aug 06, 2015 8:37 pm

Joseph10001 wrote:Hi, everyone, I wanna ask whether I can travel in Schengen countries while I'm still in the process of the extended residence permit. And my old RP will expire the day I leave Finland to France. So can I travel in the Schengen countries and come back to Finland after that?
Nope, you can't. Usually, your RP/passport won't be checked when travelling within Schengen, but due to the recent refugee situation, the possibility of a check has increased a lot.
Every case is unique. You can't measure the result of your application based on arbitrary anecdotes online.

betelgeuse
Posts: 4353
Joined: Thu Aug 29, 2013 1:24 am

Re: Help, I'm in the process of my extended residence permit

Post by betelgeuse » Fri Aug 07, 2015 12:13 am

adnan wrote:
Joseph10001 wrote:Hi, everyone, I wanna ask whether I can travel in Schengen countries while I'm still in the process of the extended residence permit. And my old RP will expire the day I leave Finland to France. So can I travel in the Schengen countries and come back to Finland after that?
Nope, you can't. Usually, your RP/passport won't be checked when travelling within Schengen, but due to the recent refugee situation, the possibility of a check has increased a lot.
This is an interesting question. I would be interested in reading up on the source of your answer. I didn't not get a clear answer from the Schengen Borders Code and I don't feel like diving into French legislation atm.

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/ ... 2-20131126

User avatar
rinso
Posts: 3949
Joined: Fri Aug 25, 2006 7:22 pm

Re: Help, I'm in the process of my extended residence permit

Post by rinso » Fri Aug 07, 2015 6:37 am

It is not a clear situation. You have to deal with officers and airline personal in different countries who probably don't know the details of Finnish alien law. When in doubt they will refuse. Airlines are especially critical.

betelgeuse
Posts: 4353
Joined: Thu Aug 29, 2013 1:24 am

Re: Help, I'm in the process of my extended residence permit

Post by betelgeuse » Fri Aug 07, 2015 10:40 am

rinso wrote:It is not a clear situation. You have to deal with officers and airline personal in different countries who probably don't know the details of Finnish alien law. When in doubt they will refuse. Airlines are especially critical.
When traveling within Schengen with non EU nationals, they have never had to show the residence permit to personnel at airports. Neither does ticketing ask for information about them. VIS does not record residence permit information so I don't think they can look it up digitally either:

http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/home-affairs/wh ... dex_en.htm

mjgoode
Posts: 15
Joined: Wed Apr 10, 2013 5:04 am

Re: Help, I'm in the process of my extended residence permit

Post by mjgoode » Fri Aug 07, 2015 11:03 am

Eh. You're legal in the zone because you're legal in Finland. You have a nifty piece of paper with a stamp saying that you're legal in Finland and thus in the zone from the Police. Too bad most folks don't read too much Finnish.

Entering or leaving the zone through anywhere else but Finland is fraught with peril.

Moving about inside the zone shouldn't be an issue. The problem is verification.

With all the money I paid for my RP I've had to show it only a handful of times. I've never been stopped for a papers check inside the zone. Others have had different experiences. The zone administration is loosely coupled and your permit will be expired. However IF you do get stopped by immigration authorities outside of Finland, and they get curious, you may have a lot of 'splainin to do. Verification will require communication with the Finnish authorities. Who are probably open only M-Th from 1000-1530, and Friday from 1000-1200.

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

Re: Help, I'm in the process of my extended residence permit

Post by Upphew » Fri Aug 07, 2015 11:47 am

mjgoode wrote:Eh. You're legal in the zone because you're legal in Finland. You have a nifty piece of paper with a stamp saying that you're legal in Finland and thus in the zone from the Police. Too bad most folks don't read too much Finnish.
Nonono. You can be legally here, without RP, while waiting for the decision of your application. But that doesn't mean you can hop around other Schengen countries. You'll need valid residence permit or visa for that. Or you need to be from a country that doesn't need visa.

edit. http://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/tr ... dex_en.htm
http://google.com http://translate.google.com http://urbandictionary.com
Visa is for visiting, Residence Permit for residing.

mjgoode
Posts: 15
Joined: Wed Apr 10, 2013 5:04 am

Re: Help, I'm in the process of my extended residence permit

Post by mjgoode » Fri Aug 07, 2015 2:03 pm

Good point. Lets look a little more.

My assumption was that we had an expired permit for which a renewal application had been submitted and accepted prior to expiration. Thus the reference to the nifty letter.

Form the web site:
If your visa is from a "Schengen area" country, it automatically allows you to travel to the other Schengen countries as well. If you have a valid residence permit from one of those Schengen countries, it is equivalent to a visa.
So the question is . . . are you considered to have a valid Visa while your RP is under review for extension? The host country has a wide latitude within the common zone requirements to grant (or deny) visas. Still, the answer to the OP's question doesn't rest on this technicality. It rests upon whom is asking the pointed questions and if they woke up on the wrong side of the bed and likely the rules of country in which that bed is.

For a personal response. When my permit was grinding through renewal I did travel freely within the zone after it expired. But my passport was still "good" for that period because my home country is on the 90 day visa free list. I was advised not to leave the zone in that period unless I could ensure my entry would be back through Finland because there might be "issues." Even for entry to the zone through Finland, carrying the letter, passport, and expired card I would be "probably ok."

So. Chances are the OP won't get hassled inside the zone. But if it does happen . . .

Maybe a call to Migri would be in order? They won't be able to expedite the process but they'd know the scoop.

User avatar
Beep_Boop
Posts: 2087
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2010 8:29 pm
Location: Niflheim, Suomi

Re: Help, I'm in the process of my extended residence permit

Post by Beep_Boop » Sat Aug 08, 2015 11:27 am

A while ago, I did a similar thing; I travelled to Germany while waiting for my student permit to be extended.
I had done an online check-in, so no interaction with the staff was needed in the airport. I got on the flight to Germany, and even from Germany back to Finland. While exiting the airplane and going in the tube thing, I saw 3 officers standing outside and talking to an Indian guy. Once I was near them, I was asked to step aside.

They asked for my passport and visa/residence permit. Once they learned I don't have a residence permit, I was taken to a room where an officer started asking me a lot of questions. I thoroughly explained that I'm waiting for my RP application, but that didn't help. I was explicitly told that I shouldn't have travelled outside Finland.
Luckily, it wasn't a weekend and it was during work hours, so it only took them 3 hours to check my story. After they did, they released me. All was good.

Now, imagine if that happened to me on a weekend... at night... in Germany. There's no set process in EU to cross-check the validity of residence permits from another EU country. That's why they have a chip in them, and that's why they make them hard to counterfeit. If you're detained on suspicion of being illegal in Finland, it's a matter of a couple of phone calls or a local system lookup. If, however, that happened in another country, it's a lot more complicated.

Keep this in your mind: There's a veeeery little chance you'll be stopped, and even smaller chance if you were white and blond. However, if you get stopped outside Finland, you'll have a hard time. The choice is yours.
Every case is unique. You can't measure the result of your application based on arbitrary anecdotes online.

justaguy
Posts: 197
Joined: Sun Apr 07, 2013 6:48 pm

Re: Help, I'm in the process of my extended residence permit

Post by justaguy » Mon Aug 10, 2015 1:35 pm

The official answer is 'no'.

linhtinhnick
Posts: 24
Joined: Sat Oct 24, 2009 3:03 pm

Re: Help, I'm in the process of my extended residence permit

Post by linhtinhnick » Sat Oct 24, 2015 6:38 pm

Hi,

An old topic but I dig it up as I am in the similar but different situation. I'm also in the process of my extended residence permit. But my plan is to return to my home country during waiting for the decision of my residence permit. Thing is the flight has to be transit in some other Schengen country but the paper I have now is only in Finnish. Is there any body Would be any English document for me to proceed through the custom check easier?

Is there anybody having any idea? Thank you very much.

Jacquelineh
Posts: 28
Joined: Mon Aug 31, 2015 1:34 pm

Re: Help, I'm in the process of my extended residence permit

Post by Jacquelineh » Wed Oct 28, 2015 12:22 am

linhtinhnick wrote:Hi,

An old topic but I dig it up as I am in the similar but different situation. I'm also in the process of my extended residence permit. But my plan is to return to my home country during waiting for the decision of my residence permit. Thing is the flight has to be transit in some other Schengen country but the paper I have now is only in Finnish. Is there any body Would be any English document for me to proceed through the custom check easier?

Is there anybody having any idea? Thank you very much.
which paper do you mean? The paper you got from the police cannot be substituted residence permit. So if your residence permit is expired, you won't be allowed to fly back to Finland, I suppose so. bạn người Việt hả?

Joobear
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Sep 23, 2015 4:37 pm

Re: Help, I'm in the process of my extended residence permit

Post by Joobear » Mon Jul 04, 2016 11:44 am

The official answer is that you need to meet the police:

"Travelling / residence abroad

15. I have a continuous residence permit that will expire during a holiday trip I am planning. Will this cause me problems?
Your local police will be able to give information on this question.

16. I would like to travel in Finland for a short time after the expiry of my residence permit. Should I apply for a new permit or what should I do?
If you are a foreign national free of visa you may stay in Finland and Schengen area for a maximum period of 90 days. Other foreign nationals must leave Finland when the residence permit expires. Residence permits cannot be granted for holiday travel. Yourlocal police will be able to give further information.

17. Can I travel during the processing of an extended permit?
Your local police will be able to give information on this question."

http://www.migri.fi/services/faq/residence_permits

User avatar
ybelov
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Jul 11, 2005 6:00 am
Location: Turku, Finland
Contact:

Re: Help, I'm in the process of my extended residence permit

Post by ybelov » Mon May 22, 2017 11:24 pm

A new version of the reply:

18. I have submitted an application for a residence permit in Finland. May I leave Finland and then return to Finland to await my decision?

Yes, you may, if a Finnish mission (embassy or consulate) grants you a visa or if you can return visa-free. Please remember that you will not necessarily be granted a visa for the purpose of returning to Finland.

The Finnish mission decides whether to grant you a visa or not. If the mission does not grant you a visa or you for some other reason are unable to return to Finland, you will be informed of your residence permit decision by the Finnish mission.

http://www.migri.fi/our_services/faq/residence_permits
Canadian citizen with 5+ languages looking for a job in Europe.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/belov


Post Reply