I plan to move to Finland from Australia with my boyfriend. Neither of us is Finnish. He has been offered a job with a small company there and they are taking care of his work permit and residency permit.
We have been told that if you are not married, you can still move with your partner on the basis of 2 years of co-habitation. Since we have only been living together for about 18 months, I am wondering if I will be able to move with him.
Does anyone know if I can go to Finland on a visitor's visa, live with him for a further 6 months (leaving Finland after my 3 months' visitor visa has expired and then coming back in on a new visitor visa for a further 3 months), and then apply? Or is living together in Finland not counted as part of the 2 year co-habitation rule? Is it possible to change visa status while already in Finland? Or would I need to return to Australia in order to do this?
The added problem is that even though we have been living together for 18 months, we don't have any documents (rent receipts/utilities bills etc.) in both our names, as even though we both paid rent and bills, all this is in his name (I moved into his apartment).
Any ideas/advice would be greatly appreciated. Many, many thanks.
Have boyfriend, will..um..maaaybe..travel...
- Hank W.
- The Motorhead
- Posts: 29973
- Joined: Sat Jul 06, 2002 10:00 pm
- Location: Mushroom Mountain
- Contact:
Of course, in Finland there would be an official draft from the county magistrate stating who lives officially where with whom that is "proof". They'll ask for an "offical document" and you have to convince them you are living in an anarchist state if you don't have one. I don't think they'd count utilities bill as a proof - nice to have, but really very few if any people in Finland have both names in their bills. Can you go to some sort of justice of peace and write up an affidavit?
BTW. In Finland if you don't register living somewhere you don't live there what comes to any official business.
BTW. In Finland if you don't register living somewhere you don't live there what comes to any official business.
Cheers, Hank W.
sitting here like a lemon looking for a gin.
sitting here like a lemon looking for a gin.
http://www.maistraatti.fi/en/index.html
You might try the English version of the Population Register website. I don't know if that would help or not, but I know they have some good information there.
You might try the English version of the Population Register website. I don't know if that would help or not, but I know they have some good information there.
Muchos Gracias!
Thanks Kimi - I'll take a look at the link you posted. Very much appreciated.
And Hank - is there anything you *don't* know?!
I'm still not sure if I can move to Finland, but if not, the surf is pretty good here, so it's not all bad! :?
And Hank - is there anything you *don't* know?!
I'm still not sure if I can move to Finland, but if not, the surf is pretty good here, so it's not all bad! :?
Mandalay, how long has your boyfriend been in Australia? If it's been longer than 2 years, you could very easily "stretch the truth" about how long you've lived together. I know of a couple who has done this and it worked out just fine.
Or, you could do what Anja and I did which was to head down to the courthouse and get married and not tell anyone about it. That guarantees your residence permit.
Or, you could do what Anja and I did which was to head down to the courthouse and get married and not tell anyone about it. That guarantees your residence permit.
- bretti_kivi
- Posts: 489
- Joined: Thu Apr 29, 2004 10:50 pm
- Location: [Ruoho]Lahti
- Contact:
thanks Phil and Brett, but i'm not really into the whole marriage thang...at least, not yet! no offense to any married folk intended.
I've since found out that because I am under 30, I am able to stay for one year in Finland under the reciprocal rights visa programme. So problem solved. yay!
Many thanks again to all who responded, and I hope to meet some of you in Finland one day soon...
I've since found out that because I am under 30, I am able to stay for one year in Finland under the reciprocal rights visa programme. So problem solved. yay!
Many thanks again to all who responded, and I hope to meet some of you in Finland one day soon...