fiancée from Russia to Finland

How to? Read other's experiences. Find useful advice on shipping, immigration, residence permits, visas and more.
zayne
Posts: 6
Joined: Wed May 06, 2020 8:37 pm

fiancée from Russia to Finland

Post by zayne » Thu May 27, 2021 12:11 am

Hello, I have a question. I work in Helsinki, EU citizenship, my girlfriend is from Russia. And I would like to see her again, I haven't seen her in 9 months. Is there a special kind of visa she can take so we can see eachother. Maybe a visa for marriage as we are planning to get married in Finland. If you fly by plane, will the Russian border guards release her at the border for this reason, if not, then for what reason can she come to me?



fiancée from Russia to Finland

Sponsor:

Finland Forum Ad-O-Matic
 

jaatelo
Posts: 77
Joined: Sun May 09, 2021 1:40 pm

Re: fiancée from Russia to Finland

Post by jaatelo » Thu May 27, 2021 2:42 am

zayne wrote:
Thu May 27, 2021 12:11 am
Hello, I have a question. I work in Helsinki, EU citizenship, my girlfriend is from Russia. And I would like to see her again, I haven't seen her in 9 months. Is there a special kind of visa she can take so we can see eachother. Maybe a visa for marriage as we are planning to get married in Finland. If you fly by plane, will the Russian border guards release her at the border for this reason, if not, then for what reason can she come to me?
She can come visit you on a Schengen visa, I hear Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Finland all grant visas to Russian citizens rather easily.

Once in Finland, you can get married by contacting the https://dvv.fi/henkiloasiakkaat or court. However, if she mentions this in her tourist visa application that she intends to get married in Finland, the visa can be refused. Tourist visa is only for tourism.

After getting married in Finland, the Russian citizen can then apply for a right of residence card for family member of EU citizens.

https://migri.fi/en/residence-card-for-family-members

betelgeuse
Posts: 4350
Joined: Thu Aug 29, 2013 1:24 am

Re: fiancée from Russia to Finland

Post by betelgeuse » Thu May 27, 2021 12:31 pm

jaatelo wrote:
Thu May 27, 2021 2:42 am
zayne wrote:
Thu May 27, 2021 12:11 am
Hello, I have a question. I work in Helsinki, EU citizenship, my girlfriend is from Russia. And I would like to see her again, I haven't seen her in 9 months. Is there a special kind of visa she can take so we can see eachother. Maybe a visa for marriage as we are planning to get married in Finland. If you fly by plane, will the Russian border guards release her at the border for this reason, if not, then for what reason can she come to me?
She can come visit you on a Schengen visa, I hear Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Finland all grant visas to Russian citizens rather easily.

Once in Finland, you can get married by contacting the https://dvv.fi/henkiloasiakkaat or court. However, if she mentions this in her tourist visa application that she intends to get married in Finland, the visa can be refused. Tourist visa is only for tourism.

After getting married in Finland, the Russian citizen can then apply for a right of residence card for family member of EU citizens.

https://migri.fi/en/residence-card-for-family-members
You are supposed to apply for the Schengen visa from the main destination. For example, to apply for Estonia, one should have plans to spend more time there than in Finland.

inkku
Posts: 922
Joined: Wed Apr 04, 2007 8:26 pm

Re: fiancée from Russia to Finland

Post by inkku » Thu May 27, 2021 1:53 pm


jaatelo
Posts: 77
Joined: Sun May 09, 2021 1:40 pm

Re: fiancée from Russia to Finland

Post by jaatelo » Thu May 27, 2021 3:54 pm

betelgeuse wrote:
Thu May 27, 2021 12:31 pm
You are supposed to apply for the Schengen visa from the main destination. For example, to apply for Estonia, one should have plans to spend more time there than in Finland.

There are exceptions to this.

For example, in Algeria there is no Estonia embassy and therefore Estonia is represented in issuing visas by Spain.

Spain tends to refuse tourists visas to Algerians especially if the main destination is Estonia.

For Schengen visa, in my opinion, the basic rule is to find an EU country which has friendly relations to your own country.

Russia has friendly relations with Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania etc.

Turkey has friendly relations with Poland.

Azerbaijan has good relationship with Lithuania.

inkku
Posts: 922
Joined: Wed Apr 04, 2007 8:26 pm

Re: fiancée from Russia to Finland

Post by inkku » Thu May 27, 2021 5:47 pm

I would suggest you check Schengen visa application instructions, then form an opinion. Another point, a schengen visa application goes to all schengen countries, any country can veto the visa if they wish so.

jaatelo
Posts: 77
Joined: Sun May 09, 2021 1:40 pm

Re: fiancée from Russia to Finland

Post by jaatelo » Thu May 27, 2021 7:09 pm

inkku wrote:
Thu May 27, 2021 5:47 pm
I would suggest you check Schengen visa application instructions, then form an opinion. Another point, a schengen visa application goes to all schengen countries, any country can veto the visa if they wish so.
I used to work as a travel agent in Dubai and Schengen visas are not so easy.

A Russian girl from a small town village called "Yekaterinburg" in Russia, chances of having the French president veto her Schengen visa are close to zero. The application will be refused if the applicant is not careful with their "purpose of visit", which is tourism in most cases.

As a tourist you have to show these things to make a solid application:

1) Health insurance which will cover medical costs of upto 30,000 euro in Europe (AXA, MondialCare or Europ Assistance). Buy online and attach with your application.
2) Bank statement covering the number of days of stay.
3) Intention of coming back to your own country, purpose of visit and declaration on a signed document
4) Return flight itinerary -- flight information about your return flight to russia
5) Pay slips from your employer in Russia (if employed)
6) School enrollment certificate in Russia (if you are a student)
7) Hotel booking - booking.com is great for this.

Finland received 11,478 visa applications in 2020 in Moscow, granted 10,866 and refused 612 with a rejection rate of 5.29%.

https://statistics.schengenvisainfo.com/

I am guessing those 5.29 % rejections were for people who wanted to get married on a tourist visa.
Last edited by jaatelo on Thu May 27, 2021 8:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.

inkku
Posts: 922
Joined: Wed Apr 04, 2007 8:26 pm

Re: fiancée from Russia to Finland

Post by inkku » Thu May 27, 2021 7:25 pm


jaatelo
Posts: 77
Joined: Sun May 09, 2021 1:40 pm

Re: fiancée from Russia to Finland

Post by jaatelo » Thu May 27, 2021 7:26 pm

jaatelo wrote:
Thu May 27, 2021 7:09 pm
Finland received 11,478 visa applications in 2020 in Moscow, granted 10,866 and refused 612 with a rejection rate of 5.29%.

https://statistics.schengenvisainfo.com/
Portugal received 1,406 Schengen visa applications in SENEGAL issued 301 and refused 1,105 with a rejection rate of 78.59%.

If I was a citizen of SENEGAL, I should avoid Portugal.

Your "main destination" should be a friendly country.

That's the key.

jaatelo
Posts: 77
Joined: Sun May 09, 2021 1:40 pm

Re: fiancée from Russia to Finland

Post by jaatelo » Thu May 27, 2021 7:30 pm

inkku wrote:
Thu May 27, 2021 7:25 pm
EC might disagree with a travel agent in Dubai.
https://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/what- ... o_apply_en
https://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/what- ... ication_en
That information is all theory, what happens in practice is entirely different. Try getting a Schengen visa from a third world country where rejection rates are as high as 80% and my suggestion here would be worth it's weight in gold.

Kuzay
Posts: 27
Joined: Mon Sep 28, 2020 9:54 pm

Re: fiancée from Russia to Finland

Post by Kuzay » Wed Jun 02, 2021 2:51 am

jaatelo wrote:
Thu May 27, 2021 7:09 pm
inkku wrote:
Thu May 27, 2021 5:47 pm
I would suggest you check Schengen visa application instructions, then form an opinion. Another point, a schengen visa application goes to all schengen countries, any country can veto the visa if they wish so.
I used to work as a travel agent in Dubai and Schengen visas are not so easy.

A Russian girl from a small town village called "Yekaterinburg" in Russia, chances of having the French president veto her Schengen visa are close to zero. The application will be refused if the applicant is not careful with their "purpose of visit", which is tourism in most cases.

As a tourist you have to show these things to make a solid application:

1) Health insurance which will cover medical costs of upto 30,000 euro in Europe (AXA, MondialCare or Europ Assistance). Buy online and attach with your application.
2) Bank statement covering the number of days of stay.
3) Intention of coming back to your own country, purpose of visit and declaration on a signed document
4) Return flight itinerary -- flight information about your return flight to russia
5) Pay slips from your employer in Russia (if employed)
6) School enrollment certificate in Russia (if you are a student)
7) Hotel booking - booking.com is great for this.

Finland received 11,478 visa applications in 2020 in Moscow, granted 10,866 and refused 612 with a rejection rate of 5.29%.

https://statistics.schengenvisainfo.com/

I am guessing those 5.29 % rejections were for people who wanted to get married on a tourist visa.
A lot of people from Russia receive tourist visas with a purpose of marriage. For some reason, it's a common misbelief that this purpose to enter Finland could increase chances of a visa application to be rejected.

jaatelo
Posts: 77
Joined: Sun May 09, 2021 1:40 pm

Re: fiancée from Russia to Finland

Post by jaatelo » Sun Jun 06, 2021 9:19 pm

Kuzay wrote:
Wed Jun 02, 2021 2:51 am
A lot of people from Russia receive tourist visas with a purpose of marriage. For some reason, it's a common misbelief that this purpose to enter Finland could increase chances of a visa application to be rejected.
So that is basically lying on your visa application that you are going to Finland as a tourist but your real intention is to get married. I guess Finland is very relaxed with Russia in terms of immigration. I am sure such an application will be refused for another country national.

Kuzay
Posts: 27
Joined: Mon Sep 28, 2020 9:54 pm

Re: fiancée from Russia to Finland

Post by Kuzay » Tue Jun 08, 2021 10:14 am

jaatelo wrote:
Sun Jun 06, 2021 9:19 pm
Kuzay wrote:
Wed Jun 02, 2021 2:51 am
A lot of people from Russia receive tourist visas with a purpose of marriage. For some reason, it's a common misbelief that this purpose to enter Finland could increase chances of a visa application to be rejected.
So that is basically lying on your visa application that you are going to Finland as a tourist but your real intention is to get married. I guess Finland is very relaxed with Russia in terms of immigration. I am sure such an application will be refused for another country national.
Sorry, why do you think the application will be refused if you would mention that you are going to get married and spend some time with your spouse on tourist visa? As far as I know, Finland doesn't have a specific visa for marriage so the only way to get married here is on the tourist visa.

jaatelo
Posts: 77
Joined: Sun May 09, 2021 1:40 pm

Re: fiancée from Russia to Finland

Post by jaatelo » Sun Jun 13, 2021 12:16 am

Kuzay wrote:
Tue Jun 08, 2021 10:14 am
Sorry, why do you think the application will be refused if you would mention that you are going to get married and spend some time with your spouse on tourist visa? As far as I know, Finland doesn't have a specific visa for marriage so the only way to get married here is on the tourist visa.
It's called purpose of visit, your purpose has to be genuine and true. A visa is usually required for foreign country nationals where the host country has "trust issues" with the foreign country national.

If you wanted to visit my house and you told me that you want to check out my garden because of the vegetables I am growing in the garden and they look cool from when you are driving around the neighborhood, I would invite you in, show you around and let you admire the scenery. Maybe you can pluck of few tomatoes, take home and make a salad. My garden is nice and I like visitors.

if you told me you want to come to my house and marry my daughter, I will tell you to please introduce yourself as a prospective family member and not talk about my vegetable garden anymore.

Kuzay
Posts: 27
Joined: Mon Sep 28, 2020 9:54 pm

Re: fiancée from Russia to Finland

Post by Kuzay » Tue Jun 15, 2021 1:57 pm

jaatelo wrote:
Sun Jun 13, 2021 12:16 am
Kuzay wrote:
Tue Jun 08, 2021 10:14 am
Sorry, why do you think the application will be refused if you would mention that you are going to get married and spend some time with your spouse on tourist visa? As far as I know, Finland doesn't have a specific visa for marriage so the only way to get married here is on the tourist visa.
It's called purpose of visit, your purpose has to be genuine and true. A visa is usually required for foreign country nationals where the host country has "trust issues" with the foreign country national.

If you wanted to visit my house and you told me that you want to check out my garden because of the vegetables I am growing in the garden and they look cool from when you are driving around the neighborhood, I would invite you in, show you around and let you admire the scenery. Maybe you can pluck of few tomatoes, take home and make a salad. My garden is nice and I like visitors.

if you told me you want to come to my house and marry my daughter, I will tell you to please introduce yourself as a prospective family member and not talk about my vegetable garden anymore.
I understand where your thoughts come from and most people think the same at first (personally, I thought the same). In reality, many people get a 'tourist visa' and mention "Marriage" as a purpose of visit. It is 'genuine and true', just like you said. As I mentioned before, there's no 'Wedding visa' in Finland, so it totally makes sense to provide tourist visas for the people who want to get married in Finland, because there's just no other option.
Don't you think Finland would refuse visa applications, just to limit the number of marriages in the country? :)


Post Reply