about visa renewal

lentokala · Post by **lentokala** » Tue Aug 02, 2011 5:04 pm

I heard that the immigration office in Helsinki is quite busy and it's very likely that one can not get the new visa in half a year or even one year.
so is it possible to hand in application in the immigration office of other towns even though I live in Helsinki?

I have my current visa due on 14th August, but I have booked the flight to Czech Republic on 9th August and will be back to Finland on 27th August.The immigration office said they can not give me visa before 9th, August. was there anybody having the same trouble as me? Can you offer me some solutions?

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Mark75 · Post by **Mark75** » Tue Aug 02, 2011 7:32 pm

Wha?? I did my Visa renewal last month and had no problems. Everything was finished within 2.5 weeks of submitting the application. Same time frame as when I did my original residence permit application.

Oh, and if I recall correctly, you are able to stay in the country while your application is being processed...

Rip · Post by **Rip** » Tue Aug 02, 2011 9:03 pm

You are talking about a residence permit, not a visa.

lentokala wrote: so is it possible to hand in application in the immigration office of other towns even though I live in Helsinki?

No

I have my current visa due on 14th August, but I have booked the flight to Czech Republic on 9th August and will be back to Finland on 27th August.The immigration office said they can not give me visa before 9th, August. was there anybody having the same trouble as me? Can you offer me some solutions?

Would you need a visa for short term stay as a tourist (= what is your nationality) or would you be allowed to be here as tourist for 90 days without one? If you could stay here for a 90 days without a permit you should be able to stay a few days. There is not even an official passport control between here and Prague.

buldozr · Post by **buldozr** » Tue Aug 02, 2011 9:48 pm

Rip wrote:If you could stay here for a 90 days without a permit you should be able to stay a few days. There is not even an official passport control between here and Prague.

Nevertheless, it's not allowed to travel without a valid residence permit. If something happens and the lack of visa becomes known to the officials, you may end up in big trouble.

Rip · Post by **Rip** » Tue Aug 02, 2011 11:03 pm

buldozr wrote:
Rip wrote:If you could stay here for a 90 days without a permit you should be able to stay a few days. There is not even an official passport control between here and Prague.
Nevertheless, it's not allowed to travel without a valid residence permit.

If one is not required to have a visa for a stay less than 90 days (depends on nationality) and has not stayed here for that long time without a permit, Migri seems to disagree with you:
http://www.migri.fi/netcomm/content.asp ... uage=EN#14

14. 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 three months. Other foreign nationals must leave Finland when the residence permit expire

talhakhan · Post by **talhakhan** » Tue Aug 09, 2011 2:59 pm

I applied for my conversion from business visa to first residence permit , I did it around 1st aug, now they are telling it will take more than 4 months, Is it true ? or they always tell longer periods as someone told they finished the conversion in 2.5 weeks. Please let me know if someone is also there in the same situation like me, I want to know generally how much time it will take to convert the visa from BV to work permit.

Jussi · Post by **Jussi** » Fri Aug 12, 2011 9:22 am

buldozr wrote:
Rip wrote:If you could stay here for a 90 days without a permit you should be able to stay a few days. There is not even an official passport control between here and Prague.
Nevertheless, it's not allowed to travel without a valid residence permit. If something happens and the lack of visa becomes known to the officials, you may end up in big trouble.

Where did you pull this from?

I have travelled several times when my residence permit has been expiring. If you have submitted the papers, you go ask them for your passport back, tell them you need to travel and will be back on XX date. they note it in the system, and hand you your passport back, thats it.

Rip · Post by **Rip** » Fri Aug 12, 2011 10:14 am

Jussi wrote: I have travelled several times when my residence permit has been expiring. If you have submitted the papers, you go ask them for your passport back, tell them you need to travel and will be back on XX date. they note it in the system, and hand you your passport back, thats it.

I was of course talking about travelling without approved renewed residence permit, not without passport, which indeed would be against the law.

If you apply early I don't think they as a rule even take your passport for the processing time (you bring it there when they are actually ready to issue the new permit). That certainly has been our experience.
(I guess you can volunteer to leave it there if you know you will not need it)

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