UVI101 Length of Application

kmboll · Post by **kmboll** » Sun Mar 19, 2006 7:35 am

On the UVI101 form, they ask for "Ajalle (For the Period)". What should I put for this? I am an American applying for residency based on co-habitation and have no date that I am planning to leave. I would like to get the permit for as long as possible so should I leave the end date empty, or is there a maximum length I can apply for? Thanks!

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Hank W. · Post by **Hank W.** » Sun Mar 19, 2006 9:22 pm

It says something about the lengths in the law. Darryl would know, but I pull 5 years from the hat... I have a gnawinmg feeling it used to be a shorter one for the first one. PM mr D, I'm not as versed with the new law.

Jussi · Post by **Jussi** » Sun Mar 19, 2006 9:41 pm

I do beleive the first one is one year...then you get thre and then permanent...but im not entirely sure...

Good Luck!!

kmboll · Post by **kmboll** » Sun Mar 19, 2006 9:55 pm

I did some searching and I believe Jussi is right......1 year at first. I think they're just keeping it short so I have to reapply (i.e. PAY) again.

Hank W. · Post by **Hank W.** » Sun Mar 19, 2006 10:11 pm

Oh, they just cynically think just as USA you're getting the permit a'la movie "green card". So after a year when your illusions of Finland (or the cohabiteur)have gone you have to prove you actually have the same s.o.

BTW - Denmark believes even less in "true love" - you can't get residence even if you are married in some cases

spinning · Post by **spinning** » Sun Mar 19, 2006 11:01 pm

I just got the first permit.
I did not put anything for the length of stay in that section of the form.
Also Jussi is correct, one year first then 3 years and then permanent.

daryl · Post by **daryl** » Thu Mar 23, 2006 4:22 pm

kmboll wrote:On the UVI101 form, they ask for "Ajalle (For the Period)". What should I put for this? I am an American applying for residency based on co-habitation and have no date that I am planning to leave. I would like to get the permit for as long as possible so should I leave the end date empty, or is there a maximum length I can apply for? Thanks!

You do not say where you are applying from, where the cohabitation has occurred or what the circumstances of your partner are, so there is no definite answer to the question that you have asked.

On the other hand, you do not need an answer to this question. All you need to know is the Golden Rule of Finnish administration:

In Finland a man with no legs can apply for a pair of shoes.

The trivial answer to the question "can I apply" is always "yes". As a man, you can even apply for maternity benefit (provided that you can get a qualified health practitioner to estimate the date on which you will give birth).

Technically, you can be in two situations:

(a) a family member of a citizen of a European Economic Area country exercising the right of freedom of movement between the Member States (=5-year registration of a pre-existing right), or

(b) a family member of a Finnish citizen or resident alien (=application for a residence permit proper, i.e. individual permission to live in Finland).

These situations are not mutually exclusive. If your spouse is Finnish and you are arriving from another Member State where you were registered as a family member of an EU Citizen, then you are in situation (a) and (b).

Even with no further details of your situation, however, I can recommend a course of action. Simply write "maximum period" in the appropriate box (regardless of how that box is formatted). It is not your job to know Finnish legislation or Community Law. All that you need to do is provide details of your circumstances. It is then up to the official to decide on the maximum admission period, and to be ready to defend that decision in an administrative court if necessary.

This notion of "entitlement to apply" is oddly persistent. Back in 1991 I was part of a delegation from Finland to newly-independent Estonia. At one point we interviewed the Estonian Minister of the Interior about citizenship for members of the country's Russian-speaking minority. The Minister confidently informed us that Russian speakers were free to apply for citizenship. In subsequent discussions it became clear, however, that Russian speakers had to pass all sorts of tests in order to get an application form. In effect, therefore, they had to apply for the right to apply.

No such system exists in Finland.

daryl

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