Residence Permit

guyver1000 · Post by **guyver1000** » Mon May 29, 2006 3:44 pm

Hello all,
I am a US Citizen and have a US Passport. I am registred in Finland and got a piece of paper that proves that. Do I need some sort of card to carry with me because when I left to New York a few weeks ago the custom person at Helsinki airport asked me about a card. The piece of paper that I got can't be what I have to carry each time I use my american passport is it? Does anyone know where I can get this card?

**Sponsor:**

Hank W. · Post by **Hank W.** » Mon May 29, 2006 4:00 pm

Well, the local police station. "Oleskelulupakortti" is the magic word.

superiorinferior · Post by **superiorinferior** » Mon May 29, 2006 4:00 pm

guyver1000 wrote:Hello all,
I am a US Citizen and have a US Passport. I am registred in Finland and got a piece of paper that proves that. Do I need some sort of card to carry with me because when I left to New York a few weeks ago the custom person at Helsinki airport asked me about a card. The piece of paper that I got can't be what I have to carry each time I use my american passport is it? Does anyone know where I can get this card?

It's questions like these that just perpetuate prejudices about the intelligence of Americans.

First of all, it is doubtful that you have been in contact with Finnish customs while exiting the country.

Secondly, do you have permission to live in Finland? Presumably you do, since you said you are registered. Perhaps the document proving that you have a residence permit is what the official was looking for (mine is a visa glued to my [US] passport, am not aware of any other kind).

Third, how can we know what card you need, much less where you are supposed to get it?

superiorinferior · Post by **superiorinferior** » Mon May 29, 2006 4:04 pm

Hank W. wrote:Well, the local police station. "Oleskelulupakortti" is the magic word.

I have never been asked for a card. I had no idea there was one.

Isn't oleskelulupa put in the passport?

Hank W. · Post by **Hank W.** » Mon May 29, 2006 4:09 pm

yes but no

(suggested reading any of Daryl's scientifically analytic posts on the issue)

EU citizens' non-EU spouses for example... i.e. "a yankee with HBS"

A written certificate of registration (Unionin kansalaisen oleskeluoikeuden rekisteröintitodistus) is given to persons who have been registered after the authorities have established whether the requirements for registration are met.

Family members of EU citizens who are not EU citizens or comparable persons must, however, apply for a residence card. Registration and a residence card are proof of a person’s right of residence and, thus, they are not residence permits in the strict sense of the word. A certificate of registration proves that an EU citizen’s right of residence has been entered in the Register of Aliens.

After residing continuously in Finland for four years, EU citizens and their family members may be issued with a permanent residence card. They do not have to apply for such a card, because registration is itself an adequate measure and a residence card an adequate document as regards the right of residence.

zoltar · Post by **zoltar** » Mon May 29, 2006 4:24 pm

superiorinferior wrote:It's questions like these that just perpetuate prejudices about the intelligence of Americans.

What? It was a simple, reasonable question and wasn't deserving of such a stupid and rude response.

superiorinferior · Post by **superiorinferior** » Mon May 29, 2006 4:42 pm

zoltar wrote:
superiorinferior wrote:It's questions like these that just perpetuate prejudices about the intelligence of Americans.
What? It was a simple, reasonable question and wasn't deserving of such a stupid and rude response.

You're right, in a way.. Sorry to the guy. But it was a little dumb, still.

But, to be fair... I had to figure out all this stuff before the internet was invented, so I grant myself a little license now and then.

Believe you me, things were harder (starting out living in Finland) when all you had was a phone book, the map at the front of the phone book and coins for the pay phones.

Much harder.

Hank W. · Post by **Hank W.** » Mon May 29, 2006 4:57 pm

Well, while it does not require superior mental capacities to find the relevant information from the web if one has a clue-by-four access to google it might be a rude surprise to figure out that the police is poliisi and the directorate of immigration is uvi (lit. outsider office) - not to mention the magistrates one has to try tackle all that through vaestorekisterikeskus. The logic of Finnish official internet is sometimes inverted Polish notation...

Then again I suppose one should give some excuse to the old guard who have survived both phone books, coin phones and Kekkoslovakia - they get these flashbacks of 'lauantaitanssit' you know...

superiorinferior · Post by **superiorinferior** » Mon May 29, 2006 5:04 pm

Hank W. wrote: they get these flashbacks of 'lauantaitanssit' you know...

It's true.

Jussi · Post by **Jussi** » Mon May 29, 2006 10:17 pm

superiorinferior wrote:
guyver1000 wrote:Hello all,
I am a US Citizen and have a US Passport. I am registred in Finland and got a piece of paper that proves that. Do I need some sort of card to carry with me because when I left to New York a few weeks ago the custom person at Helsinki airport asked me about a card. The piece of paper that I got can't be what I have to carry each time I use my american passport is it? Does anyone know where I can get this card?
It's questions like these that just perpetuate prejudices about the intelligence of Americans.

First of all, it is doubtful that you have been in contact with Finnish customs while exiting the country.

well now SI did you not see this poor person said that they had come across cutoms person at helsinki airport! no need for the insults. he just said he left new york and renetered thecountry.

guyver1000 · Post by **guyver1000** » Wed May 31, 2006 12:14 am

Sorry if I insulted the intelligense of some by asking a "dumb" question. The thing is I am a registered in Finland as a UK citizen, since I have both American and UK citizenships.
I have only a paper from the police station which shows that I am registered in Finland. I have no residence card, no one told me where to get one OR THAT I NEED ONE.
Obviously I could have avoided this custom guy interfering with my departure by showing this paper from the police and my UK passport.
The thing is I was leaving for a funeral in a hurry(my dad) and I only took my US passport with me so he told me I have overstayed and was illegal in Finland. I showed him my KELA card and that is when he told me to show my residence card next time. I came back in to the country and they gave me no trouble thankfully but that was my question:
Is there a residence card that I need? Or was the custom guy talking about the paper from the police station that tells I am registered in Finland?

sinikala · Post by **sinikala** » Wed May 31, 2006 1:09 am

guyver1000 wrote:Is there a residence card that I need? Or was the custom guy talking about the paper from the police station that tells I am registered in Finland?

hank has already said, it's the Oleskelulupakortti (residence permit card).

Daryl has written at length about the issuing of residence permits, I believe he said he has the permission, but not the permit. IMHO, it doesn't hurt to have the card - that is, my Oleskelulupakortti (photo but no henkilotunnus), in combination with my Kela card (henkilotunnus but no photo)

is my main form of ID.... I really should get round to getting a Finnish driving licence.

When entering Finland, for the first year I used to show my UK passport and Oleskelulupakortti ... then I noticed the PAssport control guys would scan both every time and check them in minute detail. So I tried showing just the passport **without Oleskelulupakortti** yep, straight through without any scanning or checking.

I came to the, probably flawed, conclusion that showing the Oleskelulupakortti makes the Finnish Passport control guys more suspicious, so now I don't bother.

It's all a load of bo**ocks íf you ask me.

Hank W. · Post by **Hank W.** » Wed May 31, 2006 7:35 am

guyver1000 wrote:Sorry if I insulted the intelligense of some by asking a "dumb" question. The thing is I am a registered in Finland as a UK citizen, since I have both American and UK citizenships.

See now the "dumb" thing is I get insulted is people witholding vital bits of information and making me look silly. You say you are NON-EU =USA , now you come back saying you are UK= EU.

Have you seen the moon and the sun together in the sky?

I have only a paper from the police station which shows that I am registered in Finland. I have no residence card, no one told me where to get one OR THAT I NEED ONE.

Well, EU CITIZEN don't need one, as you have the paper from the police.

I only took my US passport with me so he told me I have overstayed and was illegal in Finland.

I think you answered the "obvious" part there yourself. USA CITIZEN = NOT EU = have a residence sticker in the passport = you have none = illegal alien... logical innit? I know the US has some rule that you need to travel back & forth with the US passport.

So, as I said, police station & magic word. Saves you a lot of hassles when you get border guards confused with your multiple identity.

and when the moon and the sun are on the sky together
I shall gather everything into the yard in front of me and burn it

guyver1000 · Post by **guyver1000** » Wed May 31, 2006 12:18 pm

Well sorry Hank it wasn't aimed at you but superinferior for making fun of me for being an American. You were most helpful as always.

To put it plainly- Yes when i traveback and forth to the US I need to show my American passport. Upon reentry I could show my UK passport but most border guards don't like this passport switching. If you try that in the states you WILL be pulled into another room by Homeland Security:)

I just wanted to be quick and to the point didn't want to confuse to many with other details.

Cheers![/quote]

sinikala · Post by **sinikala** » Wed May 31, 2006 12:35 pm

guyver1000 wrote:Well sorry Hank it wasn't aimed at you but superinferior for making fun of me for being an American. You were most helpful as always.

To put it plainly- Yes when i traveback and forth to the US I need to show my American passport. Upon reentry I could show my UK passport but most border guards don't like this passport switching. If you try that in the states you WILL be pulled into another room by Homeland Security:)

I just wanted to be quick and to the point didn't want to confuse to many with other details.

Cheers!

I don't know how it works for dual nationalities, but is there anything to prevent you from presenting both passports at US/Finland's checkpoints?

I don't see what would be the difference between presenting

1) two documents - US passport + Finnish residence permit
or
2) two documents - US passport + UK (EU) passport
or even
3) three documents - US passport + Finnish residence permit + UK (EU) passport.

you would be disclosing all the information you have, I don't see how anyone could kick up a fuss, and it's not as though it would take up much more space in your hand luggage.

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