[Please Help] Extending my VISA?

[DanielB]

Hello everyone I have been living in Finland for around 6 weeks. My Visa will expire on the 7th of July. I got my VISA when I bought my Return flight ticket.

I am finding Finland lovely and I would love to stay longer then July 7th.

People have told me mixed stories.
1. Don't worry about it and a few weeks before your VISA expires you can renew it. (But they don't know how).
2. Apply to have it renewed now because it can take months and then-some.. (But they don't know how).

So what I am asking please is that someone tell me how I can renew my VISA or what other possible way do I have staying in Finland as a Tourist/Visitor.
I am not looking for a working Visa just something that will allow me to stay here longer then my original VISA expiry date and stop a Poliisi wagon pulling up to my house if I overstayed my VISA.

I've tried the search feature but I didn't get anything that remotely relates to my question.

I am an Australian Citizen with an Australian Passport. I am not concerned about missing my plane back to Australia and I am only interested in a way that I can extend my VISA here in Finland allowing me to stay longer then I had first planned.

Kiitos niin paljon jokainen.

[Rip]

Hello everyone I have been living in Finland for around 6 weeks. My Visa will expire on the 7th of July.

You have been here about six weeks (early April) and your Visa expires 7th of July? It sounds like your visa already has the maximum duration. It is legally permissible for the Finnish authorities to issue a new Finnish (non-Schengen) visa for you (ask from the local police), but I think you should prepare leave on 7th of July or earlier.

From Aliens Act
http://www.finlex.fi/fi/laki/kaannokset ... 040301.pdf

Section 27
Extending the number of days of residence
under Schengen visas
For special reasons, the number of days of
residence under a Schengen visa may be
extended if the requirements for issuing the
visa are still met and the number of days of
residence does not exceed the validity period
for the visa. The total combined duration of
residence may not exceed three months in a
half-year from the first entry into the
Schengen area.

[Pursuivant]

Yes well you can apply and it'll take months on end to process after which they tell you to "piss off"... end result is the same.

[interleukin]

Probably much easier to go back home, wait a bit (not sure how long you have to wait or if you could in theory apply for a new tourist visa straight away), get a new visa, come back.
If you are planning to stay any longer, you need to have an excuse for that (no, a pretty blonde Finnish person you fancy is not a good enough excuse unless they agree to marry you).

[onkko]

Nothing to add what others said about current situation but if you come back then you maybe want to check working holiday visa (couldnt find better info, look that pdf in end of page).

2.TERMS OF ISSUE OF PERMISSIONS
a)From 1 May 2002, the date upon which this Memorandum of Understanding will come into effect, the
Participants may issue permissions valid for multiple entry for a working holiday for a period not
exceeding one (1) year to citizens of Finland or Australia respectively who satisfy each of the following
requirements:
i)intend primarily to holiday in Finland or Australia;
ii)are aged between eighteen (18) and thirty (30) years inclusive at the time of application for the
permission;
iii)are persons who are not accompanied by dependent spouses or children;
iv)have not previously been granted a working holiday permission to Finland or Australia;
v)possess a valid passport and a return travel ticket or sufficient funds with which to purchase such a
ticket;
vi)possess reasonable funds for their maintenance during the period of initial stay in Finland or
Australia;
vii)have good health and a sound background; and
viii)may not be deemed to jeopardise public order, safety or public health and may not have been
prohibited entry into the Schengen States or Australia.
b)Persons who have entered Finland or Australia on working holiday permissions will be required to
comply with the respective laws and regulations of Finland and Australia and not engage in
employment that is contrary to the purpose of this Memorandum.
c)In Finland, Australian working holiday makers will be permitted to work for up to nine (9) months
during a twelve (12) month visit, but will not be permitted to work for the same employer for more than
three (3) months.
d)In Australia, Finnish working holiday makers may not be employed by any one employer for more
than three (3) months without the permission of the Secretary of the Department of Immigration and
Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs. Additionally, working holiday makers may not work for the full
twelve (12) months of the visit.
e)The Government of Finland will encourage youth, cultural and community organisations in Finland,
and the Government of Australia will encourage youth, cultural and community organisations in
Australia, to provide appropriate counselling facilities for Finnish citizens and Australian citizens
respectively who have entered Finland or Australia on working holiday permissions.

[Pursuivant]

So basically - remembering Schengen - the thing is to apply a WH for the UK, then bugger off for the 6 months and then apply for a WH in Finland from London etc.

[easily-lost]

Hello everyone I have been living in Finland for around 6 weeks...I am an Australian Citizen with an Australian Passport.

Are you sure? http://www.finland.org.au/public/defaul ... ture=en-US

Extending the number of days of residence under Schengen visas for special reasons...

"Special reasons" here means you're kept by the police or some authority in Finland for a reason. I guess you don't want to go through that in order to stay.

[DanielB]

Hello everyone I have been living in Finland for around 6 weeks...I am an Australian Citizen with an Australian Passport.

Are you sure? http://www.finland.org.au/public/defaul ... ture=en-US

What do you mean am I sure? Of course I am sure of those things lol. That is who I am.

So if I wanted to stay longer then 90 days (of which I have used about 40+) I could apply for a Residence Permit? But I hear these take MONTHS to get a hold of and you almost have to apply for one the moment you walk into Finland to even have a chance of being able to get one by the time you have to leave.

So its that or get married, haha that wouldn't be hard. But it wouldn't be morally right in my opinion, and I couldn't even bring myself to ask my girlfriend to marry me just so I can stay here even though I know there is a good chance she'll accept anyway... So that's not an option. Either way it looks like I am going home and coming back in another 6 months for winter.

[Pursuivant]

I could apply for a Residence Permit?

You could apply for the moon in the sky... in your case what would be the grounds of granting one? Ain't.

Look into the Working Holiday programme... and also study options.