Visa Conversion, study/ work options

[arunraj_o]

Hi all,
I am pretty new to Finland, arrived here on a visiting visa to study.
But unfortunately the application was not accepted, so I am thinking to apply again in January for bachelor degree courses.
In the mean while I wanted to probably do some shot term course or work here.
I had a few questions.
1> Are there any short term courses to learn Finnish Language( I dont Know Finnish at all) that i can join, so i can learn the language, to help me in the future.I am looking for a language course that would help me apply for a student visa until I join a bachelors degree course in august next year.
2>Could I do some jobs, i have experience in the restaurant industry and also in computer hardware support, hence I am game for either of these or some kinda small time jobs.
Further, would it be possible to convert a visiting visa to a temporary work permit ?

It would be a great help if some could help me with these questions.Thank you in advance.

[Pursuivant]

It doesn't work like that. Visiting visa is for visiting, once the visit is over you need to return home. You usually apply to the universities from home and if you are invited for an entrance test then you apply for another visit visa, then if you get accepted you apply for a student residence permit - and in most cases you need to apply for that in your own home country, and provide evidence of the health insurance as well as funds. There is no such thing as a "temporary working permit" but there is "overstaying visa, being deported and refused entry to EU".

[arunraj_o]

Thanks a Ton for the Reply, Pursuivant.

I was wondering, if I do get an admission to a college or course during my visiting visa period, do i have go exit and apply for student visa from home or can i apply for it from here.
Additionally it got me wondering when you said that i cant convert the Visiting Visa, because a friend of mine, came here for work through his company back home. He first arrived here on a business Visa and then converted it to a Work permit, cant they do they same with a visiting VIsa..

Could you Suggest wat i Could do best to avoid a travel back home and come back.
Like work or study, may be

[sammy]

The "problem" with student residence permits (student visas, as opposed to "traveller/visitor" visas) is that they are usually only granted for studies that lead to a degree. Finnish language courses in themselves would not suffice, since they are not "degree studies" - but you could of course apply for, say, some intensive Finnish course during the summer (Summer Universities, see http://www.kesayliopistot.fi/english.htm ) and then partake in such a course on a visitor visa. Other language beginners' language course options - see http://www.infopankki.fi/en-GB/Finnish_Language/ for example...

Let's say you apply in January to a Bachelor's programme that begins in September - if you manage to find a Finnish language intensive course (Summer University courses!) that starts in late July/early August, you might then try and apply for a student residence permit that would enable you to come a bit earlier so that you could take the Finnish intensive course before starting your studies - so that you wouldn't need to go back and forth (first apply for a visitor visa for the language course, then return to your home country to apply for a student residence permit...) - who knows, if you could present your case & study timetable to the immigration clearly enough that might be negotiable... because by that time you'd have your degree programme acceptance letter anyway, if you are admitted.

Visiting visas are not usually transferrable to a student residence permit. But there may be some exceptions, depending on the case. And apparently you could actually apply directly for a student residence permit in the scenario described above - see:

A residence permit may be granted for studies in the Finnish or Swedish language if the studies are conducted at university level and lead to a degree. Hence, language courses lasting for a few months at private language schools do not normally constitute sufficient grounds for granting a residence permit. Exceptions include situations in which the student has already been accepted for studies at a Finnish educational institution and he or she wishes to familiarise him- or herself with the Finnish language and culture prior to starting the studies.

However you should really check these official issues with the Finnish embassy in your home country, or from Migri http://www.migri.fi

[rinso]

I was wondering, if I do get an admission to a college or course during my visiting visa period, do i have go exit and apply for student visa from home

Yes

[Pursuivant]

I was wondering, if I do get an admission to a college or course during my visiting visa period, do i have go exit and apply for student visa from home or can i apply for it from here.

Generally it will run out before they make the admission decisions, the principle is "yes" - the exceptions are described in the link - if it says you "can" they can also say "wrongly applied" and refuse it on that ground.

because a friend of mine, came here for work through his company back home. He first arrived here on a business Visa and then converted it to a Work permit, cant they do they same with a visiting VIsa..

And how exactly does that correlate to your case? Were you sent here, working, for a company which then would go through the residence permit application process?