Moving to Finland with girlfriend.

laeth · Post by **laeth** » Fri May 03, 2013 3:54 pm

Hi guys,

I've got a job interview lined up for a senior position at a company in Finland which I'd really like to get; however I'm worried about my girlfriend and how she'll get herself a residential permit. We've been living together for just over a year which obviously doesn't hit the two years needed for cohabitation.

Are we basically screwed? She doesn't speak finish or have any qualifications so I imagine shed stay at home, draw - look after the cats etc. The job will probably be pretty well paid, is there any way of her staying due to my income levels? Any help much appreciated.

Thanks!

Edit: Should mention we're from the UK.

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Pursuivant · Post by **Pursuivant** » Fri May 03, 2013 6:01 pm

Are we basically screwed?

No, but after you drag some poor girl over and she becomes a crazy cat lady you won't be either. To facilitate the residence permit, there is always a marriage that is "proof" enough. Now if a senior position salary is enough to keep her in a rich housewife category she can pop over to Stockmann to buy salmon for the kittens... mmm... if she doesn't have any qualifications, the polytechnics are free...

adam7 · Post by **adam7** » Fri May 03, 2013 6:59 pm

laeth wrote:Hi guys,

I've got a job interview lined up for a senior position at a company in Finland which I'd really like to get; however I'm worried about my girlfriend and how she'll get herself a residential permit. We've been living together for just over a year which obviously doesn't hit the two years needed for cohabitation.

Are we basically screwed? She doesn't speak finish or have any qualifications so I imagine shed stay at home, draw - look after the cats etc. The job will probably be pretty well paid, is there any way of her staying due to my income levels? Any help much appreciated.

Thanks!

No you are not, see

http://www.migri.fi/moving_to_finland_t ... lationship

The difference is that she may receive a residence permit, but you have to convince (by providing documentation) Migri that you have a history of cohabitation and that she will be provided for.The better position an the higher your income is, the better your chances are.

laeth · Post by **laeth** » Fri May 03, 2013 7:39 pm

Pursuivant wrote:
Are we basically screwed?
No, but after you drag some poor girl over and she becomes a crazy cat lady you won't be either. To facilitate the residence permit, there is always a marriage that is "proof" enough. Now if a senior position salary is enough to keep her in a rich housewife category she can pop over to Stockmann to buy salmon for the kittens... mmm... if she doesn't have any qualifications, the polytechnics are free...

Totally confused by your post =P. Are you trying to take a dig at me?

Anyways, she wants to move to a Nordic country outside of me having a job interview there. What is "marriage that is proof enough"? If someone earns over a certain amount and has a residency permit, can someone else live with them or anything like that?

Cheers,

Pursuivant · Post by **Pursuivant** » Sat May 04, 2013 12:39 am

If someone earns over a certain amount and has a residency permit, can someone else live with them or anything like that?

To get a residence permit one needs a "reason".
Reasons are: work, study, family.
Family is dependants or a partner.
Partner is 2 years cohabitation (proved by all the papers) or marriage (no need to have except that one paper).
And also, the worker needs to earn over a certain threshold to support them both.

This is considerning you two are non-EU, as else we start schlapping with a fish for your silly questions.... though in principle getting registered as an EU has a number of similar points.

Adrian42 · Post by **Adrian42** » Sat May 04, 2013 1:13 am

laeth wrote:however I'm worried about my girlfriend and how she'll get herself a residential permit.

Edit: Should mention we're from the UK.

Being an EU citizen, she does not need a Residence Permit for living in Finland.

As long as she has a valid health insurance and sufficient means of support (which might come from you) she has the right to live in any EU country (including Finland) - with or without you.

cors187 · Post by **cors187** » Sat May 04, 2013 7:59 am

laeth wrote:
Totally confused by your post =P. Are you trying to take a dig at me?

Anyways, she wants to move to a Nordic country outside of me having a job interview there. What is "marriage that is proof enough"? If someone earns over a certain amount and has a residency permit, can someone else live with them or anything like that?

Cheers,

he s suggesting your girlfriend becomes stir crazy

laeth · Post by **laeth** » Sat May 04, 2013 11:33 am

Adrian42 wrote:
laeth wrote:however I'm worried about my girlfriend and how she'll get herself a residential permit.

Edit: Should mention we're from the UK.
Being an EU citizen, she does not need a Residence Permit for living in Finland.

As long as she has a valid health insurance and sufficient means of support (which might come from you) she has the right to live in any EU country (including Finland) - with or without you.

Really? For some reason I got the impression that even as an eu citizen you could only stay for three months. If that's not the case that's a relief!

interleukin · Post by **interleukin** » Sat May 04, 2013 1:52 pm

even as an eu citizen you could only stay for three months

As an EU citizen, you have the right to be here for three months, but you won't get kicked out after that time unless you really mess up.
BUT
to actually be a resident in Finland, you need to get registered, and you need a reason to be here to be allowed to register yourself as a resident. Those reasons are typically family ties to a resident, studies, a job, etc.

If you stay in Finland without being registered, you're pretty much a tourist. Stay here and spend money but you don't get any kind of recognition from the government and you have absolutely more rights than other tourists.

laeth · Post by **laeth** » Sat May 04, 2013 2:14 pm

Thanks for all your information. If she stays for the three months with me as a tourist would she be able to get a bank account in Finland or would I just have to add her to mine?

The personal relationship link mentioned above talks about proving being together – is this the cohabitation rule which needs the two years or something else?

Thanks again.

rinso · Post by **rinso** » Sat May 04, 2013 2:55 pm

If she stays for the three months with me as a tourist would she be able to get a bank account in Finland or would I just have to add her to mine?

Bank accounts are difficult. Even when you're registered as a resident they can deny it if they think you have no credit history. But it depends on the bank and the desk clerk.
So no, as a tourist she can get no account and I doubt if she gets a pass for your account.

Rip · Post by **Rip** » Sat May 04, 2013 3:00 pm

laeth wrote:Thanks for all your information. If she stays for the three months with me as a tourist would she be able to get a bank account in Finland

Most likely not.

or would I just have to add her to mine

I doubt you can do even that, at least in any meaningful way (her own cards or banking codes)
She would/could/should use her existing credit cards and then of course you can supply her with cash and help to pay bills if necessary.

The personal relationship link mentioned above talks about proving being together – is this the cohabitation rule which needs the two years or something else?

As stated, as a EU citizen she would not be applying for residence permit and her relationship with you isn't really important regarding her right to stay here, so to question is pretty irrelevant.

Adrian42 · Post by **Adrian42** » Sat May 04, 2013 4:56 pm

interleukin wrote:
even as an eu citizen you could only stay for three months
As an EU citizen, you have the right to be here for three months, but you won't get kicked out after that time unless you really mess up.
BUT
to actually be a resident in Finland, you need to get registered, and you need a reason to be here to be allowed to register yourself as a resident. Those reasons are typically family ties to a resident, studies, a job, etc.

Wrong.

As long as she has a valid health insurance and sufficient means of support, she has the suable right to register her right of residence in any EU country where she chooses to live without needing any reason.

interleukin · Post by **interleukin** » Sat May 04, 2013 5:03 pm

she has the suable right to register her right of residence in any EU country where she chooses to live without needing any reason.

That´s why I wrote that the usual reasons are work, studies, etc. There is also the possibility of living off someone else or living off income from other places. Do we have any reason to think the OP´s girlfriend is planning to run her own company here? More likely is that she will be sitting at home waiting (unfortunately, sitting at home without a job is not good for anyone) while OP is working.

Adrian42 · Post by **Adrian42** » Sat May 04, 2013 5:32 pm

interleukin wrote:
she has the suable right to register her right of residence in any EU country where she chooses to live without needing any reason.
That´s why I wrote that the usual reasons are work, studies, etc.

You wrote that an EU citizen needs a reason for registering her Right of Residence in Finland.

That is not true.

She needs either a reason or sufficient means of support.

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