Fiancee moving to Finland.

Zeiss · Post by **Zeiss** » Thu Apr 09, 2015 7:39 pm

Probably one of the most frequently asked questions but im going to throw them out anyway!

So HI! Me myself, i'm from Finland but i'm asking stuff in place of my fiancee from USA.

We have all the stuff for our relationship registration (The certificate of non-impedent with apostle stamp and signature)
We are also getting a round trip tickets because i've read that US might give you trouble for not having return ticket if you can't prove you're not coming back.

So he is entering here with a tourist visa and he doesn't have ''big funds'' (Because he doesn't apparently need them because we're going with family ties) and stuff like that. So the main question: Is it ok for him to explain at the Finnish Customs that he is entering the country to register our relationship and attempt for and residency permit if they ask the reason for stay without getting turned back???

Do they check the stuff from files and stuff if you tell a little white lie that you're just on ''vacation''. Or will honesty pay you the prize??

Finnish Police and Immigration services (Migri) says ''Why wouldn't it be.'' But i keep being really nervous about it all the time...

I've been through US customs couple times already and it's not a very pleasant experience because everything needs to be proven.

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caster · Post by **caster** » Fri Apr 10, 2015 2:14 am

southern dialect will work fine

Flossy1978 · Post by **Flossy1978** » Fri Apr 10, 2015 2:44 am

Why can't he just say he's visiting you?

It'd be better and quicker, usually to apply for a residence permit OUTSIDE of Finland. I got mine in two just two weeks.

That way your fiance can come to Finland and start straight with everything. If he turns up and you then apply for the residence permit, he can't do anything. Seriously, nothing. No work, no healthcare, no studying, nothing.

Do it right way, in America. It'll be better.

Rip · Post by **Rip** » Fri Apr 10, 2015 2:56 am

Zeiss wrote: We are also getting a round trip tickets because i've read that US might give you trouble for not having return ticket if you can't prove you're not coming back.

It won't hurt. I doubt USA cares, but the airline might. Finnair at least can do that.

So he is entering here with a tourist visa and he doesn't have ''big funds'' (Because he doesn't apparently need them because we're going with family ties) and stuff like that. So the main question: Is it ok for him to explain at the Finnish Customs that he is entering the country to register our relationship and attempt for and residency permit if they ask the reason for stay without getting turned back???

Customs is only interested in the stuff he has with him. The border/passport control is separate and before that. Is it actually the Finnish one he is going to meet - that is, is he flying to Helsinki directly across the Atlantic or from London? If he arrives to Schengen area in any location outside Finland (such as Frankfurt or Paris) the passport control is there, not in Helsinki.

I doubt he is going to be asked much anything in either case, but I'd be open in the Finnish border control, but elsewhere just stick to "visiting a friend" which is sort of like true anyway. The immigration rules are different in different EU countries, and while I don''t think it will actually matters in the end, it would seem like the route of minimized chance of hassle if for example the French border guard is not tempted to start thinking if you are possibly doing something that is not quite proper under the Finnish law.

PS. While not anymore as important as it was a few years ago, I'd recommend him getting travel or other health insurance policy that is valid for at least a few months here.

Zeiss · Post by **Zeiss** » Fri Apr 10, 2015 7:37 am

Thanks for the quick reply's. Really made me calm down a lot.

Flossy1978 wrote:It'd be better and quicker, usually to apply for a residence permit OUTSIDE of Finland. I got mine in two just two weeks.

That way your fiance can come to Finland and start straight with everything. If he turns up and you then apply for the residence permit, he can't do anything. Seriously, nothing. No work, no healthcare, no studying, nothing.

Do it right way, in America. It'll be better.

Since we don't fulfill the necessary ''2 years together'' and we're not married yet, we can't apply from US side first. We have to apply for it here in Finland after getting married through my local Police. (First time apply you go through local police instead of migri/embassy and just fill one additional paper and it's actually cheaper.)

I've just gotten real bad experiences from US Border control, they give you a hard time with really annoying questions and can send you straight back to whence you came from just from thinking you MIGHT stay illegally in the country.

As for fund's, i was told no income is needed from either side since we are applying on the base of family ties. They gave pretty straight forward instructions. ''Come here on a tourist visa if you even need one, go to the local registration office and get it done with and then just come to the local police station.'' The papers don't even need to be filled before hand, so you can fill it up with them if you're having troubles filling.

We've been together for over a year and i want everything go pretty much without a hassle.

tummansininen wrote: I would probably say with my best friend, since he has a return ticket. But it's really not a big deal worth stressing over if he tells them the truth, because you know how Finnish government officials are

Yeah pretty much Finnish police/government officials just wan't to get home and open that cold beer already and most likely know's how ''common sense'' works. It wouldn't be very easy/worth to live in Finland as illegal immigrant anyway.

tummansininen wrote:I did the same as you, asked all the questions over and over in case there might be a problem at entry (I had two non-EU kids with me without return tickets, we were planning to apply as residents based on family ties, and I sweated buckets in case they were refused entry - in my case I had to tell them our plans because there was really no other way to get them into the country apart from with me). But honestly it was so boring when the time actually came, the immigration guy was half asleep and looked totally bored.

I've been calling places like crazy to figure out even the slightest tiny bit of information. So even if they pull him to the ''question room'', i'm in the lobby waiting for him and he knows that, so they can confirm everything from me.

Flossy1978 · Post by **Flossy1978** » Fri Apr 10, 2015 11:05 am

Stop stressing.

It'll be alright.

Kössi K · Post by **Kössi K** » Fri Apr 10, 2015 6:01 pm

Yep, hubby had very similar experience with Finnish customs as tummansininen above. He was prepared to tell the officers that he's here on holiday to meet friends and such.. but customs dude was half asleep, looked at the passport, muttered about kangaroos and asked whether coming here on holiday or business. And then said welcome to Finland, and that was it.
So, they're really not as interested in anything as they usually are if you fly to the States, for example (having personal experience in flying over there for work).
Hubby had one stop in China, and second at London Heathrow before Helsinki, but they didn't ask anything.

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