PhD Studies and 'A' permit extension

[uhri85]

Hello everyone!

At the moment I have an 'A' permit that lasts for four years (still valid for three years from now). Before this I had an 'A' permit for one year and even before that I had student 'B' permit for six years. I fulfill all requirements for a Finnish citizenship, but I am not going for that because doing so would mean losing my native citizenship.

Now I have been accepted to do a PhD in a Finnish university and will be starting in the spring. I might get some funding (not probably a salary) and financing my education is not a problem anyway because I have savings and can always work part-time in my current work place. My questions are:

1. Will I be able to apply for a 'P' permit at the end of this four year 'A' permit period, even if I am not employed full-time? In principle I will have lived 5 years in A permit and 6 years in student permit by then, but I might not have a full-time job then.
2. Have you got any experience with MELA payments? Why do PhD students normally pay that, what's the benefits?

[Beep_Boop]

1. Will I be able to apply for a 'P' permit at the end of this four year 'A' permit period, even if I am not employed full-time? In principle I will have lived 5 years in A permit and 6 years in student permit by then, but I might not have a full-time job then.

A P permit is granted on the same basis upon which your 4-year A permit was given, as long as the same basis is still valid.
Meaning, if your 4-year permit was granted based on a part-time work, and you're still doing your part-time work, then you're eligible for the P permit. Same thing with family ties.

[betelgeuse]

Hello everyone!

At the moment I have an 'A' permit that lasts for four years (still valid for three years from now). Before this I had an 'A' permit for one year and even before that I had student 'B' permit for six years. I fulfill all requirements for a Finnish citizenship, but I am not going for that because doing so would mean losing my native citizenship.

Now I have been accepted to do a PhD in a Finnish university and will be starting in the spring. I might get some funding (not probably a salary) and financing my education is not a problem anyway because I have savings and can always work part-time in my current work place. My questions are:

1. Will I be able to apply for a 'P' permit at the end of this four year 'A' permit period, even if I am not employed full-time? In principle I will have lived 5 years in A permit and 6 years in student permit by then, but I might not have a full-time job then.

You will need to satisfy renewal conditions for A permit when the P permit is processed.

https://www.finlex.fi/fi/laki/ajantasa/ ... 0301#L4P56

It's possible to satisfy means testing without full-time employment.

2. Have you got any experience with MELA payments? Why do PhD students normally pay that, what's the benefits?

http://www.mela.fi/en/grant-and-scholarship-recipients

PhD students on grants pay them because otherwise no pension would be accumulated from the grants.