Family ties RP RU-FI couple
Family ties RP RU-FI couple
We're a Russian-Finnish couple. Online contact for 5 months. Spent 1 month living together in Russia when we started dating. The Finnish part came there with a 1 year visa, thus it was like "living together as a tourist". It is difficult for us to visit each other frequently, because both of us have low income and the Russian part is living with parents and working (thus constraints with time for visiting Finland and constraints with accommodation in Russia). This 1 month was a special case. Russian part came to Finland on a guest visa for 2 weeks and we got married, because we want to move together and start a family. We did not write the purpose of the stay as marriage in the visa invitation, because the purpose of the trip was also first to see how well the Russian part would feel at home in Finland. However, as the Russian part doesn't have that many holidays to visit Finland, we thought that it is good to use this time efficiently and get married. We're a young couple with basically no age difference, also no criminal records or other things that might raise questions.
Now we want to apply for an RP through the Finnish embassy for the Russian part, but after reading some experiences it occured to us that this might lead into big problems. Basically the worry that they might suspect our marriage is fake, because of a short dating time (3 months) prior to marriage. This can even lead into expensive penalties or time in jail for the Finnish part?
Has anyone been in a similar situation? Some questions:
- Should we just go forward with it and tell them the situation like it is?
- Can it lead into serious problems if they interpret we are not genuine or simply just into the RP being denied?
- Are the embassy employees more gentle than the local police and how are potential interviews conducted if we are living in 2 different countries?
- Should we wait for a while and continue visiting each other seldomly as "tourists"?
Any advice on our situation would be much appreciated...
Now we want to apply for an RP through the Finnish embassy for the Russian part, but after reading some experiences it occured to us that this might lead into big problems. Basically the worry that they might suspect our marriage is fake, because of a short dating time (3 months) prior to marriage. This can even lead into expensive penalties or time in jail for the Finnish part?
Has anyone been in a similar situation? Some questions:
- Should we just go forward with it and tell them the situation like it is?
- Can it lead into serious problems if they interpret we are not genuine or simply just into the RP being denied?
- Are the embassy employees more gentle than the local police and how are potential interviews conducted if we are living in 2 different countries?
- Should we wait for a while and continue visiting each other seldomly as "tourists"?
Any advice on our situation would be much appreciated...
Re: Family ties RP RU-FI couple
Not a legal expert, but I don't think there is any law that tells you when you should marry and when you shouldn't as long as you are adult. It's your life, you decide who/when to marry. Maximum they will deny your application.petteri88 wrote: - Can it lead into serious problems if they interpret we are not genuine or simply just into the RP being denied?
I don't think you need to worry about such things unless you have really done something beyond the laws.
Re: Family ties RP RU-FI couple
You are right that your situation might raise eyebrows at immigration. But they will also understand the limitations of young people with low income.petteri88 wrote:We're a Russian-Finnish couple. Online contact for 5 months. Spent 1 month living together in Russia when we started dating. The Finnish part came there with a 1 year visa, thus it was like "living together as a tourist". It is difficult for us to visit each other frequently, because both of us have low income and the Russian part is living with parents and working (thus constraints with time for visiting Finland and constraints with accommodation in Russia). This 1 month was a special case. Russian part came to Finland on a guest visa for 2 weeks and we got married, because we want to move together and start a family. We did not write the purpose of the stay as marriage in the visa invitation, because the purpose of the trip was also first to see how well the Russian part would feel at home in Finland. However, as the Russian part doesn't have that many holidays to visit Finland, we thought that it is good to use this time efficiently and get married. We're a young couple with basically no age difference, also no criminal records or other things that might raise questions.
Now we want to apply for an RP through the Finnish embassy for the Russian part, but after reading some experiences it occured to us that this might lead into big problems. Basically the worry that they might suspect our marriage is fake, because of a short dating time (3 months) prior to marriage. This can even lead into expensive penalties or time in jail for the Finnish part?
Has anyone been in a similar situation? Some questions:
- Should we just go forward with it and tell them the situation like it is?
- Can it lead into serious problems if they interpret we are not genuine or simply just into the RP being denied?
- Are the embassy employees more gentle than the local police and how are potential interviews conducted if we are living in 2 different countries?
- Should we wait for a while and continue visiting each other seldomly as "tourists"?
Any advice on our situation would be much appreciated...
It will all depend on the income situation of the Finnish partner. ( enough income for the two of you. furthermore a temporary or 0-hour contract is not good.)
Re: Family ties RP RU-FI couple
No. The worst that can happen is that your application is rejected. You may appeal or reapply. Longer your relationship lasts, the stronger your case gets (assuming you try to keep contact as much as reasonably possible).This can even lead into expensive penalties or time in jail for the Finnish part
I suggest you stick to the truth. If authorities notice you have lied, you've made it harder to get your application accepted.
Quite possibly there will be no interview (or only for a court if you get rejected and you appeal the rejection.)
Re: Family ties RP RU-FI couple
Thanks for your replies!
As I understood, income is not a requirement in the case of a marriage, but apparently they have different rules at the immigration? Can future motivations help? Finnish part doesn't have occupational education as of yet, so this is an obstacle.rinso wrote:It will all depend on the income situation of the Finnish partner. ( enough income for the two of you. furthermore a temporary or 0-hour contract is not good.)
Re: Family ties RP RU-FI couple
A limited income/contract can lead more easily to a conclusion of a fake marriage. (it's not 1 on 1 but it might trigger the bias from the person handling your case)petteri88 wrote:Thanks for your replies!As I understood, income is not a requirement in the case of a marriage, but apparently they have different rules at the immigration? Can future motivations help? Finnish part doesn't have occupational education as of yet, so this is an obstacle.rinso wrote:It will all depend on the income situation of the Finnish partner. ( enough income for the two of you. furthermore a temporary or 0-hour contract is not good.)
Hmm, this looks like a couple aiming for free welfare money. He, not living together and knowing each other only 3 months,.....lets call it a fake marriage. Problem solved.
Re: Family ties RP RU-FI couple
Actually the application asks nothing about income. Only the occupation title of the applicant. So I guess this is something that would come up in the possible interview - unless they will do some digging beforehand. I suppose it's better to just provide answers + attachments to what is being asked until further questioning?rinso wrote:A limited income/contract can lead more easily to a conclusion of a fake marriage. (it's not 1 on 1 but it might trigger the bias from the person handling your case)Hmm, this looks like a couple aiming for free welfare money. He, not living together and knowing each other only 3 months,.....lets call it a fake marriage. Problem solved.
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Re: Family ties RP RU-FI couple
I don't think you could have just decided to get married during your Russian's two week visit. Getting married takes time, even at the registry, documents, a time agreed to, etc.
Anyway, good luck. It'll be fine.
Anyway, good luck. It'll be fine.
Re: Family ties RP RU-FI couple
Thanks for all the encouragement! We'll start the process soon and hope for the best. We'll live together eventually

The decision to marry was actually made online between the 2 visits and all the paperwork was started well in time. Yet at the same time we wanted to make sure that the Russian part feels comfortable in the new home as it was also the first visit there, so the decision was like 90% sure. We wanted to leave it a bit open, so the purpose of the visa was just "a visit".Flossy1978 wrote:I don't think you could have just decided to get married during your Russian's two week visit. Getting married takes time, even at the registry, documents, a time agreed to, etc.
Re: Family ties RP RU-FI couple
I'm almost in the same situation. Check pm.petteri88 wrote:Thanks for all the encouragement! We'll start the process soon and hope for the best. We'll live together eventually
The decision to marry was actually made online between the 2 visits and all the paperwork was started well in time. Yet at the same time we wanted to make sure that the Russian part feels comfortable in the new home as it was also the first visit there, so the decision was like 90% sure. We wanted to leave it a bit open, so the purpose of the visa was just "a visit".Flossy1978 wrote:I don't think you could have just decided to get married during your Russian's two week visit. Getting married takes time, even at the registry, documents, a time agreed to, etc.
Re: Family ties RP RU-FI couple
Wife applied for the rp in September. We got some additional questions by mail a week ago and the rp arrived today, hooray!
That was all there was to it in our case.

Re: Family ties RP RU-FI couple
petteri88 wrote:Wife applied for the rp in September. We got some additional questions by mail a week ago and the rp arrived today, hooray!That was all there was to it in our case.

congrats
