Marriage/Other Living Questions

[Insert_Username_Here]

Hello! I am an American au pair in Finland. I am getting married to a Finnish citizen and will move to Finland after my au pairing has ended. I am young, and my family still lives in the states, so I have a few questions and would really appreciate it if someone answered them, as I am somewhat blind going into this. I have had some answers, but my fiance and I are not sure if they are correct, so we want to get another opinion.

Marriage Visa Questions:
1. On average, how long does the marriage visa take to process?
2. Do I have to go back to my country to pick up the visa/residence permit up, or can I just get it here?
3. Does having a work contract, where I have already been accepted for a job, make the marriage visa process happen faster or even the chance for acceptance more likely?
Other Questions:
4. After being an au pair, does my residency go directly to tourist visa, or do I have to go somewhere to notify?
5. Is there any way I can work (even in an unpaid job) without a work visa, while I wait for the marriage visa? I want to do this to make sure I have a job, since I have gotten potential opportunity offers, and so I can continue to build my savings for an apartment and not have to get a job in states for a very short amount of time and then have to quit so I can come back and be with my husband and work here.
6. Do you think it’s worth buying or renting an apartment? What is a good size apartment for a couple who will spend most of their time in it?

Thanks so much for the help! Hopefully it is all good news.

[Upphew]

Hello! I am an American au pair in Finland. I am getting married to a Finnish citizen and will move to Finland after my au pairing has ended. I am young, and my family still lives in the states, so I have a few questions and would really appreciate it if someone answered them, as I am somewhat blind going into this. I have had some answers, but my fiance and I are not sure if they are correct, so we want to get another opinion.

Marriage Visa Questions:
1. On average, how long does the marriage visa take to process?
2. Do I have to go back to my country to pick up the visa/residence permit up, or can I just get it here?
3. Does having a work contract, where I have already been accepted for a job, make the marriage visa process happen faster or even the chance for acceptance more likely?
Other Questions:
4. After being an au pair, does my residency go directly to tourist visa, or do I have to go somewhere to notify?
5. Is there any way I can work (even in an unpaid job) without a work visa, while I wait for the marriage visa? I want to do this to make sure I have a job, since I have gotten potential opportunity offers, and so I can continue to build my savings for an apartment and not have to get a job in states for a very short amount of time and then have to quit so I can come back and be with my husband and work here.
6. Do you think it’s worth buying or renting an apartment? What is a good size apartment for a couple who will spend most of their time in it?

Thanks so much for the help! Hopefully it is all good news.

1. Visa is for visiting, up to three months. Residence permit is for residing. http://www.migri.fi/services/processing ... ties_16582
2. http://www.migri.fi/services/faq/residence_permits 11.
3. No.
4. American as in USofA? Visa waiver, you don't need visa. After the RP based on au pairing expires, you can stay here for 90 days, as per visa waiver program. Working before you get the RP based on work or family ties... check the migri and/or police before you commit to it.
5. Iirc you can continue to work even with expired RP while waiting for renewal, but au pair has restrictions, so... see 5.
6. Location, location, location. Couple staying home a lot... better have enough space so you don't need to see each other all the time.

[betelgeuse]

3. No.

There's a legal maximum of processing work based applications at four months. If your local police is processing family applications slower than this, then applying based primarily on work can be faster.

5. Iirc you can continue to work even with expired RP while waiting for renewal, but au pair has restrictions, so... see 5.

In addition:

http://www.migri.fi/working_in_finland/ ... nce_permit

[Rip]

6. Do you think it’s worth buying or renting an apartment?

You really have to decide it yourself (also see what you can afford), but traditionally if you been well-off enough to be looking for rentals on the fee market, buying your own has made sense in the long term.

[Pursuivant]

There isn't such thing as a "marriage visa" in Finland, only mastercard You say you are an au pair at present in Finland, so you have some sort of a resident permit. Fine, so to get married you need to make an appointment at the US embassy to get a sworn affidavit that you are single, then you two go to the maistraatti, get the "research" done (takes a week) and then the registrar can marry you two. After the marriage you then apply for a residence permit on "family ties", providing your au-pair permit's been valid and you are legally in the country. Otherwise it gets messy.

[Insert_Username_Here]

Thanks everyone!

You say you are an au pair at present in Finland

Isn't that au-pair means ones who works for free like looking after kids/elderly and gets the free accommodation and food in return?

I get paid a low amount each month plus free room and board, unless i want like special food or something.

There isn't such thing as a "marriage visa" in Finland, only mastercard You say you are an au pair at present in Finland, so you have some sort of a resident permit. Fine, so to get married you need to make an appointment at the US embassy to get a sworn affidavit that you are single, then you two go to the maistraatti, get the "research" done (takes a week) and then the registrar can marry you two. After the marriage you then apply for a residence permit on "family ties", providing your au-pair permit's been valid and you are legally in the country. Otherwise it gets messy.

Thanks. Ya I did all that. The reading, proof I'm not married to anyone, background check, reservation, etc.