Could really use some visa advice/help

[nathan2061]

Hello, I'm wondering if anyone can help me about moving to Finland. I am from Australia.
I met my partner 4 years ago in Australia and we have been together ever since. He was here on a student visa and then when his student visa ended, he went to Bali for one month and in that time applied for a tourist visa to come back to Australia and then we would both mover abroad.
His tourist visa in Australia was refused, so he had no choice but to go back to Finland and I returned to Australia. I want to move to Finland to be with him. I know I can visit there for three months on a tourist visa (schengen visa) in a 180 day period (6 months) then have to leave.
If I apply for a spouse/resident visa here in Australia I can't travel to Finland until the decision has been made. which can take up to 4 months. I really don't want to wait that long.
My question is: If I go there and apply for either a spouse visa or residence permit visa in Finland and it takes more than three months to have a decision made can I still stay in Finland while it is pending or will I still have to leave after the 90 days? Do they have a bridging visa or similar like we do in Australia if you're on a visa and then apply for another or different visa?
He's only just arrived back in Finland after 4 years of being in Australia so he doesn't have any work yet and I saw they will ask for three months of bank statements to show your finances but doesn't really have any yet (He's only been back for four days so is just about to start the job hunt)
Can anyone tell me what the likelyhood of approval is taking into account our circumstances ( I obviously can't work in Finland until I have the residence permit or spouse permit) We don't even know what visa to apply for yet. I really hope I can first come on a tourist visa and then apply for the visa we decide and I can stay in the country while the visa processes?
Also I should add that I am 31 so I can't do a working holiday visa which would give me 12 months there as the cut off for working holiday is 30!!! 3 months too late
Thanks in advance to anyone that can help with any advice

[Upphew]

Hello, I'm wondering if anyone can help me about moving to Finland. I am from Australia.
I met my partner 4 years ago in Australia and we have been together ever since. He was here on a student visa and then when his student visa ended, he went to Bali for one month and in that time applied for a tourist visa to come back to Australia and then we would both mover abroad.
His tourist visa in Australia was refused, so he had no choice but to go back to Finland and I returned to Australia. I want to move to Finland to be with him. I know I can visit there for three months on a tourist visa (schengen visa) in a 180 day period (6 months) then have to leave.
If I apply for a spouse/resident visa here in Australia I can't travel to Finland until the decision has been made. which can take up to 4 months. I really don't want to wait that long.
My question is: If I go there and apply for either a spouse visa or residence permit visa in Finland and it takes more than three months to have a decision made can I still stay in Finland while it is pending or will I still have to leave after the 90 days? Do they have a bridging visa or similar like we do in Australia if you're on a visa and then apply for another or different visa?
He's only just arrived back in Finland after 4 years of being in Australia so he doesn't have any work yet and I saw they will ask for three months of bank statements to show your finances but doesn't really have any yet (He's only been back for four days so is just about to start the job hunt)
Can anyone tell me what the likelyhood of approval is taking into account our circumstances ( I obviously can't work in Finland until I have the residence permit or spouse permit) We don't even know what visa to apply for yet. I really hope I can first come on a tourist visa and then apply for the visa we decide and I can stay in the country while the visa processes?
Also I should add that I am 31 so I can't do a working holiday visa which would give me 12 months there as the cut off for working holiday is 30!!! 3 months too late
Thanks in advance to anyone that can help with any advice

Just to be clear: visa is for visiting, residence permit is for residing. Helps you find the info if you use proper terms. To get RP you need a reason. Usually that means either work, study or family. Is your partner Finn? Have you cohabited for two years? Have you looked at www.migri.fi ?

[nathan2061]

I would like to go there as soon as possible to be with my partner. To visit him, then reside/work there. I just needed help/advice on the best way to go about it. We would like to get married maybe? We lived together for three years in Australia and have al the documentation to prove that.

[HannahBanana]

You can apply for "other grounds" visa (cohabiting partners) but Migri has indirectly told me that the refusal rate on those is so high it's not even worth applying. I assume from your nickname that you're in a same sex relationship? That would not pose a problem, you can still get married and apply for a RP as a spouse of a Finnish citizen (if your spouse is a Finnish citizen). Mind you, having the impediments check done without visiting an Australian embassy in Finland is a pain in the ass, I should know, as me and my fiancé have been sending the required paperwork back and forth between Finland and the States. He had to wait literally all day at the Secretary of State's office to get an apostille for an affidavit he had to have notarised before that... So it's a plus if you enjoy paperwork as much as I do!

[rinso]

I would like to go there as soon as possible to be with my partner.

Don't concentrate on speed.If you use the wrong arguments/reason a rejection is quite possible. And that rejection might hamper the next (correct) application.
Just make sure you fulfil all the requirements before you apply.

[Kössi K]

You can apply for "other grounds" visa (cohabiting partners) but Migri has indirectly told me that the refusal rate on those is so high it's not even worth applying. I assume from your nickname that you're in a same sex relationship? That would not pose a problem, you can still get married and apply for a RP as a spouse of a Finnish citizen (if your spouse is a Finnish citizen). Mind you, having the impediments check done without visiting an Australian embassy in Finland is a pain in the ass, I should know, as me and my fiancé have been sending the required paperwork back and forth between Finland and the States. He had to wait literally all day at the Secretary of State's office to get an apostille for an affidavit he had to have notarised before that... So it's a plus if you enjoy paperwork as much as I do!

Just to point out somethign here regarding getting the impediments checks (CNI) and visiting an Australian embassy in Finland:
Yes, it is definitely a pain in the ass, especially as there is no Aus Embassy in Finland - the one in Helsinki is a mere Honorary Consulate. The embassy is actually in Stockholm, Sweden. The honorary consulate won't process the impediment checks (or other similar matters, like Au passports) but instead, the Embassy in Stockholm handles all that. They also suggested that we do that impediments check over there in person instead of trying to get a registered mail etc., as we didn't want to mail my spouse's passport (no copies were acceptable) there and back, registered or not, just didn't want to take any chances. And if I recall correctly, some papers would've needed apostille anyway (can't remember all that was required, but a lot of extra paperwork+money). It was easier to take a cruiser ship to Stockholm for the booked appointment at the Embassy instead. The people at the embassy were actually very helpful and things went smoothly. If go there in person, you do need to book an appointment well in advance, by calling them.
http://sweden.embassy.gov.au/stok/SA1.html

The general recommendation was that if you still are in Australia, you should go and get that CNI there instead (if planning to get married, that is, and time restrictions apply, like Finnish ones need to be max.4 months old, roughly similar applies to many other countries' certificates), it is a lot easier at your local offices.

Also, like other people pointed out in earlier replies about the cohabitation option, we also got told by Migri off the record, that the chances of getting a residence permit based on just cohabitation are very slim, even with proof (like co-signed rental agreements showing min. 2 years, and other paperwork). They recommended either getting married or other options, e.g. an RP based on work or studies.

[Kössi K]

My question is: If I go there and apply for either a spouse visa or residence permit visa in Finland and it takes more than three months to have a decision made can I still stay in Finland while it is pending or will I still have to leave after the 90 days? Do they have a bridging visa or similar like we do in Australia if you're on a visa and then apply for another or different visa?

As for this question, you should read migri's pages for more details, https://migri.fi/en/application-processing-stages , it says, for example, "If you were in Finland when you submitted your application, you may wait in Finland while your application is being processed. You may wait in Finland even if your visa-free period of residence ends or your visa expires while you are waiting."

[quillcentaur]

Also, like other people pointed out in earlier replies about the cohabitation option, we also got told by Migri off the record, that the chances of getting a residence permit based on just cohabitation are very slim, even with proof (like co-signed rental agreements showing min. 2 years, and other paperwork). They recommended either getting married or other options, e.g. an RP based on work or studies.

Hey,

Do you have more information on why the chances of getting residence permit based on "other grounds - intimate relationship" is very slim? Even if I follow all the requirements...? https://migri.fi/en/intimate-relationship

Thanks

[Kössi K]

The only extra info we got back then (several years ago), was that it's not very high in their priority list, as those cases of just intimate relationship can be hard to prove commitmentwise I guess, and they always like to get their hard proof, on paper, for everything. I'd imagine they feel it can be a loophole for getting a residence permit on grounds that may be untrue, or from their viewpoint, too 'weak' for actually needing to grant one.

That's the feeling I got from them when they mentioned this, and also from what I've read on this forum and elsewhere. They apparently don't really recommend it, as getting that permit based on 'weaker grounds' is not very certain at all, and more likely, will be denied. According to their answer, roughly that it is mostly considered in special cases only, on a case-by-case basis. How they determine which of those cases are special enough, or which ones tick all their boxes for validity, nobody knows.
Even if you feel you fulfill all their requirements and submit all info you can, they will still have the final say in it, based on previous experience and whichever proof they think is sufficient enough.

[Upphew]

The only extra info we got back then (several years ago), was that it's not very high in their priority list, as those cases of just intimate relationship can be hard to prove commitmentwise I guess, and they always like to get their hard proof, on paper, for everything. I'd imagine they feel it can be a loophole for getting a residence permit on grounds that may be untrue, or from their viewpoint, too 'weak' for actually needing to grant one.

Spouses have maintenance liability to each other. @#$% don't. Guess which they prefer to give RPs to?

[Kössi K]

The only extra info we got back then (several years ago), was that it's not very high in their priority list, as those cases of just intimate relationship can be hard to prove commitmentwise I guess, and they always like to get their hard proof, on paper, for everything. I'd imagine they feel it can be a loophole for getting a residence permit on grounds that may be untrue, or from their viewpoint, too 'weak' for actually needing to grant one.

Spouses have maintenance liability to each other. @#$% don't. Guess which they prefer to give RPs to?

Indeed. And I quite approve of the system that way, too.