Moving to Finland from US

[billio]

Hello,

We are moving (me, wife and 1 year old boy) to Finland in a few months. I am European citizen, can my wife (non-EU, non-US citizen) join me with Schengen visa and my son without need for visa as US citizen? Then we register ourselves inside Finland, right? Is a salary of 6000 euro gross good for all the family until my wife works? Does anybody has a shipping company to propose in case we want to move some boxes to Finland?

Thank you!

[rickx1234]

Hello,

We are moving (me, wife and 1 year old boy) to Finland in a few months. I am European citizen, can my wife (non-EU, non-US citizen) join me with Schengen visa and my son without need for visa as US citizen? Then we register ourselves inside Finland, right? Is a salary of 6000 euro gross good for all the family until my wife works? Does anybody has a shipping company to propose in case we want to move some boxes to Finland?

Thank you!

Do you mean you are EU citizen? For entering Schengen area or EU countries, EU citizens and certain foreign nationals do not need a visa (including US citizen). You wife MAY need a Schengen visa if she is a non-EU visa waiver national.

As you arrive at Finland, you can register in Finland as an EU citizen yourself but your wife and your son have to apply for a residence permit as family member of an EU citizen. You should read this before moving. https://migri.fi/en/i-am-an-eu-citizen- ... ily-member

[billio]

Thanks for the answer. Yes, I am EU citizen, my wife has Schengen visa for my home country. Thanks a lot, I will check the link.

[heretostay]

Much cheaper to check extra baggage than ship typically.

[FinlandGirl]

As you arrive at Finland, you can register in Finland as an EU citizen yourself but your wife and your son have to apply for a residence permit as family member of an EU citizen. You should read this before moving. https://migri.fi/en/i-am-an-eu-citizen- ... ily-member

This is not a residence permit.
The wife and son only have to have register their right to move to Finland as family members of an EU citizen.

This is not just nitpicking, there are huge differences like that they don't have to wait 9 months for a residence permit decision.

[FinlandGirl]

Is a salary of 6000 euro gross good for all the family until my wife works?

6000 Euro is a good salary in Finland, you won't be rich but won't have financial problems.

Does anybody has a shipping company to propose in case we want to move some boxes to Finland?

A cheap option for small amounts are regular parcels, the weight and size limits of large parcels usually cover moving boxes.
For larger amounts I would ask a removal company, they will also take care of the customs formalities.

[billio]

Thank you all for the answers. Based on the cost, considering that the company pays also an amount for relocation, we are looking to ship maybe 15-20 boxes, so extra luggage is not a solution, however, I have no idea yet about the cost, we asked a company and we are waiting for quote but I was wondering if someone has any experience.

[fintel]

Hello,

We are moving (me, wife and 1 year old boy) to Finland in a few months. I am European citizen, can my wife (non-EU, non-US citizen) join me with Schengen visa and my son without need for visa as US citizen? Then we register ourselves inside Finland, right? Is a salary of 6000 euro gross good for all the family until my wife works? Does anybody has a shipping company to propose in case we want to move some boxes to Finland?

Thank you!

Finland is very expensive, however, 6000 eur should cover a family with a moderate lifestyle. Wife needs a schengen visa. Child can come without a visa and stay for 90 days. During this time you must register your own "right of residence" as EU citizen and then apply for family member's right of residence. The right of residence is not a resident permit -- because a permit is explicit permission to stay. You have the right to be in Finland because of EU rules. You will be be applying for a residence card for the family members. Choose that option on the enterfinland website when the times comes. It would be helpful if you declare the citizenship country of your wife and yourself so I can give more appropriate answers here.

The weakest link here is the "mom" who is neither EU or US citizen so I would focus on getting her Finnish Citizenship in the future if the family wishes to stay in Finland long term. Also keep your petition in the USA alive as a family member to a US Child. It would be a great idea to have the US Dept of State notarize and apostille your birth and marriage certificates before you arrive in Finland because sometimes migri requires an apostille. You can contact the Finnish embassy in Washington for more details on this.

sanomat.was@formin.fi

[billio]

Finland is very expensive, however, 6000 eur should cover a family with a moderate lifestyle. Wife needs a schengen visa. Child can come without a visa and stay for 90 days. During this time you must register your own "right of residence" as EU citizen and then apply for family member's right of residence. The right of residence is not a resident permit -- because a permit is explicit permission to stay. You have the right to be in Finland because of EU rules. You will be be applying for a residence card for the family members. Choose that option on the enterfinland website when the times comes. It would be helpful if you declare the citizenship country of your wife and yourself so I can give more appropriate answers here.

The weakest link here is the "mom" who is neither EU or US citizen so I would focus on getting her Finnish Citizenship in the future if the family wishes to stay in Finland long term. Also keep your petition in the USA alive as a family member to a US Child. It would be a great idea to have the US Dept of State notarize and apostille your birth and marriage certificates before you arrive in Finland because sometimes migri requires an apostille. You can contact the Finnish embassy in Washington for more details on this.

sanomat.was@formin.fi

Thanks a lot. I am Greek and my wife is from Philippines. Yes, that would be the plan as my job is permanent if everything goes well. Question, is there a reason as EU citizen to want to become Finnish citizen? I mean, I have same rights either way, right? Our marriage certificate is from Singapore... long story, world exploring Maybe I will have to ask the Singapore embassy, just the situation is strange with the virus.

[fintel]

Finland is very expensive, however, 6000 eur should cover a family with a moderate lifestyle. Wife needs a schengen visa. Child can come without a visa and stay for 90 days. During this time you must register your own "right of residence" as EU citizen and then apply for family member's right of residence. The right of residence is not a resident permit -- because a permit is explicit permission to stay. You have the right to be in Finland because of EU rules. You will be be applying for a residence card for the family members. Choose that option on the enterfinland website when the times comes. It would be helpful if you declare the citizenship country of your wife and yourself so I can give more appropriate answers here.

The weakest link here is the "mom" who is neither EU or US citizen so I would focus on getting her Finnish Citizenship in the future if the family wishes to stay in Finland long term. Also keep your petition in the USA alive as a family member to a US Child. It would be a great idea to have the US Dept of State notarize and apostille your birth and marriage certificates before you arrive in Finland because sometimes migri requires an apostille. You can contact the Finnish embassy in Washington for more details on this.

sanomat.was@formin.fi

Thanks a lot. I am Greek and my wife is from Philippines. Yes, that would be the plan as my job is permanent if everything goes well. Question, is there a reason as EU citizen to want to become Finnish citizen? I mean, I have same rights either way, right? Our marriage certificate is from Singapore... long story, world exploring Maybe I will have to ask the Singapore embassy, just the situation is strange with the virus.

I would get the marriage certificate apostilled from the Singapore consulate in Washington DC to be on the safe side and then stamped by the Finnish embassy in Washington DC. The child birth certificate apostilled from the US Department of State.

Greece is in the EU but Finland is very remote country and provides a culture shock to most Europeans so it's better to completely adopt the new country in my opinion and learn the language. Applying for Finnish Citizenship in future is more important for the wife than it is for you.

What Is Grexit?

Grexit, an abbreviation for "Greek exit," refers to Greece's possible withdrawal from the eurozone, which made frequent news headlines from 2012 to 2015 and occasional news thereafter. The term first gained notoriety in early 2012 when many pundits, and even some Greek citizens, proposed that Greece leave the eurozone and return to the drachma as its currency instead of the euro. Some people believed this proposal would be a viable solution to the country’s debt crisis. Finland is among the cluster of countries open to a Grexit.

Why should you, your wife, and your son become Finnish Citizens?

I think it will make future travel, work and residence easier for all of you. Finland has a great relationship with USA and when your son turns 18 and wants to go to some university in California (hypothetical situation), the mum would be able to accompany the son with her Finnish passport because USA has visa waiver program for Finnish citizens, but with a Philippines passport this would be a little bit of a problem.

[billio]

Υes, i would need to call the Finland embassy to ask them. I assume as she has visa in US as my wife and same surname the marriage recognition not to be so difficult. Υes, the country is different, I have lived also on the other countries outside Europe and different, so language is the challenge and of course partially weather etc.

My family for sure makes sense to have citizenship, I was more wondering about myself for double EU citizenship. We did avoid the Grexit and became Brexit finally. Anyway, I will check that when I qualify though. Thanks for the answers!

[betelgeuse]

The weakest link here is the "mom" who is neither EU or US citizen so I would focus on getting her Finnish Citizenship in the future if the family wishes to stay in Finland long term. Also keep your petition in the USA alive as a family member to a US Child. It would be a great idea to have the US Dept of State notarize and apostille your birth and marriage certificates before you arrive in Finland because sometimes migri requires an apostille. You can contact the Finnish embassy in Washington for more details on this.

For Finnish residence purposes getting the right of permanent residence (eventually) as an EU family member is sufficient. Of course EU citizenship is nice, for example, for the free movement rights.

[FinlandGirl]

Question, is there a reason as EU citizen to want to become Finnish citizen? I mean, I have same rights either way, right?

Technically it is wrong in either direction.
Without citizenship you cannot vote in Finnish parliament and presidential elections.
Finnish citizenship is not strictly better, in some immigration situations in Finland you would be in a worse position with Finnish citizenship.
In practice there is not much difference for you, you are unlikely to encounter situations where it will matter for you.

For your wife it is clear that she should acquire Finnish citizenship in 5 years.
It does not make a real difference in Finland, but a Finnish passport might be better than a passport from the Philippines when moving or travelling elsewhere.

With additional Finnish citizenship your son will enjoy some time in the Finnish military.

[billio]

Thank you all. Ι understand, I don’t mind for the military service, I did my service in Greece, as long as it is mandatory, it’s ok. Thank you for the clarifications.

[FinlandGirl]

You can calculate your monthly costs with this cost of living calculator: <linkspam removed>
For a family of three, it may cost you about €3600 per month to live outside of the Greater Helsinki and €4430 to live in the Helsinki City Center, but these expenses may vary greatly depending on your family needs. So €6000 looks okay to live comfortably in Finland

Your cost of living calculator fails to deduct the income tax, or calculate social security benefits they are entitled to.