Getting married in Finland

[Ollz]

Hello!

Me (a Finnish citizen) and my Filipina girlfriend want to get married in Finland once the visa services are opened again. We've been separated for 10 months now so we desperately want to see each other and get married in Finland. When we eventually apply for her to visit me here in Finland, should we honestly tell the reason of the trip (Getting married), or should we not mention it at all?

I'm asking this because i've heard some "horror stories" of the visa not being granted because of the person would not leave the country on the intended return date, even when the purpose of the visit has been to get married? I will be sponsoring her application. So, everyone who have knowledge of this and/or have got married in Finland, what did YOU say at your visa application? Is there anything else we should take into consideration? Thank you!

[empele10]

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[Maaria]

You can avoid the complexity of applying Finnish visa by ask her apply Shengen short term visa in another Schengen country. She should apply as a partner of you and submit documents of the proof of durable relationship. Also she has to submit some documents showing you will travel there also. The best scenario is if you travel to the Philippines and then she applied for a short term Schengen visa from another Schengen country to travel there with you. Both of you can go together to submit her application. Oh and she needs to also submit a copy of your passport and the embassy will want to see the original document during the appointment.

[betelgeuse]

The problem is that Finland doesn't have a fiancee visa.

Finland has a fiancee residence permit.

https://migri.fi/en/intimate-relationship

[empele10]

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[Ollz]

Thank you for the responses, everyone!

To clarify, she has not been to Finland (or outside PH for that matter) yet, and has not been married before. Getting married in other EU countries is possible too (although of course we prefer Finland), as the only thing we really care about is being able to process the RP in Finland, thus being together here for the processing already.

So, basically the options are applying at some another countries consulate/embassy, or applying at the Finnish consulate (once it re-opens ), and hoping for the best?

[betelgeuse]

The problem is that Finland doesn't have a fiancee visa.

Finland has a fiancee residence permit.

https://migri.fi/en/intimate-relationship

That's a different thing, not really an option for a couple who wanna meet here in Finland as soon as the Manila consulate/embassy is re-opened. "Expected processing time 5–8 months" for that residence permit....

You complained about the contradiction between Schengen visa rules and getting married in Finland. The residence permit does fill that cap so it needs to be included in a full analysis.

I do agree that the processing times should be shorter (for all types of permits really).

Also partner's income doesn't count and very few Filipinas can fulfill the income requirement of 1000 euros/month. Fiancee visa would be something that can be obtained in a reasonable amount of time and doesn't cost over 500 euros.

While partner's income doesn't count, the partner can give the money as a gift to the bank account of the applicant. The amount of money required can be lowered by applying for a shorter period than one year.

A residence permit currently has the added benefit that with it's easier to convince airlines to allow checking in.

[simplyann]

Finland has a fiancee residence permit.

https://migri.fi/en/intimate-relationship

That's a different thing, not really an option for a couple who wanna meet here in Finland as soon as the Manila consulate/embassy is re-opened. "Expected processing time 5–8 months" for that residence permit....

You complained about the contradiction between Schengen visa rules and getting married in Finland. The residence permit does fill that cap so it needs to be included in a full analysis.

I do agree that the processing times should be shorter (for all types of permits really).

Also partner's income doesn't count and very few Filipinas can fulfill the income requirement of 1000 euros/month. Fiancee visa would be something that can be obtained in a reasonable amount of time and doesn't cost over 500 euros.

While partner's income doesn't count, the partner can give the money as a gift to the bank account of the applicant. The amount of money required can be lowered by applying for a shorter period than one year.

A residence permit currently has the added benefit that with it's easier to convince airlines to allow checking in.

Empele10 is right that Finland has no fiancee visa. Applying for a visa in the grounds of intimate relationship is different from fiancee visa. Me and my partner who is now my husband tried to apply for this intimate visa before but one of the requirements is that we are living together (same house) for a certain period of time. Also, one of a friends has an experience in applying this intimate visa. She is living with her boyfriend here in Finland for years and sharing expenses but for whatever reason, the application got denied and so they decided to get married and got her RP with no hassle.

Tourist visa is clearly for tourist and need to show evidence that you have an intention to go back to your country. You can take a risk but once the immigration in the Philippines has a doubt of your real intention, they may offhold your GF at the airport and not let her travel to Finland. Or if immigration in Finland finds it out, she can be deported or worse, blaclisted for a certain years.

[empele10]

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[simplyann]

Tourist visa is clearly for tourist and need to show evidence that you have an intention to go back to your country. You can take a risk but once the immigration in the Philippines has a doubt of your real intention, they may offhold your GF at the airport and not let her travel to Finland. Or if immigration in Finland finds it out, she can be deported or worse, blaclisted for a certain years.

It is not a crime to get married during a visit on a tourist visa. Especially during these corona times it's just sad to realize how some countries have such a negative attitude towards people wanting to get married and live together after marriage.
A return flight ticket will always be needed when travelling with a Schengen visa and that proves that the intention is to return before the visa expires.

I didn't say that it is a crime to get married while on tourist visa. Of course they can do that if they are lucky enough that his GF will enter Finland without hassle from migri in PH and Finland. Retun flight ticket is a proof but not a strong proof. Come on, we can buy a ticket and cancelled it or not use it at all. The GF should have a strong proof that she will go back to her country. Husband of my cousin is an immigration officer in AU. Someone flew to AU and he fpund out that the girl has an intention to get married there. She was deported and possible ban of entering AU for 3yrs. But of course, every country has their own rule. But I heard many times story about getting married while on tourist visa. They can do it, no one is stopping them to do so. But doing the right thing and getting the right visa won't hurt too.

[empele10]

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[empele10]

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[simplyann]

I didn't say that it is a crime to get married while on tourist visa. Of course they can do that if they are lucky enough that his GF will enter Finland without hassle from migri in PH and Finland. Retun flight ticket is a proof but not a strong proof. Come on, we can buy a ticket and cancelled it or not use it at all. The GF should have a strong proof that she will go back to her country. Husband of my cousin is an immigration officer in AU. Someone flew to AU and he fpund out that the girl has an intention to get married there. She was deported and possible ban of entering AU for 3yrs. But of course, every country has their own rule. But I heard many times story about getting married while on tourist visa. They can do it, no one is stopping them to do so. But doing the right thing and getting the right visa won't hurt too.

But that's the point, there is no right visa for this kind of thing if wanting to get married here in Finland. Applying for a "Residence permit on the basis of intimate relationship" will take 5-9 months currently, and it is much harder to get anyway than a visa, I think.

Even if that residence permit was possible to obtain, do you suggest that people who have already been separated from their loved ones for 7-10 months because of corona should wait additional 5-9 months more after the Manila mission opens? Currently it's still closed and no word when it's going to open.

I think you didn't read my first comment? I don't think it is possible for them to apply for intimate relationship visa. I don't know their current situation but applying for that kind of visa requires that they are living together for a certain period of time. Meaning, they are under the same roof which I assume they are not because as per statement, the girl wants to travel here and get married.
Also, as I have said, they can take the risk of getting a tourist visa and get married. If they are lucky and didn't get any hassle from PH and Finland immigration - good for them.. If they get caught for whatever reason - be prepared for the consequence. Just be extra careful when the girl travels here. But I will still stand with what I said - returning flight ticket is not a strong proof that someone will go back home before visa expires.

[FinlandGirl]

Also partner's income doesn't count and very few Filipinas can fulfill the income requirement of 1000 euros/month. Fiancee visa would be something that can be obtained in a reasonable amount of time and doesn't cost over 500 euros.

While partner's income doesn't count, the partner can give the money as a gift to the bank account of the applicant.

The amount would be high enough that it has to be declared to Vero and gift tax paid.

[betelgeuse]

Also partner's income doesn't count and very few Filipinas can fulfill the income requirement of 1000 euros/month. Fiancee visa would be something that can be obtained in a reasonable amount of time and doesn't cost over 500 euros.

While partner's income doesn't count, the partner can give the money as a gift to the bank account of the applicant.

The amount would be high enough that it has to be declared to Vero and gift tax paid.

The recipient wouldn't be Finnish tax resident.