Grandparents-Resident Permit

[Jhsjhs]

USA citizen’s now deceased Finnish grandparents immigrated as adults to USA. Would appreciate information on the process, time-frame & how to obtain a Residence Permit. What documents are needed? What are the perks &/or downsides of having this status? Thanks for any info!

[Upphew]

USA citizen’s now deceased Finnish grandparents immigrated as adults to USA. Would appreciate information on the process, time-frame & how to obtain a Residence Permit. What documents are needed? What are the perks &/or downsides of having this status? Thanks for any info!

www.migri.fi
Basically you need a reason for RP. Work, studies or family being the usual ones. Grandparents aren't family, especially if they are dead.

edit. perks? You can stay in Finland for the duration of the RP, you may work.

[betelgeuse]

USA citizen’s now deceased Finnish grandparents immigrated as adults to USA. Would appreciate information on the process, time-frame & how to obtain a Residence Permit. What documents are needed? What are the perks &/or downsides of having this status? Thanks for any info!

www.migri.fi
Basically you need a reason for RP. Work, studies or family being the usual ones. Grandparents aren't family, especially if they are dead.

edit. perks? You can stay in Finland for the duration of the RP, you may work.

They aren’t family for the purpose of a family permit but they are acceptable for an ancestry permit.

[Upphew]

USA citizen’s now deceased Finnish grandparents immigrated as adults to USA. Would appreciate information on the process, time-frame & how to obtain a Residence Permit. What documents are needed? What are the perks &/or downsides of having this status? Thanks for any info!

www.migri.fi
Basically you need a reason for RP. Work, studies or family being the usual ones. Grandparents aren't family, especially if they are dead.

edit. perks? You can stay in Finland for the duration of the RP, you may work.

They aren’t family for the purpose of a family permit but they are acceptable for an ancestry permit.

Thanks for reminder. I had forgotten this one: https://migri.fi/en/descendant-of-a-finnish-citizen

[xcskier]

A grandparent who was born in Finland is sufficient basis to gain a residence permit, I have just done it. Finnish Immigration website will have details, I don't have my records with me (I am currently in Finland). Quick advice: 1) you must visit one of the few embassies in U.S. that accept R.P. applications, I went to Los Angeles. For example, Seattle would have been much closer for me but that consulate does not take R.P. applications. 2) You will need to provide birth, marriage, and death certificates for yourself, both parents, and all 4 grandparents, AND THESE MUST BE APOSTILLE CERTIFIED. This is not just "official record from clerk of court", Apostle certified from U.S. requires that the vital records from the county clerk of court must then be certified by the respective secretary of state. I did not understand this and it needlessly added 6 weeks to my application time. 3) My visit to the Los Angeles embassy was in November 2018, I received my R.P. in June 2019. The R.P. will be sent ONLY to the embassy where you applied, you must then provide prepaid shipping label to the embassy to have it shipped to you, which can be done only in the U.S. (Or pick it up in person.) I asked to have the permit held for me in Helsinki and they would not do it. I then asked to have it shipped to me in Finland and they would not do that. It was quite an adventure.

[sijazme]

How long is the resident permit for? Expiration ?

[xcskier]

I don't know if you are asking this of me. My permit is good for 4 years but I am told it is certain to be renewed if I have spent most of those 4 years in Finland. Some Finns were amazed I got it for 4 years so apparently other permits can be for shorter periods.

[acutor]

2) You will need to provide birth, marriage, and death certificates for yourself, both parents, and all 4 grandparents, AND THESE MUST BE APOSTILLE CERTIFIED. This is not just "official record from clerk of court", Apostle certified from U.S. requires that the vital records from the county clerk of court must then be certified by the respective secretary of state.

My father's parents were both born in Finland, so I should be able to apply... but there's a small problem: His mother led, shall we say, an interesting life. She was married at least 4 times in the U.S., and vanished without a trace sometime after 1950. My dad has been trying to find out more about her, to no avail. So obviously there's no death certificate available for her, at least not yet.

Am I correct in assuming that even though we DO have complete info on my grandfather, any application would be rejected if it doesn't include all of the apostille'd paperwork for his wife (as well as my two U.S.-born grandparents) too?

Kiitos!

[betelgeuse]

2) You will need to provide birth, marriage, and death certificates for yourself, both parents, and all 4 grandparents, AND THESE MUST BE APOSTILLE CERTIFIED. This is not just "official record from clerk of court", Apostle certified from U.S. requires that the vital records from the county clerk of court must then be certified by the respective secretary of state.

My father's parents were both born in Finland, so I should be able to apply... but there's a small problem: His mother led, shall we say, an interesting life. She was married at least 4 times in the U.S., and vanished without a trace sometime after 1950. My dad has been trying to find out more about her, to no avail. So obviously there's no death certificate available for her, at least not yet.

Am I correct in assuming that even though we DO have complete info on my grandfather, any application would be rejected if it doesn't include all of the apostille'd paperwork for his wife (as well as my two U.S.-born grandparents) too?

I don’t see how a death certificate is relevant. You only need to provide the links to one grandparent.