How to apply for visit visa ? Requirements and procedure

[Rodwen]

• You can't leave Finland or go anywhere whilst waiting for a decision on your application because they take your passport. If your application takes longer than expected you can expect to be 'grounded' and unable to travel for a ridiculously long period of time.

Not true. When you apply for the permit, they look at the passport and take copies of it, but they do not take it.

At least that was the case for us.

[browndude]

I dont have any other account on this forum. I am new here and right now, also on two other forums.

OK, my bad, there was another Pakistani guy with a Finnish wife asking very similar questions regarding residence permits just a few days ago (although, that person was already in Finland on a tourist visa I think). Anyway, I would suggest that you wait till your marriage is fully registered in Finland and then you may apply for a visit visa based on the fact that your spouse is a Finnish citizen. For this, you do not need to show any funds or, proof of medical insurance or anything like that. But be warned that you should plan to have some form of private insurance for when you arrive in Finland-it is not required but it is prudent to have it. Getting the visit visa It is pretty straightforward, getting the residence permit is more complicated.

[Kutittaa]

@ Kutittaa I understand all what you said and know all these things. But yet, like i said, i will apply from finland and my application will not be denied.

Anyone will tell you that's a really bad mind frame. Especially seeing as there are other people on the forums who are talking about appealing their rejection. The way you should be approaching this is with the mindset that you WILL be rejected. In life you always prepare for the worst and hope for the best. NEVER the other way around. You can only hope that you do not fall into the same category as others have in being denied. No matter how much of a 'special case' you think your application might be, and how 'perfect' you think it will be written out or that your wife knows absolutely everything, it doesn't mean anything in the scheme of things. When you apply for residency you fall into the same 'fair' category as everyone else with an even chance of being accepted or denied. There have only been the smallest, of small cases in which 'special circumstances' have been taken into account for applications here. Thinking that 'Everything will be ok, I will just walk into Finland, learn the language. I don't need insurance, and I wont even consider that my application could be denied' could have serious ramifications. The rest of the members here have told others the same story many times before. But that's the end of my 2 cents.

• You can't leave Finland or go anywhere whilst waiting for a decision on your application because they take your passport. If your application takes longer than expected you can expect to be 'grounded' and unable to travel for a ridiculously long period of time.

Not true. When you apply for the permit, they look at the passport and take copies of it, but they do not take it.

At least that was the case for us.

I beg to differ, it was a prerequisite of my application that they have my passport. How are they supposed to give you your residency permit sticker/stamp rofl if they don't have your passport on hand also? Friends of mine I have discussed immigration with said the same thing, we all reminisced about how annoying it was that we couldn't skip over to Sweden and go and watch the hockey because we were 'grounded' in Finland without passports. What you say makes absolutely no sense at all.

[Rodwen]

Well, my aus hubby has his passport in his closet and he's still waiting for his permit, so...
Once the decision is made they want the passport to put the permit in.

[Rip]

My experience is same as Rowden's. I'd say it is nonsensical the way they apparently do the things up there in the north.

[Abe]

@ Kutittaa

I dont know how and why people think that applying from outside country is best option and applying within finland is not a good option. Well let me tell you, applying from finland is as legal as applying outside of finland. no option from these two has good impact or bad impact. If there is reason of deny, the application will be denied even it was applied from outside of finland and if there is no reason to deny, application will be approved from within finaland too. Immigration tells itself that ''spouse of finnish citizen can enter finland without residence permit applied in advance'' and they themselves give both options that you can apply from outside or inside. People who handle all this and make decisions, they dont make any discrimination wether application was from finland or outside then why other people do so!

There is only ONE bad point about applying from finland and that is, as long as application in process, you cant work and no social or kela benifits etc. so people who can deal with that, there is no wrong to apply from finland.

so, if there is a reason of deny, Application will be denied no matter from where it was applied. end of story.




And yes, they only see the passport and take copies. original passport stays with the applicant and once permit decided, they call applicant and ask him to visit along with the passport so that they paste the sticker.

[Rip]

There is only ONE bad point

While I am otherwise in complete agreement with everything you wrote, I think second bad point (for some nationalities) is shown by the title of this thread. You apply twice to get two separate documents (first visa, then residence permit). If the visa application takes time this could be significant, right?

Third bad point at least used to be (a couple of years ago), that the place with largest number of applicants, Helsinki police, was also very slow. I've got the impression from this board that this perhaps is not the case any more.

[rinso]

@ Kutittaa
i will apply from finland and my application will not be denied. I know my case and my plan.

You are convinced everything will work out fine and therefore you don't need a plan B.
But not having a plan B when it concerns Finland is not the smartest move. This forum contains many stories about unexpected failure. And since people don't like to talk about there failure, the misery is probably much bigger.
You talked about the work attitude in the embassy. Remember that it is not the primary task of the police to hand out residence permits. They are stuck with it because people don't follow the recommended route. It can certainly influence their attitude and decisions.

[Rip]

because people don't follow the recommended route

Regarding family member's of Finnish citizens, applying from Finland was the intended primary route when the current Aliens Act was written (even if I am not convinced that it is always the best route)

[dev]

There is only ONE bad point about applying from finland and that is, as long as application in process, you cant work and no social or kela benifits etc. so people who can deal with that, there is no wrong to apply from finland.

And that's the very reason why people who have gone through the procedure suggest that. If you browse the old threads on this forum, you will find that some people had to wait even for an year to get the residence permit. Think, wasting one year of your life! If that doesn't mean anything to you and you are cool to spend roughly 700€/month, its your choice. Also, in case of any sickness or accident you have to bear all expenses. + You can't travel out of the country when your application is in process (of course you can exit the country, but not enter again if you don't have valid visa).

If you apply from your home country, you can continue studying or work and move once you get the residence permit.

[Upphew]

because people don't follow the recommended route

Regarding family member's of Finnish citizens, applying from Finland was the intended primary route when the current Aliens Act was written (even if I am not convinced that it is always the best route)

So they cut the funding of police and add more tasks to them... has there been some sneaky bastard sabotaging flowerhatties master plan?

[Kutittaa]

@ Kutittaa I dont know how and why people think that applying from outside country is best option and applying within finland is not a good option.

I just told you some of the pros and cons. Do you honestly not understand why one is 'better' than the other? It's not about is 'better' or 'worse'. That's not the right word in this situation.

While some of the things you say are true, you're talking like you know how the entire procedure will go out. When you don't. No one does, no one execpt the Police Department and Migri knows how your application will end up. To speak like you know exactly what is going to happen isn't the smartest course of action.

While there very well might be nothing to worry about, and everything will go fine. There could be just as much chance that you are denied and face the same prediciment as other members of this forum. Like rinso said, many people who face denial aren't ones to speak of their issues so the real truth could be that there are a LOT more people than you think that get denied.

Finland also isn't obligated to just take EVERY person that presents an application. No country is obligated to do so.. they are obligated to conform with the immigration standards they are a part of, but they are also obligated to their own laws and freedom of choice in immigration to an extent.

What I am saying is that I don't want you to taint other members here with a clouded sense of security that everything will go smoothly when in all honestly 'reality' can be far less kind.

Remember that you came here to ask questions. If you already know all the answers and what is going to happen to your application why have you come here to ask these questions in the first place? If you know how all applications will proceed could you please tell me what will happen to my friend, if he will get residency here or if he will be sent away? Obviously my friend has nothing to worry about at all then from the way you say things.

The only way a denial can be an even worse situation is if you do not plan for it, and work out a Plan B like rinso said. It will just make the situation far more detrimental. When it comes to these things NOTHING is certain. You can quite easily see that by searching through some old threads. You are on the side of people who HAVEN'T yet submitted their application. You can only guess. I come from the side of HAVING submitted my application, having waited the rediculously long time it took to get an answer. As well as discussing the outcome with many others who were/are in the same boat. All you can do is speculate, regardless of anything until you have submitted your application and then receive an answer.

If this is the path you wish to take, then so be it. I just don't want others to blindly think the same way.

And yes, they only see the passport and take copies. original passport stays with the applicant and once permit decided, they call applicant and ask him to visit along with the passport so that they paste the sticker.

And you know this how? You haven't yet even submitted your application... this is what I mean when I say you're speaking like you know how the whole thing will pan out. They don't just keep the stickers 'lyring around' in a box they're uniquely generated...

My experience is same as Rowden's. I'd say it is nonsensical the way they apparently do the things up there in the north.

How are you supposed to get your hologram 'residency sticker' put onto your passport that proves you have the right to be employed if they don't have your passport? The police station wouldn't accept a photocopy of my passport here regardless that I am from a low-risk country. I also haven't heard of anyone who was able to give them a copy or let them take a copy. One of the warnings in other places I have read is to not plan any overseas travel because you can expect to be grounded.

[interleukin]

@ Kutittaa You are very knowledgeable about all things immigration considering that you have been a member of this forum for two days. It really gives respect and shows that you've seen it all and are able to give useful information to people.

I personally know of a person who kept her passport while things were being processed, I am sure there are examples of people having to hand in their passports.

You need to get out more.

[Kutittaa]

@ Kutittaa You are very knowledgeable about all things immigration considering that you have been a member of this forum for two days. It really gives respect and shows that you've seen it all and are able to give useful information to people.

I personally know of a person who kept her passport while things were being processed, I am sure there are examples of people having to hand in their passports.

You need to get out more.

*Sigh* I never said that I know a lot about the procedure or that I am entirely correct. If you even bothered to read any of my posts you'd see that I am only suggesting that the OP work out a Plan B. I don't see you telling 'rinso' the same thing when he's doing the same, though wording it differently.

I'm merely asking how it's possible to get through getting your permit without having to give away one of your most important pieces of identification and possibly your only travel document. So in the future I can tell other friends of mine who are going to go through the same thing that they don't have to hand their passports over.

I personally know of a person who kept her passport while things were being processed, I am sure there are examples of people having to hand in their passports.

Well obviously it seems that way from what everyone else is posting on the forums, but that isn't to say and discredit that myself and many others HAVE had their passports taken. So it can go both ways.

Besies how long I have been a member here has absolutely nothing to do with the level of credibility in my advice. I don't look at your account and see "Wow he's wasted almost 6 years here I'm sure he knows everything" no one in their right mind takes the time you have been a member on the forum as a measurement on how correct you are when you state something. So something is 'less correct' when it comes from the mouth of someone who hasn't been a member of the forums as long as someone like you have?

Oh lawd!

[Rip]

How are you supposed to get your hologram 'residency sticker' put onto your passport that proves you have the right to be employed if they don't have your passport? The police station wouldn't accept a photocopy of my passport here regardless that I am from a low-risk country. I also haven't heard of anyone who was able to give them a copy or let them take a copy. One of the warnings in other places I have read is to not plan any overseas travel because you can expect to be grounded.

Well, I have been personally present when my wife submitted her RP application, seen the passport being copied and given back, seen the said passport used as ID paper in Finland and for travel abroad (within three months from first arrival, I would not recommend anybody from doing the same afterwards) and finally seen the letter from the police stating that they would now need to have the actual passport so they can attach the sticker into it when the application had finally been processed.

Place: Helsinki, Malmi, where they must process more foreigner permits than any other police station in the country.
OK?