best option for getting your family to stay with you

[sandeepb]

Hi,

If I were to take up a job in Finland, I believe I would need a "long term" residence/work permit.
Just wanted to check if I can apply for a similar kind of permit for my family while applying for myself. But now here is a question: Who all would my "family" include according to Finnish laws? Just my spouse & child or even my parents?
In case it is difficult to get a permit for my parents, what is the other option that I have to get them to stay with me? Is there some kind of a multiple entry long term VISA?

Please advice.

Thanks and regards,
SB

[Hank W.]

if you read the http://www.uvi.fi pages on "family" it is for non-EU nationals your spouse and children that are "family". Parents get into the picture only after you're a Finnish citizen.

[sandeepb]

Yeah. I thought so

So is the tourist VISA the only option? and is there a limit to how many times one can apply for the tourist VISA in an year?

Regards,
Sandeep

[Hank W.]

If you look at the post on Decision from "Directorate of Immigration" of Finland "foreigner" is going through the exact same situation. Maybe you could ask him how it works out.

[sy]

My understanding is that parents get into the picture only after you're a Finnish citizen and *you're moving to another EU member state*.

I have friends whose mother can visit Finland visa-free. She usually comes here to stay 3 months, goes back to her country for 3 months. So I guess for a visa, probably it's allowed to stay in Finland for 3 months within a period of 6 months. Not so sure, though.

[Ema]

In finnish law, your husband and your children will be the only one qualify for family tie. It is the same difficult even if you are a finnish citizen.

For your parents, let's say it is just impssible. We have tried, we called uvi first ask for suggestion, they answered that we can try to apply for it and see how it goes. Then we did apply, paid for it, called again, they said that there has almost never one case succeed. So, the answer is 99% NO...

Unfortunate, but it is the reality. By the way, we are not EU citizen. My parents applied outside Finland. When the embassy saw the application, they strongly suggested my parents to think again, 'Cause the application fee is a lot, and they have never see anyone get it.

[sandeepb]

Thanks folks.

It seems the option of being able to stay 3 months in a 6 month period on a tourist VISA is the best one.
I also got to know that there is a multientry VISA that is valid for 1 year, but even that has a clause of staying not more than 90 days in a period of 6 months.

Thanks,
SB