Registration of Stay in Finland for  EU/ETA students

Are you coming to Finland because of your studies and you are from another EU/ETA country?

You can stay up to 3 months in Finland without registration of your stay. However, the sooner you register at Migri = Finnish Immigration Service and Maistraatti = Digital and Population Data services Agency, the sooner your life and other documentations handling becomes easier. As you are EU/ETA citizen, you do not need any visa, but you need Registration of right to residence.

NOTE: For the registration you need to fill the online application and book an appointment at Migri – plan this beforehand as soon as possible, as you might wait weeks for the appointment time available.

NOTE: If you are coming to Finland from a EU/ETA country to study but you also have some other ties to Finland such as work or family ties at the same time, different requirements may apply. You can find them on the website provided down below.

Registration at Migri

This is the official site you need to check-out: https://migri.fi/en/home

Detailed information for students and steps to follow can be found here: https://migri.fi/en/eu-citizen

Do you have any questions? Do not hesitate to contact us! We will do our best to help you!

Here is the summarized information of the registration process from the website:

When you have submitted your registration, you will receive a personal identity code and your stay in Finland will be legal. Even if you have registered your information in the Population Information System at a Local Register Office, you also need to apply for registration of your right of residence at the Finnish Immigration Service. (Maahanmuuttovirasto 2020.)

Process of registering the right of residence

  1. Submitting Application

Submit the registration request online in the e-service Enter Finland or with a paper application.

You need to submit the application yourself. Your employer or family member, for example, cannot apply for registration on your behalf.

After you have filled in an application, book an appointment at one of the service points of the Finnish Immigration Service:

  • If you have applied through the e-service, visit the Finnish Immigration Service to prove your identity and show the originals of the documents that you have attached to your application. If you submit your application through the e-service, pay for it there.
  • If you have filled in a paper application, bring it with you. Prove your identity and show the originals of the documents that you have attached to your application
  1. Processing of the application

·        The processing times for the registration of the right of residence of EU citizens and for residence cards for family members of an EU citizen are laid down in the Aliens Act.

·        The registration certificate shall be issued immediately after the EU citizen has provided a document showing that he or she fulfils the requirements for registration. A decision on a residence card application for a family member of an EU citizen will be made within six months of the application’s submission date. You may also use the Processing Time Checker to get an estimate on the remaining processing time of your application.

  1. Supplementing or cancelling your application

·        If you have submitted your application in the e-service and you need to supplement your application, do it in the e-service. If you have submitted a paper application and you need to supplement your application, do it by post or by bringing additional documents to an office or a service point of the Finnish Immigration Service during opening hours. Fill in a covering note and attach it to your additional documents. Read more on the page “Supplementing your application”.

·        You may cancel your application at any time during its processing. Read more on the page “Cancelling an application”.

  1. Decision and notification of decision

·        If you meet the requirements for registration, the Finnish Immigration Service will issue you a registration certificate. It will be given to you when you visit the Finnish Immigration Service. The certificate includes your name and address as well as the date of registration. If we are unable to give you a decision on your visit because some documents are missing, you will receive it later by post or in the e-service Enter Finland.

·        If you have applied for registration online, you will receive an email or a text message notification when a decision has been made.

·        The registration of your right of residence is valid until further notice. In other words, you do not have to extend the validity of the registration. When you have resided legally in Finland for a continuous period of five years, you have the right to permanent residence.

·        You will receive the registration certificate on paper. If you wish to have a Finnish identity card, you may apply for one from the police after the Finnish Immigration Service has registered your right of residence. Further information about applying for an identity card is available on the website of the Finnish police. Please notice that it is not obligatory to apply for an identity card. You may apply for one if you wish.

  1. Appeals

·        If you are not satisfied with the decision, the Finnish law gives you the right to appeal against the decision to an Administrative Court. Instructions on how to appeal will be attached to the decision.

·        The majority of decisions made by the Administrative Courts are subject to a fee. Contact an Administrative Court to find out more about court fees.

(Maahanmuuttovirasto 2020.)

Registration at Maistraatti

A foreign citizen living in Finland receives a personal identity code when he or she is registered in the Population Information System.

The main website of Digital and Population Data Service´s Agency is: https://dvv.fi/en/individuals

Check out this website for more information and important links: https://dvv.fi/en/foreigner-registration

Summarized information from the provided website:

Registration of personal data

Your personal data must be recorded in the Finnish Population Information System before a personal identification code can be given to you. The information in the Population Information System is available to the authorities. Some information is also disclosed to private parties. If you are registered in the Population Information System, the following information is always registered:

  • names, date of birth and gender
  • citizenship and mother tongue
  • address in Finland

Do the following

  • Complete the form titled the Registration information of a foreigner, preferably before the visit.

The registration information of a foreigner – Main form

  • When you request a personal identity code, bring the following documents with you:
    • your valid passport or EU citizen’s official identity card with a photograph
    • your residence permit card or some other proof that you have entered Finland legally
    • proof of work or studies performed in Finland (for example, an employment contract or a certificate of student status)
    • if necessary, the legalised, original and translated birth and marriage certificates and other official documents containing information that you would like the Digital and Population Data Services Agency to record in the Population Information System.

Personal identity code

  • If you have a residence permit or a residence card issued by the Finnish Immigration Service, or if the Finnish Immigration Service has registered your right of residence, you have usually been assigned a personal identity code. The code can then be found on the reverse side of the residence permit card. The same applies to other situations in which the Finnish Immigration Service has made some other positive decision concerning your stay in Finland. If you then want to register information about your family in the Population Information System or want to have a municipality of residence in Finland, contact the Digital and Population Data Services Agency and request registration or a municipality of residence. The Digital and Population Data Services Agency will then examine the preconditions for registration and your right to a municipality of residence.
  • If you are not a customer of the Finnish Immigration Service or have not been assigned a personal identity code in connection with a decision issued by the Finnish Immigration Service, visit the Digital and Population Data Services Agency to request a personal identity code. If you need a personal identity code for tax purposes, you can also request it at the tax office. However, in that case, you cannot be assigned a municipality of residence and it will not be possible to register information about your family.
  • To get a personal identity code, you must visit the authority in person. You cannot request a personal identity code electronically. All persons to be registered (including children) must visit the authority in person. The preconditions for registration will then be examined by the authority.

(Digital and Population Data Services Agency 2020.)

Sources:

Digital and Population Data Services Agency 2020. Registration of a foreigner in the Population Information System. URL: https://dvv.fi/en/foreigner-registration. Accessed: 5 November 2020

Digital and Population Data Services Agency 2020. Individuals. URL: https://dvv.fi/en/individuals. Accessed: 5 November 2020

Maahanmuuttovirasto 2020. Home. URL: https://migri.fi/en/home. Accessed: 5 November 2020

Maahanmuuttovirasto 2020. Registering and EU citizen´s right of residence. URL: https://migri.fi/en/eu-citizen. Accessed: 5 November 2020