Prepare your arrival in Finland

1. Find out from the Application Finder of the Finnish Immigration Service what the right residence permit is.Opens in a new window.
2. Apply for the residence permit in the Enter Finland service while you are still in the country of origin.Opens in a new window.
3. Prove your identity in person at a Finnish diplomatic mission. You will need a valid passport for this. Make an appointment with a Finnish diplomatic mission.Opens in a new window. 

Check the processing times of residence permits on the website of the Finnish Immigration Service.Opens in a new window.

Apply for a residence permit for an entrepreneur if you earn your income in Finland through your company. For example, you can be a private entrepreneur who has a so called individually-owned business (toiminimi). 

When you apply for a residence permit for an entrepreneur, as a rule you need your company’s business ID. You do not need the business ID if you are a private entrepreneur and are applying for your first residence permit for Finland. 

1. Read additional information on the website of the Finnish Immigration Service:

• Residence permit for an entrepreneurOpens in a new window.
• Residence permit for a start-up entrepreneurOpens in a new window.

2. Apply for a residence permit for an entrepreneur in the Enter Finland service.Opens in a new window.

3. Prove your identity in person at a Finnish diplomatic mission. You will need a valid passport for this. Make an appointment with a Finnish diplomatic mission.Opens in a new window.

Apply for a residence permit for an employed person if you earn your income in Finland as a freelancer or light entrepreneur. You cannot get a residence permit for an entrepreneur if you are a freelancer or light entrepreneur.

• Read the instructions for applying for an employee's residence permit (Finnish Immigration Service)Opens in a new window..

Check the processing times of residence permitsOpens in a new window. on the website of the Finnish Immigration Service.

When you apply for a residence permit for yourself, apply for a residence permit for your family members at the same time. If a residence permit is granted to you, your family members may also get a residence permit based on family ties. Check on the website of the Finnish Immigration Service for whom you can apply for a residence permit based on family ties.Opens in a new window.

Check on the website of the Finnish Immigration Service that you have all the attachments required for proving family ties. When you have selected the right permit for your family member, you will receive the instructions and a list of the required attachments. Have them translated and legalised if necessary. Read the instructions for legalisation.Opens in a new window.

If you are a citizen of an EU country, Liechtenstein or Switzerland and will reside in Finland for more than 3 months, register your right of residence in Finland. For this, you must visit a service location of the Finnish Immigration Service in person. 

Make an appointment with the Finnish Immigration Service before coming to Finland so that you can have the appointment as soon as possible after your arrival. You cannot identify yourself at a Finnish diplomatic mission abroad.

Book the appointment in the appointment booking service of the Finnish Immigration Service.Opens in a new window.

A foreign citizen living in Finland receives a personal identity code from the Digital and Population Data Services Agency when they are registered in the Population Information System. You usually need a personal identity code to be able to live and operate in Finnish society.

When you have a municipality of residence,  you usually have the right to use the services provided by your municipality of residence. In addition, you can get a Finnish identity card and a driving licence, you can use services provided by authorities or receive financial benefits or subsidies. 

See the instructions and submit an application for a personal identity code online.Opens in a new window.

You can get a municipality of residence in Finland if you intend to live in Finland for at least a year and the other conditions for getting a municipality of residence are met. Read more about getting a municipality of residenceOpens in a new window. (instructions also in ukrainian).

You can apply for the registration of a municipality of residence from the Digital and Population Data Services Agency. You should primarily use the online formOpens in a new window. that you fill in before visiting. You must have a municipality of residence if you want to use public health and other similar services in Finland.

If your children or spouse are also moving to Finland, the Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV) will register your family relationships according to your request provided that you have the original documents about the family relationships. If required, the documents must be legalised and translated.

Check the document requirements on DVVs web pages and acquire the needed documents before you move to Finland.

Private companies, so-called relocation agencies, offer help with the different immigration processes. For example, the agency may help with applying for a visa and ensure that all the necessary matters have been taken care of. 

Many organisations in Finland also provide help with integration and settling. For example, training and events aimed at people who have moved to Finland have been compiled on the Kotoutumisen tukena websiteOpens in a new window..

When you travel to Finland, you will need a valid passport. 

It is a good idea to get a travel insurance that is valid for a few months after your arrival in Finland. The insurance will compensate for accidents that may happen during travelling and moving. The insurance will also compensate for medical expenses if you have to use health services in Finland.

When you travel to Finland, you will need a valid passport or identity card.

It is a good idea to get a travel insurance that is valid for a few months after your arrival in Finland. The insurance will compensate for accidents that may happen during travelling and moving. The insurance will also compensate for medical expenses if you have to use health services in Finland.

If you have a European citizen's European Health Insurance Card, the card will also help you get treatment in Finland if the need is acute. The European Health Insurance Card is free of charge.

If you come to work at a construction site or a shipyard, you need a tax number. 

You need a Finnish personal identity code to be able to get a tax number. 

• If you have a Finnish personal identity code, you can mark the tax number for yourself in the MyTax service or call the customer service.
• If you do not yet have a personal identity code or Finnish electronic identification tokens, make an appointment with the customer service of the Tax Administration for the days following your arrival in the country. 

You will find additional information and instructions for obtaining a tax number on the website of the Tax Administration.Opens in a new window.

Removal goods means the personal belongings that you bring with your when you move to Finland.

Whether you need to declare your removal goods depends on whether you bring them from within or from outside the customs and fiscal territory of the EU. Your citizenship therefore does not matter.

If you bring your company’s goods to Finland, you must clear them through the customs separately from your personal removal goods. Read more about clearing customs as an entrepreneur (Tulli.fi).Opens in a new window.

Prohibitions or restrictions apply to bringing some goods to Finland. For example, if you intend to bring with you medicines, animals, firearms, ammunition, foods, plants, pleasure boats, jet scooters or outboard motors, do the following:

1. Find out from the permit authority whether you need a permit to import the item.
2. Apply for the permit before coming to Finland.
3. Present the permit when you clear customs.