Visa Information

Overview

All citizens of Lebanon are required to apply for a visa before entering Finland and/or other countries under the Schengen agreement.

Before applying, please ensure you understand your particular ‘purpose of visit’. Schengen visas must be applied for at the respective Embassy/Consulate of the country of your main destination. Your main destination will be the Schengen country where your duration of stay exceeds all others. Due to this, when traveling to more than one Schengen country, you should submit your application to the Embassy/Consulate representing the country of your main destination. In case of equal stay, one has to submit their application to the mission of the Schengen country representing their first port of entry.

Applications cannot be submitted earlier than six (6) months before the start of the planned journey. Seafarers in the performance of their duties are allowed to submit an application as earlier as nine (9) months in advance of their planned trip. The application process begins when the applicant personally submits his or her visa application and other supporting documents to the VAC or the mission.

Finland Visa Application Centre in Lebanon accepts applications for short stay visas only. A passport should be valid for at least three (3) months beyond the intended stay in Finland and there should be at least two (2) empty pages available in the passport.

Click on the other tabs on this page to view more information about the visa application process.

Please click here to book an appointment.

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Visa Fees

To see the applicable visa fees

The visa fee in USD is as per current exchange rate. It is subject to change without notice.

Applicants exempted from visa fee:

• Applicants under the Directive 2004/38/EC
• Family members of Finnish citizen
• Diplomatic and official passport holders
• School pupils, students, post graduate students and accompanying teachers who undertake trips for the purpose of study or educational training - TO BE EVALUATED CASE BY CASE
• Researchers travelling for the purpose of carrying out scientific research - TO BE EVALUATED CASE BY CASE
• Representatives of non-profit organisations, aged 25 years or less participating in seminars, conferences, sports, cultural or educational events by non-profit organisations – TO BE EVALUATED CASE BY CASE

Methods of payment for visa fees:

• Cash or debit/credit card payment at the Finland Visa Application Centre on the day of appointment.

Service charge at the Finland Visa Application Centre:

*Please note that the service fee is inclusive of VAT

Applicants who are exempted from the visa fees need to pay only the service fee

The fees are non-refundable and non-transferable.

Documents Required

Travel insurance is mandatory for all Schengen countries. If you have not purchased, please click here

The checklists of required visa application documents are available in the online visa application portal of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland

Photo Specifications

To see the visa application photo specifications, please, click here.

Travel Medical Insurance

Each client (including children) must have an insurance policy. Travel medical insurance is not required from the family members of EU/EEA and Swiss citizens, who enjoy the right of free movement (Directive 2004/38/EC). Also not required from holders of diplomatic and official passports on official visit.

Family members of Finnish citizens travelling to Finland do require a travel insurance as per the specification mentioned below:

Customers applying for a multiple-entry visa may provide an insurance policy, which is valid during the first trip. Customers are entitled to arrange an insurance policy for consequent trips by signing the visa application.

Basic requirements for an insurance policy:

• Insurance validity area should cover all the Schengen countries, no areal restrictions (for example “Finland, Schengen”) are allowed.
• Without franchise.
• The insurance coverage limit should be not less than 30 000 euros or equivalent amount in other currency (for example, 40 000 dollars).
• Policies should insure the costs in case of sudden illness or accident and assistance on site, including the costs of medical repatriation to the place of permanent residence of the insured person or the repatriation in case of death.

Insurance policies filled in by hand are not accepted.

Customers are to present an original insurance policy and a copy during the application submission process.

Processing Time

The processing time of the application will be no less than three weeks, up to approximately one month , but can take longer if the application is not complete or when further scrutiny of the application is needed. Please note that all applications are processed individually. The Embassy may request further documentation and information or you may be called for an interview which can prolong the processing time.

Please note that as per the Article 23 of regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a Community code on Visas (Visa Code) the period of consideration of your visa application by the respective Consular authority may be extended up to a maximum of 30 calendar days. Exceptionally, when additional documentation is needed in specific cases, the period may be extended up to a maximum of 45 calendar days.

An application filled incorrectly and carelessly can cause delay or denial of a visa. Submitting all the required documents when submitting the visa application will speed up the processing time. The applicant may need to supply additional details, e.g. a more detailed plan of trip. The visa application will be decided on without the requested documents and the decision may be to the applicant’s disadvantage, if requested documents are not submitted to the Finland Application Centre or the Finnish Embassy by the date agreed.

Please Click here to get information about your Schengen visa application status.