Visa Information

Overview

Every applicant, including children/infants, has to submit his/her Schengen visa application in person and by appointment only on their appointment date, which needs to be booked online by the applicant.

For Non EU citizens who are not sure whether a Schengen visa is required to travel to the Schengen Area, please click Do I need a visa? to find out.

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.

Eligibility

Applicant must at least meet the following criteria in order to be eligible to submit a Schengen visa application:

1. holding a valid passport/travel document
2. holding a valid UK residence permit. In case applicant holds a short stay visa for the UK, a C type visa (see example here), then applicant needs to apply for a Schengen visa from his/her residence country.
3. applying for a short stay visa: Tourist (including Private Visit), Business, Finnish, EU/EEA and Swiss nationals’ family member under Directive 2004/38/EC and Study, Conference and Professional Training Visa

Before applying, please ensure you are very clear on your ‘purpose of visit’. Check the Documents Required section for more details on visa categories and documents required for submitting your application.

Please click here to book an appointment

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Visa Fees

Methods of payment for visa fees:

• If the applicant submits their visa application at the Finland Visa Application Centre:
  
  • Card payment at the Finland Visa Application Centre on the day of appointment
  • Cash payment at the Finland Visa Application Centre on the day of appointment

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

Service charge applicable when applying at the Finland Visa Application Centre:

*Please note that the service fee is inclusive of VAT

Applicants may choose to pay at the Visa Application Centre using Credit/Debit Card or make the payment by cash. Original proof of payment must be received with the visa application. The passport number of the applicant must be clearly stated as reference on the proof of payment.

Click for the price list of additional services

Please Note:

• Special note for all applicants applying at the Visa Application Centre:
• The applicable visa fees in GBP depend on the current exchange rate, which can be changed without any notifications
• The visa fees need to be paid via debit / credit card at the Visa Application Centre or alternatively via cash
• 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

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 applicant (including children/infants) must provide a valid travel medical insurance.

Requirements for an insurance policy:

1. Insurance validity period has to cover the entire period of the intended stay in the Schengen Area + the days of travel to and from the Schengen Area
2. Insurance validity area has to cover the whole Schengen Area or to be worldwide
3. Minimum insurance coverage limit has to be 30.000 euros
4. Insurance has to cover 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

Travel medical insurances can be bought from any insurance company. An applicant for multiple-entry visa may provide an insurance policy which covers the first trip. The applicant undertakes to purchase an insurance policy for further trips by signing the visa application.

Processing Time

The visa process at the Finnish Embassy takes 10 working days. We recommend you to apply at least 15 days before the planned trip. Some applications may require further processing. Please note that all applications are processed individually. The Embassy of Finland may request further documentation, information or you may be called for an interview which can prolong the processing time.

Applications cannot be submitted earlier than six (6) months before the start of the planned journey. In individual cases, the mission can extend the processing time up to a maximum of 45 calendar days.

Please also note that applications submitted in Edinburgh and Manchester need more extra days due courier to London and back.