Visa and Residence Permit

If you are not a citizen of the Nordic countries and intend to stay for longer than three months in Finland, you will need a residence permit.

For more information, please visit the website of the Directorate of Immigration at www.uvi.fi >English>Students and the website of the Ministry of foreign affairs of Finland at http://formin.finland.fi/english / > Services >Foreign nationals arriving in Finland.

Application before entering Finland:
International students who have been offered admission to Hanken will be issued an admittance letter as certificate of the acceptance that is needed for the application of a residence permit. Citizens from other than the Nordic, EU- and EEA-countries and for whom a residence permit is required should obtain a student residence permit before entering the country by submitting an application form accompanied by the admittance letter as well as documents verifying financial resources to the nearest Embassy or Consulate of Finland. The processing time of the application for a residence permit varies, but could take months. Therefore we strongly recommend that the admitted student submit an application for a residence permit immediately upon receipt of the Admittance letter (May or November respectively).

A residence permit will not be issued unless the candidate can prove that he/she has sufficient funds to support him- or herself during the entire period of studies in Finland, either through a grant or through other funds. The applicant must have a minimum of EUR 500 per month at his or her disposal. In some cases the applicant can show that that the funds are available for transfer from the home country to Finland by means of reliable banking connection.

Application (registering) after entering Finland:
Citizens of an EU or EEA country (plus Switzerland) do not need a visa to enter Finland but must have a residence permit for a stay of longer than three months. A student residence permit should be applied for after arrival in Finland.

In Helsinki you apply for the residence permit at the police station at Malmi, Viljatie 2, 00700 Helsinki.
In Vaasa you apply for the residence permit at the police station at Rauhankatu 22.

The documents you need to bring with you are:
- your passport
- the Letter of Enrolment issued upon arrival showing that your study right as a student at Hanken in the exchange programme has been activated
- a copy of a document showing that you have sufficient funds to cover your expenses during your entire stay in Finland (separate statements for any scholarship, study grant, and private funding)
- 1 passport-size photo and
- EUR 40.00

You will receive a residence card approximately one month after you have filed your application with the police, which serves as evidence that your official permission to stay in Finland is in order.

No registration required:
Citizens of the other Nordic countries do not need to register for a residence permit upon arrival but should be prepared to verify their identity and citizenship if requested by the passport controller. Nordic students shall bring their passport with them to Finland as a passport is needed to visit Russia or the Baltic States.