The Finnish Immigration Service has published guidance for those who have applied for an extended permit or for a new residence permit card via the Enter Finland portal without needing to visit a physical service point. The number of these applicants has recently increased, and they are reminded that there is no need to contact Enter Finland to follow up their application.
What to Expect
- Currently, processing will begin within approximately three weeks after submitting the application online.
- On application, Enter Finland will tell the applicant whether or not they need to visit a service point.
- For first-time residence permit applications, the applicant must always visit a Finnish embassy or consulate (or a service point of the Finnish Immigration Service) if they apply from within Finland) to prove their identity in person.
A visit to a service point of the Finnish Immigration Service is not always required for applicants applying via “Enter Finland” for an extended permit, a new residence permit card or a new residence card. To avoid visiting a service point, applicants must also use online banking credentials, include a digital photo retrieval code, pay the processing fee in advance and use the same account credentials as they used for their previous permit applications
If a visit to a service point is not required, Enter Finland will send a notification and will show the applicant the diary number of their application. If necessary, they can then print out a certificate of a pending application via Enter Finland. If any additional information is required for the application, Enter Finland will contact the applicant.
Erickson Insights
Erickson Immigration Group will continue to share updates as more news is available. If you have questions about anything we’re reporting or case-specific questions, please contact your employer or EIG attorney.