Residence Permit Guidance for U.S. Students

To fill out the online residence permit application, you will first need to create a user account at the EnterFinland website:
https://enterfinland.fi/eServices/info/studypermit

Please make sure you fill out all sections of the residence permit form. The application will not be processed with inadequate information.

Please take note of the following additional instructions for Fulbright grantees:

Population register and the personal identity code

If the system allows, please request that your personal information is recorded in the Finnish Population Information System by ticking a box that addresses this matter in the residence permit application. This way you will receive a Finnish personal identity code at the same time as you are issued with the residence permit and this will make many practicalities easier for you in Finland. If you are not able to receive the Finnish personal identity code in conjunction with the residence permit, you can apply for it in Finland at DVV.

Information on the studies

Please mark on the residence permit application that you are a Fulbright grantee.

Type and duration of residence permit

Unless you apply for the residence permit for a longer period, the consulate will usually use the grant dates in the “Grant Authorization” document as the dates of your residence permit.

Please remember, that you need to have a valid insurance policy for your entire stay in Finland. The ASPE benefit is sufficient in order to fulfill the requirements in the Finnish residence permit application process, however, it only covers the dates marked in your “Grant Authorization” document. If you are asked for details about ASPE when applying for the residence permit, please show your Fulbright Finland Foundation Grant Authorization and Terms and Conditions of Award document as well as the ASPE Guidebook (and especially the page 9). If Migri/VFS Global/Consulate doesn’t find these documents sufficient, please contact your program coordinator at the Foundation right away.

If you apply for the residence permit for a longer period than your Fulbright grant, you need to show you have sufficient funds to support yourself during your stay. Supporting documents may include evidence of personal savings etc. You should also indicate the reason why you wish to stay in Finland beyond the grant period. For instance, traveling and getting to know other parts of Finland should be a valid reason since one purpose of the Fulbright program is to increase your knowledge of Finland and its regions and culture.

Address in Finland

If you do not yet have an address, please include information on your housing plans (such as details on your application submitted to student housing). In such a case, you should also include the address of your host institution.

This means all of the following:

• Award letter sent by the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board (FFSB) in Washington, D.C.
• The Grant Authorization issued by the Fulbright Finland Foundation and signed by you,

Please note, the “Grant Authorization” also states your grant amount, so you do not need a separate statement regarding your income for your grant period. It also serves as written proof of your scholarship and ASPE coverage.

Additional proof of funds may be requested, for example, if you are extending your stay in Finland beyond the grant dates.

Provide your Fulbright Grant Authorization and Terms and Conditions documents, which include information also on your ASPE benefit. If you are asked for further information on ASPE, please refer to the Fulbright Grant Authorization and Terms and Conditions documents as well as the ASPE booklet. If Migri/VFS Global/Consulate doesn’t find these documents sufficient, please contact your program coordinator at the Foundation right away.

Please also provide information on any additional insurance policy you may have.

A spouse also needs to fill out form OLE_PH1 and the child a form OLE_PH4. Grantee and spouse need to create their own accounts on the EnterFinland residence permit application system and use their own separate email addresses for that. Normally, Migri processes children's and spouse's residence permit applications at the same time as the grantee's application.

Spouse: OLE_PH1

Also, the spouse must fill in the form PK1_plus.

The spouse's permit includes unrestricted right to work in Finland. 

Child: OLE_PH4

Please see further instructions at https://enterfinland.fi/eServices/info/foreignresidentspouse

For a spouse, in their OLE_PH1, please in section A, point 1.1, choose "married, cohabitation, or registered partnership between two people of the same gender”. The same information should be added at the OLE_PH4 for each child.

If your spouse is applying to join you in Finland, a legalized copy of your marriage certificate must be attached to the application. If your children are applying with you, please attach legalized copies of their birth certificates and legalized signatures by both custodians. The certificates are legalized by an authenticity stamp i.e. apostille. The apostille ensures that the certificates are recognized also in Finland.

If you already have a notarized certificate for the marriage/birth certificates, but it looks like that receiving the apostille takes several weeks, according to Migri, you can submit your residence permit application with the notarized certificate and amend it online later with apostille. Do indicate in the application that you will submit the apostille later. Please note that Migri will not make a decision on your application until they have received all the required documents.

You are usually asked to show the original versions of your marriage certificate and children's birth certificates at the residence permit Application Center. Please hold on to the original documents and take them with you when traveling to Finland. You will be asked to show the certificates as well as the apostilles at the local Digital and Population Data Services Agency DVV when in Finland.

You need to make an appointment to visit a Finnish Consulate or the an Application Center to verify your identity. You will also be fingerprinted for a biometric residence permit card at the Center.

Please see instructions on what to bring with you for the appointment at the VFS Global website. Make sure that your passport is valid for your entire stay in Finland or longer.