Residence permits and registrations

Getting started

To help you get started, the steps you need to take have been sorted by whether you plan to stay in Finland for more or less than 3 months. In the dropdowns below, find the section that best describes you. There you can learn what you need to do and click on the link to the more detailed description.

After these dropdowns, you can find more information about all the processes – residence permits, Schengen visas, mobility notifications, and the steps to take after you arrive in Finland.

EU/EEA citizen

Register your right of residence (after arrival)

If you are an EU/EEA citizen, you need to make an appointment with the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) and register your presence in the country. Nordic citizens (Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Iceland) complete this step instead at the Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV).

Non-EU citizen

Apply for a residence permit (before arrival)

Non-EU citizens need to apply for a residence permit, a document that permits you to stay in Finland during your studies.

Non-EU citizen with a valid residence permit for studies in another EU/EEA country

Submit a mobility notification (before arrival)

This option is relevant for non-EU citizens completing their studies in another EU/EEA country, and are coming to Finland for a study exchange or training as a part of a study programme. Students staying for 360 days or longer must apply for a residence permit on the basis of studies.

EU/EEA citizen

No action needed

In Finland, if your stay is less than three months and you are an EU/EEA citizen, you do not need to register your right of residence or apply for a residence permit. You only need to formally register your presence in Finland if you are staying for longer than 3 months.

Non-EU citizen from a visa-required country and without a valid EU/EEA residence permit

Apply for a Schengen visa (before arrival)

Non-EU citizens need a Schengen visa if the stay is less than 3 months, they are a citizen of a visa-required country, and they do not have a valid EU/EEA residence permit issued by another member state. The visa allows you to enter Finland/the Schengen area.

Non-EU citizen from a visa-free country/with a valid EU/EEA residence permit

No action needed

Non-EU citizens from a visa-free country are free to come and study in Finland without a residence permit as long as the stay is less than 90 days. This also applies to those who have a valid EU/EEA residence permit from another member state. If your stay is 90 days or longer, you will need a residence permit on the basis of studies.

Learn more about resident permits, the Schengen visa, and mobility notifications

Residence Permit

Migri – Residence permit for studies

Please be advised that if you have applied for a virtual degree programme (Sustainable Aviation Business and Strategising in Organisations), you are not eligible for a residence permit.

A residence permit on the basis of studies is issued to non-EU/EEA nationals when your stay in Finland is longer than 3 months. It allows you to stay in Finland for the duration of your studies. Once you have accepted your study place at Haaga-Helia and enrolled for the academic year, we recommend that you apply for a residence permit on the basis of studies as soon as possible.

The easiest and most inexpensive way to apply is through the Finnish Immigration Service’s (Migri) application website, Enter Finland. The cost of a residence permit on the basis of studies is 350 EUR, and the current estimated processing time is around 2 months. You can always check the status of your application with Migri’s chatbot Kamu.

Please note: If you plan to arrive in Finland before the first day of your studies, check if you are a citizen of a country that requires a visa. If you are from a visa-required country, you will need to apply for a D visa alongside your residence permit. The D visa allows you to enter Finland before your residence permit becomes valid, and it can be applied for during your Enter Finland application. Learn more about D visas on Migri's website.

You will be required to submit official documents during your residence permit application. Please note if your documents are not in English, Finnish, or Swedish, you have must them translated into one of these languages by an authorised translator.

Once you have submitted your application, you must visit a Finnish mission abroad. Bring all original copies of the documents you have submitted in your application. Information on how to make an appointment at your nearest Finnish mission is detailed on Enter Finland after you submit your application.

Your residence permit issued on the basis of studies lets you work for a maximum of 1,560 hours per year, or 30 hours a week on average. Learn more about working in Finland.

Video guides from Migri

A valid passport
Acceptance letter from Haaga-Helia (you can contact Haaga-Helia’s Study Services to get your acceptance letter)
Proof of sufficient funds
- You will be asked to attach a bank statement from your own personal bank account detailing the transactions from the last 3 months. The statement cannot be from a sponsor’s account. Sufficient funds means 650 EUR per study month, or 6720 EUR for a year.
Proof of paid tuition fees (or proof of funds to pay them if you have not yet paid)
Health insurance certificate (Migri’s official website has more information about the health insurance certificate and a list of health insurance service providers)
- Your insurance must be valid from the date you arrive in Finland.
- For studies lasting 2 years or less, the maximum insurance coverage required is €40,000. The insurance excess may not be more than €300.
- For studies lasting longer than 2 years, the maximum insurance coverage required is €120,000. The insurance excess may not be more than €300.

Schengen Visa

Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland – Apply for a Schengen visa

The Schengen visa gives you the right to enter the Schengen area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. This is necessary if you are a citizen of a visa-required country, are coming to Finland for less than 3 months, and you don’t have a residence permit issued by an EU country. To find out if you are from a country with a visa requirement, check the list of countries on the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland.

There are different kinds of Schengen visas that determine how many times you can enter the Schengen area. Read more about the different kinds of visas and how to apply by clicking the link box above.

Please note: You are not allowed to work with just a Schengen visa.

Mobility Notification

Migri – Mobility notification to Finland

Submitting a mobility notification is an alternative for non-EU nationals when they already have a residence permit issued on the basis of study in another EU/EEA country. It gives you the right to stay in Finland for up to 360 days if you are coming to Finland to fulfil a part of your study programme (exchange, traineeship, etc.).

If your stay in Finland is longer than 360 days, you will need to apply for a residence permit instead. Furthermore, students coming from institutions that are not in the EU/EEA are not eligible to submit a mobility notification to Finland.

After arriving in Finland

Once you’ve arrived in Finland, you need to apply for a Personal Identity Code (henkilötunnus) and register your municipality of residence. These steps are very important, and you should aim to make these appointments as soon as possible.

Registering your right of residence

Migri – Register your right of residence

If you are an EU/EEA citizen staying in Finland for longer than 3 months, you need to register your right of residence at the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri). Nordic citizens (Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Iceland) complete this step instead at the Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV) alongside the steps detailed below.

Personal Identity Code and registering your municipality of residence

DVV – Make an appointment

All newcomers in Finland need to make an appointment with DVV to register their personal details and apply for a Personal Identity Code (henkilötunnus). DVV’s website has more information about the personal identity code. You can make an appointment with the DVV counter at International House Helsinki. There are also service locations in Lahti (closest city to Vierumäki campus) and Porvoo for those studying at other Haaga-Helia campuses. On the registration page, choose ‘Registration of a foreigner’s municipality of residence and address’ in the Choose a service box.

The personal identity code lets you open a bank account, obtain a mobile and home internet subscription, and access many other services.

Please note: If you are a non-EU citizen, check your residence permit card once you receive it. You might already have your code included on the card. If present, it will be 11 characters long, and the first 6 numbers will be your date of birth. Even if you have this code, you still need to visit DVV to register your personal details.

Tax Card

Finnish Tax Administration – Tax cards for international students

Both EU/EEA and non-EU/EEA citizens are able to work while studying in Finland. Non-EU/EEA citizens are limited to a maximum of 1,560 hours per year, or 30 hours a week on average. Read more on Migri’s page for student residence permits about your working permissions.

All workers in Finland need make an appointment to visit the Finnish Tax Administration (Vero) and apply for a Tax Card (verokortti). A tax card is needed before you can receive salary. There are many Vero service points around Finland, and an appointment can be made by calling the contact number appropriate for your concern. +356 029 497 050 is the number when you want to get a tax card. You can also manage your taxes through MyTax, the Vero e-service.

Form 5042e can be printed and filled in advance in preparation for your appointment.

Student Healthcare Fee

Kela – How to pay the student healthcare fee

All degree students registered as attending at a Finnish higher education institution must pay the to Kela. If you have social security coverage from another EU/EEA country, Switzerland, or Great Britain and Northern Ireland, you are exempt from this fee. Make sure to bring your European Health Insurance Card (or Global Health Insurance Card in the case of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) with you, and alert Kela of your insured status.

The fee is 36.80 EUR per term, and you are not billed by Kela. You are expected to transfer the amount unprompted.

If you don’t yet have a Finnish bank account and strong verification credentials, you won’t be able to pay the fee through MyKela. You can manually transfer the amount using the bank details mentioned on the Kela page linked in the box above.

Finnish Identity Card

Poliisi – How to apply for an identity card

The Finnish identity card (henkilökortti) is issued by the police and acts as your main form of identification in Finland. If you have a residence permit card, this is not legally seen as a form of identification. It can be useful to apply for the Finnish identity card, especially if you are opening a bank account as a non-EU/EEA citizen. It will help you identify yourself at official services without bringing your passport.