Visit World - Belgian Citizens Traveling to Finland: Entry Rules, Visa Requirements & Regulations

Starting from 30 June, 2022 year, you no longer need to have a PCR test, vaccination or recovery certificate to enter Finland from any country in the world.

You can always read up-to-date travel information at the link on the official website for travelers.

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If you are traveling to Finland, you may need to apply for a visa.

Here is a list of citizens who do not need a tourist visa to visit Finland:

- Tourists from Schengen or EEA/EU countries.
- Tourists from the United States, New Zealand, Australia, Monaco, San Marino, the Republic of Andorra and Japan.
- Tourists from the countries of Northern Europe.
If you do not need a visa to enter, the total period of stay in the country shouldn’t exceed 90 days within 180 days.

Any tourist from another country or a country that does not have a visa agreement with Finland needs a visa to enter Finland. Follow the link to find out the visa requirements for your nationality.

Pay attention! The European Union will not issue Schengen visas to citizens who received Russian passports in the "DNR", "LNR", Kherson and Zaporozhye regions, as well as in Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

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If you need a visa to enter the country, you need to submit a package of documents for applying for a visa at the nearest Finnish representative office or at the visa application center recommended by the representative office. Please note that you can only apply in person.

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What documents are required for applying for a visa to Finland?

To get a visa, you will need:

Completed and signed visa application form, which is available by the link. It is available in several other languages on the official website.
One photo with the size of the passport. You can read more about the photo requirements on the police website.
Valid passport;
Health insurance policy;

You will also need accompanying documents.

Since the list of required additional documents depends on the country of residence of the foreigner, please contact the Representative Office of Finland to find out exactly what documents you need.

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The representative office may ask you to attach the following documents to your visa application:

Booking round-trip flights;
The proof of residence in Finland:
Proof of booking or hotel rental agreement, or
An invitation from a family member or friend living in the country. Add the invitee's contact details to your application.
Proof of financial security: bank statements and tax return documents. In Finland, you must have a minimum of 30 euros per day.
Copies of previous Schengen visas;
Copies of previous passports;
Employment document. Depending on your current status you may be asked to provide:
An employment contract.
Pension certificate;
A student identity card.
The cover letter. You will also need to write a cover letter stating the reason why you want to visit Finland, where you plan to go, and when you will return.
You may also be asked to provide a copy of your birth certificate, marriage certificate, divorce or adoption documents. It all depends on your personal situation and the embassy.
Residence permit. You must provide a document confirming that you are legally residing in your current country of residence.

For minors, parental consent is required to travel to Finland.

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Finally, you need to pass an interview to get a visa. The Finnish representative office may ask you for a face-to-face interview to find out the purpose of your visit.

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What is the cost of the visa fee?

The visa fee currently costs 80 euros. You must submit your documents at least 15 days before your planned trip to Finland, but not earlier than 6 months in advance.

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Can I extend my visa?

Only in cases of unexpected personal affairs, such as a sudden wedding or funeral, or if you are faced with force majeure, such as a natural disaster or a difficult political situation in your country, or if you have an illness, can your visa be extended. Visa extensions are issued by the Finnish police.

If you plan to stay in the country for more than 90 days, you must apply for a residence permit. Citizens of EU member states, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland do not need a residence permit in this case.

A residence permit is granted depending on the purpose for which you are traveling to the country.

You can apply for a residence permit in Finland if you have a Job, Place of study, or family member in Finland. Apply for a residence permit before arriving in Finland.

If you aren’t sure what purpose you are traveling for, use a unique search engine that will help you decide.

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A residence permit can be either fixed or permanent. A residence permit for a certain period of time is granted as a temporary or continuous residence permit.

The type of residence permit is indicated by a letter. A permanent residence permit is indicated by the letter A, and a temporary residence permit is indicated by the letter B. A permanent residence permit has the letter P. A residence permit in the EU for third-country citizens with the status of a long-term resident of the EU has the letters P-EU or P-EY.

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How do I get a residence permit?

To get a view, you need to:

Apply for it online on the website or in paper form;
Choose the correct application form depending on why you came to Finland (work, study, etc.);
Fill out the application form carefully.
After completing the application, you need to find out which Finnish mission or VFS Global Application Center you can visit to identify and submit biometric data (signature, photo, fingerprints). Enter your country of residence in the search box to find country-specific instructions on how to make an appointment to verify your identity.

Please note that the Finnish representative office or VFS application center may be located in another country. Visit the representative office, authenticate, and pay the residence permit application fee. The fee won’t be refunded even if you cancel your application or receive a negative decision. After that your application will be sent to the queue for processing at the Finnish Immigration Service.

You can monitor the status of application processing online. Be prepared to provide additional information and pass the interview.

You can find more detailed information by the link.

If you are transiting through Finland and are citizens of countries such as Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Iraq, Iran, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia, and Sri Lanka, you may need a transit visa.

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Citizens of other countries will not need to apply for a transit visa if they stay in the transit zone. The aforementioned countries will require a visa even if their citizens remain in the transit zone.

Please keep in mind that transit visas are issued prior to your departure to your country of residence. You will not be able to apply for a transit visa on arrival. For this reason, be sure to contact your embassy for a transit visa before leaving.

The owner or authorized person is allowed to travel with no more than five dogs, cats or ferrets. Otherwise, the transport is considered a commercial movement.

The maximum number can exceed five animals, if certain conditions are met. In this case, the point of the trip should be to attend competitions, shows, sporting events or training sessions. The owner must provide proof of the incident, and the animals must be more than six months old. An official veterinarian no longer has to issue a health certificate in the TRACES system for such animal movements. Instead, for commercial movements, a medical certificate must be issued in the TRACES system.

The rules for transporting animals differ. If you are traveling from third countries with dogs, cats, or ferrets, you must meet the following requirements:

Treatment of echinococcosis should be carried out at least 1 and no more than 5 days before the dog moves;
The animal must be accompanied by a medical certificate in accordance with the EU sample issued by an official veterinarian;
The health certificate is valid for 10 days from the date of issue;
Owner's statement about the non-commercial nature of the move;
Original vaccination documents or certified copies;
When entering the EU, the owner or authorized person must contact the competent authority and present the animal's travel documents for verification. In Finland, these checks are carried out by customs authorities. Select the red line at Customs and provide the documentation to the customs officer.

You must have an animal passport and rabies vaccination.

If you are traveling from an EU country, you can read more about the requirements for transporting animals here.

You can find the requirements for transporting birds, rabbits, etc. by the link.

For owners of animals from Ukraine who are fleeing the war, there is a separate information page in Ukrainian language.

Finland has only one emergency number. Phone the number 112 when you need urgent help from the authorities (police, paramedics, firefighters, social services). Calling the emergency number is free of charge.

If you can't talk on the phone, you can send an emergency SMS message. To use the emergency SMS service, you must first register on the site https://112.fi/hatatekstiviesti.

If you are traveling with cash worth 10,000 euros or more when entering or leaving the EU, you must submit a cash declaration to customs on your own initiative.

For information and advice on Finnish Customs regulations, please visit the official website of the customs administration: https://tulli.fi/en/frontpage.

To rent a car in Finland, you must be at least 20 years old and have at least one year of driving experience. A driver's license issued in a member state of the European Union or the European Economic Area (EEA) is valid in Finland for driving vehicles of the same categories as specified in the license for the duration of its validity.

This rule applies regardless of whether the owner visits Finland as a tourist or has moved to a permanent place of residence. A temporary driver's license issued in the Scandinavian countries is also valid in Finland. As for the rest of the world, driver's licenses issued in other countries recognized by Finland are valid for drivers of categories A1, A2, A or B when visiting Finland as a tourist, if the license has not expired.

As a rule, the speed limit in Finland is 50 km/hour in localities and 80 km/h outside them. Both restrictions usually apply if there are no other speed limits. On major highways in summer, you can drive at a speed of 100 km/hour. On motorways, the summer limit is 120 km/hour. However, in winter, the speed on the highway decreases to 80 km/h, and on highways – to 100 km/hour.

Finland's embassies, consulates general and honorary consulates by country can be found here: https://um.fi/finland-s-representation-abroad-by-country.

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