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Is a visa required for Beninese citizens entering Finland?
Yes, Beninese are required to have a visa to visit Finland. The Schengen visa must be obtained in advance and allows a short stay of up to 90 days in Finland and other Schengen nations during a 180-day period.
What is the purpose of a Schengen visa for Beninese citizens visiting Finland?
The Schengen visa is a short-term travel document. It’s suitable for Beninese citizens planning to visit Finland for tourism, business, or family-related purposes but doesn’t support long-term residency or employment.
How many days can Beninese stay in Finland with a visa?
A Schengen visa allows Beninese to visit Finland for a maximum of 90 days within a 180-day period. Overstaying your visa can lead to fines or restrictions on future visits.
What else do Beninese citizens need to show at the Finnish border?
In addition to a visa, Beninese need to present:
- A passport valid for 3 months beyond their departure date and issued in the last 10 years.
- Evidence of financial resources, such as bank records or a sponsorship letter.
- Proof of accommodation, like a hotel booking or host invitation.
- A ticket for your return or onward travel.
- A detailed travel itinerary.
Do Beninese need health insurance to apply for a Finland visa?
Yes, health insurance is a mandatory requirement for Beninese traveling to Finland on a Schengen visa. The policy must:
- Cover a minimum of €30,000 in medical costs.
- Be valid throughout the Schengen Area.
- Include emergency medical treatment and repatriation.
You can find affordable and compliant insurance plans at Visit World to meet these requirements.
Steps to apply for a Schengen visa for Finland:
1. Select your visa type. Identify whether you need a visa for tourism, business, or family visits.
2. Complete the application form. Fill it out online or manually in your preferred language.
3. Prepare the required documents. Check the full list below to ensure you have everything.
4. Schedule an appointment. Book a visit to the Finnish embassy, consulate, or visa application center in Benin.
5. Submit your application. Attend the appointment with all required documents.
6. Pay the visa fee. It costs €90 for adults and €45 for children under 12.
7. Wait for processing. Allow at least 15 days, though it may take longer during peak travel seasons.
Reminder: apply at least 4 weeks before your trip to avoid delays.
Documents for a Finland visa application for Beninese citizens
To apply for a Schengen visa to Finland, Beninese need:
- Visa application form, filled online or manually.
- Recent passport photo, following Schengen photo rules.
- A valid passport, with at least three months of validity beyond your return.
- Travel insurance, with €30,000 medical coverage.
- Accommodation details, such as hotel reservations or a host’s letter.
- Flight bookings, proving round-trip or onward travel.
- Financial proof, like bank statements or sponsorship letters.
- Cover letter, detailing your travel purpose.
- Proof of visa fee payment.
Check with your local Finnish consulate for additional requirements.
Can Beninese nationals apply for a visa extension in Finland?
Visa extensions are only granted under exceptional conditions, such as:
- Family emergencies, like an unplanned funeral or wedding.
- Unforeseen events, including natural disasters or unrest in your home country.
- Health-related delays, such as severe illness.
Requests are submitted to the Finnish police and must include relevant documentation to justify the extension. For planned stays exceeding 90 days, Beninese citizens are required to apply for a residence permit before entering Finland.
Residence permit categories:
1. Temporary permits (B): Issued for specific, short-term purposes.
2. Continuous permits (A): Renewable for long-term stays.
3. Permanent permits (P): Granted for indefinite residence.
EU long-term residents can obtain permits labeled P-EU or P-EY. Further details about eligibility and application processes are available online.
How much does a Finland visa cost in 2024?
The cost is:
- €90 for adults
- €45 for children aged 6–12
- Free for children under 6
Visit the Finnish consulate website for more information.
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.
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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