Finland – Updates to Several Residence Permit Types

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Several amendments to the Aliens Act and associated acts were supposed to come into effect on 15 December 2022² but this has been delayed. However, some changes to facilitate residence permit processes already came into effect in December 2022 or will enter into effect in early 2023.

D Visa Extended to New Groups Including Researchers

June 2022 saw the introduction of a national long-term D visa that can be issued to specialists, high-growth start-up entrepreneurs and their family members. The D visa accelerates the process of entering Finland, as a person will have the choice to apply for a D visa and collect the residence permit card in Finland, as opposed to waiting for the card in the home country.

An amendment to the Aliens Act that came into effect on 22 December 2022, also enables the following groups to apply for the D visa:

1) persons in managerial positions in companies and their family members – already implemented in practice;

2) researchers, students, their family members – due to technical reasons, implementation on 1 April 2023;

3) persons who have lost their residence permit cards – due to technical reasons, implementation on 1 April 2023.³

For more information on the changes implemented earlier in 2022 in researchers’ and students’ residence permits, please see GSM Flash Alert 2022-122.

After the implementation coming in April, a D visa can be granted for accelerated entry to a person who has been granted:

1) a residence permit for a special expert;

2) a European Union blue card;

3) a residence permit for a growth entrepreneur;

4) an intra-company transfer residence permit for managers or specialists;

5) a residence permit for a researcher on the basis of research, study, internship and voluntary activities, or a residence permit for studies;

6) a residence permit for upper- or middle-management positions;

7)  a residence permit based on family ties to persons who have been granted one of the above-mentioned residence permits.⁴

Fast Track Extended to Upper- and Middle-Management Positions

In addition to being able to apply for a D visa, persons in upper- or middle-managerial positions and their family members can now also apply for a residence permit on the fast track, which allows them to receive a residence permit decision within 14 days from the electronic application submission.⁵ For more information on the other groups who can apply on the fast track, please see GMS Flash Alert 2022-116. 

Incomes Register to Facilitate Extension Applications

The Finnish Immigration Service will start utilising the Finnish Incomes Register on 19 January 2023. In the future, it will be easier for persons applying for an extension permit based on employment or studies to prove their livelihood. The Finnish Immigration Service will receive salary information directly from the Incomes Register, which means it is not necessary to submit separate income documents when applying for certain residence permit extensions in the future. The Incomes Register only includes salaries, pensions, and benefits paid in Finland.⁶

Residence Permits Granted on the Basis of Temporary Protection to Be Extended

Starting 19 January 2023, all residence permits granted on the basis of temporary protection will be valid until 4 March 2024. A separate extension application is not needed, as the residence permits will be automatically extended by the Finnish Immigration Service. All residence permits that will be granted on the basis of temporary protection will also be valid until 4 March 2024.

It is optional to apply for a new card with the updated validity period. If a person wants to apply for a new card, it is possible starting from 25 January 2023. However, due to the automatic extension, the stay in Finland is legal even without a new card.⁷

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