FinlandBusiness and self-employment
Finland business visa (Schengen C visa)
Schengen visa (type C) for business travel
In short
Meetings, negotiations, trade fairs and short training visits to Finland need a Schengen business visa for nationals of visa-required countries. The file combines the standard Schengen documents with an invitation from the Finnish company and a letter from your employer; the fee is EUR 90 and the Finnish mission for your country of residence decides, normally within 15 days.
checked 24 October 2026
Key facts
- Maximum stay
- Up to 90 days in any 180-day period in the Schengen area.
- Validity
- Single or multiple entry; frequent business travellers with a lawful visa history can receive longer multiple-entry visas.
- Fee
- €90Schengen visa fee for adults; EUR 45 for children aged 6–12. An external service provider such as VFS Global adds its own service fee where it receives the application.
- Funds required
- €50 per dayMinimum funds per day in Finland since 1 January 2024; a paid return ticket reduces the amount, and a host’s proof of sponsorship can count.
- Processing time
- Normally 15 calendar days; up to 45 days if further checks are needed. Apply at least 15 days and at most six months before travel.
- Work
- Business activities only. Actual work in Finland needs a residence permit, except short assignments listed in the Aliens Act, for example invited experts or interpreters for up to three months.
- Family
- Each family member, including children, needs an own application and fee.
- Where to apply
- In person, by appointment, at the Finnish mission for your country of legal residence or the visa centre it designates; the Finnish mission decides.
Business visit or work
A business visa covers meetings, contract negotiations, visits to a client or supplier, trade fairs and conferences. It does not cover employment in Finland. Some short tasks can be done without a residence permit as long as you hold a visa: for example coming on an invitation or contract to work as an interpreter, teacher, expert or sports referee for at most three months, or carrying out temporary purchasing or subcontracting work for a company in another EU or EEA state for up to three months.
Business documents
The Finnish host company writes an invitation stating the purpose, dates and who pays the costs. Your employer confirms your position, the reason for the trip and that you will return. Company owners add trade registry and tax documents. If the Finnish company covers your expenses, this is stated in the invitation, otherwise your own or your employer’s funds must cover EUR 50 per day.
Required documents
Identity
- Passport issued within the last 10 years, valid at least three months after leaving the Schengen area, with two blank pages
- Completed and signed Schengen visa application form and one recent photo
Money
- Proof of means: recent bank statements, salary slips or pension statements (EUR 50 per day)
Work
- Proof of employment, studies or business activity in your country of residence that shows you will return
- Invitation from the Finnish company with purpose, dates and cost coverage
- Letter from your employer confirming the assignment and your return
Insurance
- Travel medical insurance valid in the whole Schengen area covering emergency care, hospitalisation and repatriation
Supporting documents (where they apply)
Travel
- Fair or conference registration and hotel booking
Work
- Company registration and tax documents for company owners
How to lodge the application
Applications are lodged in person, by appointment, at the Finnish embassy or consulate responsible for your country of legal residence or at the visa application centre it designates, usually run by VFS Global; where Finland has no mission, another Schengen state may handle visas for it. Forms sent by e-mail or fax are not processed. Fingerprints and a photo are taken for the Visa Information System unless you gave them in the previous 59 months. A service provider only receives the file and returns the passport; the Finnish mission examines it and decides.
The European Commission sets the general rules: apply no earlier than six months and no later than 15 days before the trip, the usual processing time is 15 days and it can be extended to 45 days. You apply in the country where you legally reside.
- Obtain the invitation from the Finnish company and the assignment letter from your employer.
- Complete the Schengen form and gather insurance, bank and company documents.
- Book an appointment at the Finnish mission or its visa centre, attend in person and pay EUR 90 plus the service fee.
- Wait for the decision and collect the passport where you applied.
- If the activity turns into employment, apply for a residence permit through Enter Finland.
If the visa is refused
A refused applicant has 30 days from receiving the decision to request an administrative review, written in Finnish or Swedish and sent to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs electronically or to the mission on paper. The review fee is EUR 255 and must be paid before the request is processed, which normally takes two to three months. The Ministry’s review decision can then be appealed to the Helsinki Administrative Court within 30 days.
Frequently asked questions
Can I attend a trade fair in Finland on a business visa?
Yes. Add the registration and the invitation or confirmation from the organiser or a Finnish partner.
Can I install machinery for a Finnish customer?
Only if the task fits one of the short exemptions; otherwise you need a residence permit, and Migri’s page on working without a residence permit lists the cases.
Can I get a multiple-entry business visa?
The Finnish mission may issue multiple-entry visas to frequent travellers who have used earlier visas correctly.
Who pays the visa fee?
The applicant pays EUR 90, plus any visa centre service fee, regardless of who sponsors the trip.
Official sources
- Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland – a visa to visit Finland
- Embassy of Finland, Ankara – how to apply for a visa
- Embassy of Finland, Ankara – where to apply for a visa
- Embassy of Finland, Ankara – entry requirements
- Ministry for Foreign Affairs – EUR 50 per day financial requirement and proof of sponsorship form
- InfoFinland – work in Finland
- Ministry for Foreign Affairs – requesting review of a visa decision
- European Commission – applying for a Schengen visa
Summarised from the official sources above. Rules, fees and processing times change: confirm with the embassy or the official portal before you apply.
Other visa types for Finland
Visits and short stays
- Tourist visa Maximum stay: Up to 90 days in any 180-day period in the Schengen area.
- Family and friends visit visa Maximum stay: Up to 90 days in any 180-day period in the Schengen area.
Business and self-employment
- Entrepreneur and start-up visa Validity: First permit up to two years if you have funds for two years, otherwise shorter; extensions up to four years for periods with proven continuous income.
- Self-employed and freelancer visa
Study and training
- Student visa Validity: Usually for the duration of studies. Degree students in higher education receive a continuous (A) permit; other students a temporary (B) permit.
- Researcher visa Validity: For the duration of the hosting agreement: B permit under two years, A permit for two years or more.
Work
- Job seeker visa Validity: Up to two years in total, which can be split into parts.
- Work visa Validity: A fixed-term permit granted for the occupational field of your job.
- Skilled worker visa Validity: First permit for up to two years, or for the length of the employment if shorter.
- EU Blue Card Validity: Up to two years; if the job is shorter, the duration of employment plus three months.
- Intra-company transfer visa Maximum stay: Managers and specialists up to three years; trainees one year. Longer transfers require a permit for an employed person.
- Seasonal work visa Maximum stay: Nine months within any 12-month period, counted back from the permit’s end date.
Family
- Family reunification visa Validity: Usually tied to the validity of the sponsor’s permit.
- Spouse and partner visa Validity: Usually aligned with the sponsor’s permit; spouses of Finnish citizens receive a continuous permit.
Residence
- Permanent residence Maximum stay: Unlimited stay; the residence permit card itself is renewed periodically.
Faster processing
- Fast-track and priority visa services Processing time: Target about two weeks from a complete application.
Protection
- Asylum and international protection Maximum stay: You may stay while the application is being processed; leaving the country can lead to the application being treated as abandoned.