FinlandFaster processing
Finland fast-track residence permit service
Fast track service of the Finnish Immigration Service
In short
Migri’s fast track is a priority procedure, not a separate permit, for specialists, start-up entrepreneurs, EU Blue Card holders, ICT transferees, top and middle managers and their families. A decision is targeted within about two weeks if you apply and pay online and prove your identity within five working days; there is no extra fee beyond the normal permit fee.
Apply on Enter Finland – Finnish Immigration Service e-service checked 25 October 2026
Key facts
- Fee
- €530No surcharge: you pay the normal 2026 online fee, e.g. EUR 530 for specialists and Blue Card, EUR 650 for start-ups.
- Processing time
- Target about two weeks from a complete application.
- Family
- Spouse and children are included if they apply at the same time as the main applicant.
- Where to apply
- Only from abroad and only for first permits; online in Enter Finland, identity proven at a Finnish mission or a VFS Global centre acting for it.
Who can use the fast track
The fast track covers first permits for specialists, start-up entrepreneurs with a positive Business Finland statement, EU Blue Card applicants, ICT specialists and managers, and top or middle management, together with their spouses and children applying at the same time. It is not available to people already in Finland or for extended permits.
Fees
The fast track carries no surcharge. You pay the ordinary 2026 fee of the underlying permit online in Enter Finland: EUR 530 for a specialist, EU Blue Card or ICT permit, EUR 650 for a start-up permit and EUR 750 for an adult family member (EUR 400 for a child). Where the identity visit takes place at a VFS Global centre, its service fee is added.
After the decision
If you need a visa to enter Finland, you can request a D visa in the same Enter Finland application. It is placed in your passport at the mission once the permit is granted, is valid for 100 days and lets you travel before the residence permit card arrives. Under the 2026 fee decree a D visa costs EUR 95 online or EUR 120 on paper.
Migri normally gives you a Finnish personal identity code with the positive decision. After moving, book a visit to the Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV) to register your address and, if you qualify, a municipality of residence, which opens access to municipal health, social and integration services. Bring your passport, the residence permit card and your employment contract or proof of studies.
- Prepare every attachment before you start, because requests for more information end the fast track.
- Submit and pay the application online in Enter Finland and book the identity appointment at once.
- Make sure the employer adds the terms of employment within two working days.
- Prove your identity, with your family, within five working days.
- Receive the decision in about two weeks and plan your move.
Conditions and deadlines
You must complete the application and attachments in Enter Finland and pay there. The employer adds the terms of employment within two working days, and you prove your identity at a Finnish mission or a VFS Global centre acting for it within five working days; the family books the visit together. A spouse must submit the own application within two days of receiving the fast-track ID. The case leaves the fast track if a deadline is missed, if Migri needs more information or if the requirements are not met.
Migri reported in 2025 that the 14-day target had been met throughout the year. Attachments must be in Finnish, Swedish or English and family documents legalised.
Documents
Required documents
Identity
- Passport and originals for the identity visit within five working days
Work
- All attachments for the underlying permit uploaded at submission
Supporting documents (where they apply)
Family
- Legalised family documents in Finnish, Swedish or English
Frequently asked questions
Does the fast track cost extra?
No. You pay the normal online fee of the permit you apply for.
Can I use it for a general work permit (TTOL)?
No. It is limited to specialists, start-ups, Blue Card, ICT and top or middle management.
What if I miss the five-day deadline?
The application continues in the normal procedure.
Can my family use the fast track?
Yes, if they apply at the same time and visit the mission with you.
Is the fast track possible if I am already in Finland?
No. It applies only to first permits applied for from abroad, so a change of permit or an extension inside Finland follows the normal procedure.
Official sources
- Migri – fast track
- Migri – fast track for specialists
- Migri – fast track for start-up entrepreneurs
- InfoFinland – work in Finland
- InfoFinland – entrepreneur in Finland
- Finlex – Ministry of the Interior decree 1336/2025 on Migri fees in 2026 (fee annex)
- Embassy of Finland, Ankara – residence permits to Finland
- Finnish Immigration Service – Proving your identity abroad (Finnish missions and VFS Global centres)
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
- Business visa Maximum stay: Up to 90 days in any 180-day period in the Schengen area.
- 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.
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.