FinlandResidence

Permanent residence in Finland

Permanent residence permit (P permit) and P-EU residence permit

In short

For applications made on or after 8 January 2026, Finland’s permanent residence permit normally requires six years of continuous residence, B1 Finnish or Swedish and two years of work history, plus sufficient resources. Four years is enough with income above EUR 40,000 a year or on two other routes, and some Finnish degrees remove the residence period. The online fee is EUR 380.

Apply on Enter Finland – Finnish Immigration Service e-service checked 24 October 2026

Key facts

Maximum stay
Unlimited stay; the residence permit card itself is renewed periodically.
Validity
Permanent.
Fee
€380Online, 2026 fee decree (EUR 240 in 2025); EUR 600 on paper; P-EU permit also EUR 380 online; minors EUR 300 online.
Work
Yes, without restrictions.
Family
A child under 18 can get a permanent permit without a residence period if the guardian holds a P permit, a P-EU permit or Finnish citizenship.
Where to apply
In Finland, online in Enter Finland, with a visit to a Migri service point if requested.

Four-year and exempt routes

Four years of residence is enough if your annual income exceeds EUR 40,000 (no language or work history test on this route), if you hold a recognised foreign master’s or doctoral degree and two years of work history, or if you have particularly good language skills (C1) and three years of work history. A master’s, licentiate, doctoral or bachelor’s degree from a Finnish university can remove the residence-period requirement; a bachelor’s from a university of applied sciences does not.

Main rule since 8 January 2026

The residence period rose from four to six years for applications submitted on or after 8 January 2026; earlier applications are decided under the old rules. You must hold a continuous (A) permit, have Finnish or Swedish skills at satisfactory level B1 (applicants aged 65 or over are exempt), and two years of full-time work or business activity immediately before applying. Up to three months of social assistance or unemployment benefit can be accepted within the work history. Sufficient financial resources are generally required, and an unconditional prison sentence interrupts the residence period.

How to apply

Apply in Finland in Enter Finland and pay EUR 380 online (EUR 600 on paper). Language skills can be shown, for example, with the National Certificate of Language Proficiency. Your national passport must be valid. Enter Finland tells you whether you need to visit a Migri service point to prove your identity.

  1. Count your years on continuous permits and pick the route that fits.
  2. Take a B1 (or C1) Finnish or Swedish test if you need one.
  3. Collect proof of work history, income and degrees.
  4. Apply in Enter Finland and pay EUR 380 online.
  5. Visit a Migri service point if asked and collect the new residence permit card.

P-EU long-term resident permit

The EU residence permit for long-term residents (P-EU) needs five years of residence, good (B2) Finnish or Swedish skills under the new rules and always sufficient financial resources, but no work history. It eases moving to other EU countries.

Refusal and appeal

A negative Migri decision comes with appeal instructions. The appeal goes to an Administrative Court, which can uphold the refusal or send the case back to Migri; further appeal to the Supreme Administrative Court needs leave to appeal. If you applied from abroad, you wait abroad while the appeal is pending.

Documents

Required documents

Identity

  • Valid national passport

Work

  • Proof of two years of full-time work or business activity

Other

  • Language certificate at B1 (or C1 on the four-year route), unless exempt

Supporting documents (where they apply)

Money

  • Tax decisions showing annual income above EUR 40,000 for the income route

Study

  • Finnish university degree certificate or recognition of a foreign master’s or doctoral degree

Frequently asked questions

How many years do I need for permanent residence in Finland?

Six years for applications filed on or after 8 January 2026, or four on the income, foreign higher degree or C1 language routes.

Is Finnish or Swedish required?

Yes, B1 on the main route, unless you are 65 or older; the high-income route has no language test.

What does it cost?

EUR 380 online or EUR 600 on paper in 2026.

I applied in December 2025. Which rules apply?

Applications submitted before 8 January 2026 are decided under the previous rules.

Official sources

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

Business and self-employment

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

Faster processing

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.

Finland visa guide