Finland tourist visa (Schengen C visa)

Holders of passports from countries on the EU visa list need a visa for every short visit to Finland, whether a holiday, a cruise stop or a round trip through the Nordic countries. Finland should be the main destination, meaning the country where you spend the longest time; if two countries are equal, apply to the one you enter first. A Finnish Schengen visa lets you move through the whole Schengen area during its validity.

Since 1 January 2024 Finland expects EUR 50 per day of stay, the highest figure it has used, replacing the earlier EUR 30. For a 10-day holiday that means EUR 500 in available funds; the value of a paid return ticket can be deducted. Bank statements should be in your own name and show regular income rather than a single recent deposit.

Travel medical insurance must cover emergency treatment, hospital care and repatriation, including in case of death, for the whole Schengen area and all travel days.

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.

The border guard can ask again for your return ticket, accommodation, insurance and funds, so carry copies. If you cannot leave on time for a serious reason, such as sudden illness or a cancelled flight, the police can extend the visa; a holiday that simply runs longer is not a ground.

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.