Student residence permit and health insurances

Non-EU/EEA citizens must have a valid passport and will need to check at a local Finnish embassy or consulate whether a visa or a residence permit for Finland is required. The residence permits in Finland are issued by the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri).

You can apply for a study-based continuous residence permit (type A) for the entire duration of your studies. However, the residence permit can be granted only for the time during which your passport is valid. 

The application process takes time, so please apply for the residence permit immediately, and start making the arrangements for the compulsory visit to a Finnish mission (embassy or consulate). You should reserve at least two months, preferably more, for the application process. You need to have a valid residence permit before arriving in Finland and starting your studies.

The residence permit process starts with an online application, includes a personal visit to a Finnish mission to prove your identity and give your biometrics, and ends when you receive your residence permit card. Bear in mind that there might not be a Finnish mission in the country of your legal residence, thus you might have to visit another country. As some Finnish missions are very busy during the high season of applications, it is important that you book an appointment as early as possible and arrange a visa for the visit, if necessary. The processing time of the permit application is counted from the visit to a Finnish mission and not from the date of submission of the application. 

When you are granted a residence permit, your personal information will automatically be recorded in the Finnish Population Information System, and you will be issued a Finnish personal identity code. However, due to some local residence permit processes (concerning at least the citizens of India and Pakistan), your information might not be registered in the Population Information System, or you might not get the Finnish personal identity code when you are issued your residence permit. In this case, you need to apply for the registration and the Finnish personal identity code at the Digital and Population Data Services Agency after you have arrived in Finland. For more information, please see the instructions on how to apply for a municipality of residence.

• Read carefully the customer instructions provided by Migri and visit the Migri website for students to familiarise yourself with the application process and the application requirements.
• A common reason for delays in the residence permit application process is insufficient health insurance cover. Please read carefully the insurance instructions by Migri.
• Another common reason for rejecting a residence permit application is the lack of funding. You need to prove your funding for the first year of studies at the time of the application, but are required to have sufficient funding for the whole duration of the residence permit you are applying for. Migri can monitor throughout your studies that the funding requirements are met. Please read carefully the instructions by Migri regarding the proof of funds.
• Migri processes all student applications as urgent and the university cannot influence the application process.
• Note that from the date of the decision, the delivery of the residence permit card takes approximately two weeks, and you should wait for it in the same country in which you submitted your application.
• If you are granted a continuous residence permit (type A), you will also receive a municipality of residence. More information on municipality on Digital and Population Data Services' pages.
• Note that the coronavirus pandemic may affect the residence permit application process. Please see Migri’s pages for effects of the coronavirus on their services.

Citizens of non-EU/EEA countries are required to have valid health insurance already when applying for the residence permit for Finland. This is a compulsory requirement for obtaining residence permit for studies lasting more than three months. The same requirement applies for both degree-seeking and exchange/free-mover students.

You can search the requirements and possible options for a private health insurance from Migri's website. You can find the insurance requirements explained in Migri's Webinar about studying in Finland ('Students’ residence permits - webinar 5 May 2022', start at 11:26). If you consider other options, make sure that the insurance fulfills the necessary requirements.

Citizens of EU/EEA countries are entitled to medical care while staying temporarily in another EU/EEA-country. The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) serves as a proof of the entitlement. By presenting the card you can use the services of the municipal health care centres, and in case of emergency, you are entitled to the same benefits with the same costs as local residents. You should make sure you have the EHIC card with you when arriving in Finland.

It is strongly recommended to have also a private insurance as an additional security. Please note that the individual systems of the EU countries and practices surrounding the use of the EHIC card may vary.