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Pre-arrival essentials

This page provides guidance to help you complete all necessary relocation arrangements before arriving in Finland. It’s designed for international employees, grant researchers, doctoral students, and long-term visitors, offering a pre-arrival guidance to ensure a smooth transition to Finland. 

Official documents and entry permits

Check that your passport is valid if you are a citizen of a non-European Union country. A valid passport is a mandatory requirement when applying for a residence permit. If you are visiting Finland for a short stay under a visa or visa exemption, ensure that your passport is valid for at least three months beyond the date you plan to leave Finland or the Schengen Area.

Citizens of the EU and Schengen area member countries must hold either valid a passport or official ID card.

Entry permit requirements depend on your citizenship, capacity in which you work in Finland and the duration of your stay.

Citizen of the European Union (EU) or the European Economic Area (EEA)

Employees from the Nordic countries (Denmark, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) may arrive and work in Finland without a residence permit or visa.

Citizens of European Union (EU) and European Economic Area (EEA) member states also do not need a residence permit. However, if you plan to stay in Finland for more than three months (90 days), you must register your right of residence with the Finnish Immigration Service.

Citizens of other countries

Citizens from the non-EU/EEA countries usually need to obtain a visa or a residence permit before their arrival in Finland. You must initiate the application process yourself. The University of Eastern Finland cannot apply for the entry documents on your behalf. 

Residence permit - an entry permit to work in Finland for longer than three months (90 days)

If you wish to work in Finland, you will usually need a residence permit that is granted by Finland. In most cases, you are not allowed to start working before you have a valid residence permit. The required permit depends on your duties and background. 

Here are instructions on how to apply for the most typical residence permit types for work at the university.

  • a researcher (PhD students, researchers, visiting researchers, postdocs, professors). If you already have a residence permit for research granted by other EU member state, please see more information here.
  • a specialist/expert  (teachers, specialists or top or middle management of a company)
  • a person who has completed a degree in Finland
  • family member (spouse and children)
    • We recommend that your family members apply for a residence permit at the same time as  you to ensure their applications are also processed as a priority. Processing time for family members application is significantly longer if they apply later.
    • File separate application for each family member
       

Frequently asked questions about researcher´s residence permit application


How do I apply for the residence permit for scientific work (researcher´s residence permit)?

1. Wait for the Hosting Agreement from UEF

2. Submit your online application via Enter Finland portal

  • Fill in the application for first residence permit → work and employment in Finland → research
  • Collect the mandatory appendices (passport, passport photo, hosting agreement, Master´s degree certificate)
  • Pay for your application online

3. Book an appointment with Finnish embassy or VFS Global Service Center

A visit in person is required for verification of identity and application documents. 

For what period should I apply for the residence permit?

Apply for the residence permit for the same dates as stated in the in the hosting agreement
 

Should I share the application with your employer?

Yes, choose the option for sharing the application with the employer
 

What is UEF´s street address?

UEF’s street addresses are

  • Yliopistonranta 8, FI-70210 Kuopio, Finland or
  • Yliopistokatu 2, FI-80100 Joensuu, Finland

Are there any fringe benefits that I should list in this question “Taxable value of your fringe benefits in total”

Usually there are no such benefits that you should list in your application

What are the working hours for researchers?

Researchers don’t have any set daily, weekly or monthly working hours but their annual/total workload is 1612 h

What is a D visa and should I apply for it?

You have the option to apply for a D visa alongside your researcher’s residence permit. The D visa  is a 100-day visa that gives you the right to enter Finland but you cannot start working with it. You may begin working only once your residence permit becomes valid.

The D visa potentially shortens the waiting time before you can move to Finland because you don't need to wait for the delivery of residence permit card but the residence permit card is delivered to Finland. The D visa allows you to arrive in Finland about 1–2 weeks earlier than you would without it

Please consider the following matters before applying for the D visa

  • Do you really need it?
  • Are you prepared to pay the additional processing fee for the D visa?
  • Can you leave your passport with the officials for the visa sticker? 

 

Visa - an entry permit for short visits that do not exceed the duration of three months (90 days)

Researchers, teachers and specialists coming to work at the University of Eastern Finland on the basis of an invitation or a contract for no longer than 90 days, do not need a residence permit. They must, however, have a valid visa unless they are citizens of certain countries that are exempt the from visa requirement. To apply for a visa and to see if you can enter Finland free of visa, please see the visa requirements at the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

If you are working at the University of Eastern Finland in any other capacity than researcher/teacher/specialist, you must apply for a residence permit / residence permit for an employed person.

Further information:

Visa requirements 

Right to work without a residence permit

Schengen visa info

 

 

If you arrive in Finland with your spouse and children and wish to register your marital status and family ties with the Finnish officials, you must provide legalised and translated marriage and/or birth certificate upon registration. These certificates need to be translated and legalised with Apostille or Grand Legalisation prodecure. 

Please note that usually legalisation process can be done only in the country that has issued the document. Please make sure that you with the needed documents before your arrival in Finland.

Legalisation of documents (Digital and Population Data Services Agency) 

Finnish diplomatic missions abroad

Practical things to arrange

Joensuu and Kuopio are located in the eastern part of Finland, approximately 400 kilometres from the capital Helsinki.

When you are making travel arrangements, please note that most of the university buildings are open and staffed Monday to Friday between 8/9am and 4pm.

Learn more about how to get from Helsinki to Joensuu and Kuopio:

It is important to arrange accommodation in advance. You should start making housing arrangements as soon as your stay at the University of Eastern Finland has been officially agreed.

Short-term accommodation

Even if you are planning a long-term stay, it might be useful to book short-term accommodation at first. Staying in a local hotel/hostel will allow you to get to know the city better and you can get a feel for the local areas and transport connections to the university, city centre and other essential locations.

The University of Eastern Finland has got a limited number of guest rooms and one guest apartment at the Kuopio Campus and guest apartments in Joensuu.

Alternatively you may wish to book short-term accommodation in a local hotel, hostel or Airbnb. For further details, please visit the websites of accommodation in Kuopio region and accommodation in Joensuu region.

Long-term Accommodation

Rented housing can be found via the city, estate agents or private landlords. You can find housing advertisements in the Internet and in the local newspapers. Consulting your colleagues is recommended too. Your colleagues may have some useful tips on issues such as transport, shops and services, schools and childcare etc.

Tenancy agreements are typically signed for a minimum of 12 months. This means that the agreement cannot be terminated during the first year. Making shorter tenancy agreements can be difficult. Apartments are usually rented unfurnished, which means that you need to buy/bring furniture, cooking ware and textiles etc. yourself. However, fitted clothes and kitchen cabinet and cupboards, refrigerator and stove are always included in the rent.

In order to rent an apartment, a security deposit is usually required. This deposit is usually equivalent to 1-3 months' rent. The deposit will be returned to you when you move out of the apartment, provided that you have paid the rent, kept the apartment in good condition and cleaned the apartment thoroughly.

Joensuu (see also nationwide property rental sites below)

• Kotimaailma  Site available in Finnish and English
• Apartamentos Joensuu  Furnished apartments, site available in Finnish, English and Russian
• Lumo apartments in Joensuu
• Joensuun Kodit  (Fin, Eng, Rus)
• OVV-asuntopalvelut 
• Joensuun Elli Student Housing Company- For undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate students (Fin, Eng)

Kuopio (see also nationwide property rental sites below)

Nationwide property rental sites

• Vuokraovi (portal for rented housing)
• Oikotie (Oikotie is a portal for renting apartments and selling apartments and cars; only in Finnish)
• Tori (Online forum for selling for all kinds of items, also advertisements for rented apartments; only in Finnish)
• Retta Management (Retta Management is responsible for the leasing of Varma Mutual Pension Insurance Company's flats)

See also

• Information on rental housing in Finland (vuokraturva.fi)
• Finding housing in Finland (expat-finland.fi)
• Rental dwelling in Finland (infopankki.fi)
• Real estate terms Finnish-English  (expat-finland.fi)
• Act of Residential Leases (finlex.fi)

Please note that it is not possible to change foreign currency in Joensuu or Kuopio, so it is not advisable to bring foreign cash with you. If you can't exchange euros before coming to Finland, you can exchange currency at Helsinki airport or in Forex branches. 

Credit and debit cards are widely accepted and cash can be withdrawn from ATMs. If you wish you can bring some cash (Euros) for the first weeks of your stay. Please note, though, that most banks no longer handle cash directly, and making cash payments for things like rent or bills is often difficult and expensive. 

Opening a Finnish bank account is not easy and takes a while. To receive your first months’ salary (if applicable) and manage the first days’ daily issues in Finland confirm that your home country/current bank/credit card works in Finland and that you can receive international money transfers to your bank account.

If you do not wish or are unable to use your home country bank account, you can open an online bank, such as Wise or Revolut while waiting for your Finnish bank account.

It is strongly recommended to take out private health insurance or ensure you have a valid European Health Insurance Card before arriving in Finland. This coverage should last for at least the first few months, as official registrations in Finland can take time to complete. Until your registration is processed, you are not automatically entitled to public health care, so having coverage during this period is essential.

Please note that occupational accident insurance and occupational health care services provided by the University of Eastern Finland (UEF) for staff members only apply during working hours. They do not cover accidents during leisure time, weekends, public holidays or extend to family members. Therefore, it is highly advisable to arrange private health insurance for both yourself and any accompanying family members.

Private health insurance

Finnish insurance companies provide health insurance only for permanent residents of Finland who can speak Finnish, taking out a private health insurance before your arrival in Finland is strongly recommended.

Below you can find some international insurance companies but you are welcome to choose any reliable insurance broker. Please consult the insurance brokers in the country of your residence or contact international insurance providers

Further information

 

 

 

If you are moving to Finland with your spouse/partner and family, it is important to carefully consider the practical arrangements for the family members, so that they would also have a fulfilling and productive stay in Finland. The following information is intended to help make the transition to Finland as smooth as possible for new staff members and their families.

For further information on schooling and day care, please see here.

If you move your personal possessions from your home country to Finland, please contact the relocating / shipping companies in your country of residence, or see some alternatives at: www.expat-finland.com/moving_to_finland/international_movers.html

Unless you know the size of the apartment where you are moving to, you should only bring the essentials. Inexpensive furniture and items for your home can be bought in second-hand shops or shops such as Ikea. If you wish to bring electrical appliances and/or electronics, you might need a voltage converter and a plug adapter unless you have dual-voltage electronics.

Bringing a car to Finland as removal goods

If you intend to bring a car to Finland as removal goods you must declare it to customs. 

The use of a vehicle in traffic also requires:

  • A declaration of use confirmed by Finnish Tax Administration
  • A valid EU/EEA registration or a transfer permit
  • A traffic insurance valid in Finland.

Temporary tax-free use of car

If you live permanently outside Finland you may, on certain conditions, use a car in Finland without having to pay car tax. The extent of the right to tax-free use depends on whether the vehicle has been imported for the person’s use (a so-called tourist car) or if it is used for business purposes.

The following conditions are to be met for tax -free use:

  • Your permanent place of residence is registered abroad
  • The car is registered abroad
  • You only use the vehicle up to 6 months in a 12-month period
  • The motor insurance is valid in Finland

See also:

Health issues

Make sure that your routine vaccinations are up-to-date. At least the following vaccinations/immunisations should be reviewed and updated if necessary:  measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine, and polio vaccine. Bringing immunisation records is recommended.

Bringing your medical records and your children's immunisation records is also recommended.  If you are on continuous medication, please make sure you will be able to get the appropriate medicine in Finland. You may check the availability of a specific medicine on the National Agency for Medicines website.
If you have an illness that requires permanent medical treatment, it is advisable to bring the prescriptions with you.

Useful information

In order to make a smooth transition to living and working in Finland, it is really important that you prepare yourself for your new life in Finland. The better you are prepared, the more you will enjoy your time in Finland. It is also worthwhile to try to learn as much as you can about Finland - maybe some basic phrases in Finnish, something about our history, culture, current social and political conditions. There are many ways to do this: read books and magazine articles, surf the Internet, talk to Finnish people or people who have visited Finland before. Be active and explore!

Join our Facebook group UEF International Researchers and Staff (closed group) and meet other international staff members. 

Some recommended links: