Volunteer in Finland

• Submit your application in the e-service Enter Finland. After you have submitted your application, you have to visit the Finnish diplomatic mission or consulate in your country of origin/residence to prove your identity and have your fingerprints taken. A paper application is submitted to the Finnish diplomatic mission or consulate in your country of origin/residence.
• You have to submit your application yourself. Your host entity cannot do it for you.
• Processing fee (EUR): online application: 350, paper application: 550
• Expected processing time is 2 months.
• You will be informed of the decision online or through the Finnish diplomatic mission or consulate. You will receive your residence card through the Finnish diplomatic mission or consulate.

General attachments

• A valid passport (you must present it when you submit the residence permit application);
• a passport photo complying with the photo guidelines issued by the police or a photograph retrieval code you received from a photo shop;
• color copies of the passport page containing personal data and of all passport pages that contain notes;
• a document showing that you are legally staying in the country where you submit the application;
• form MP_1 (if you already are in Finland and apply for your first residence permit).

Application-specific attachments

• An agreement signed by you and the organisation responsible for the voluntary work, containing information about the following:
• a description of the voluntary service scheme, including its content;
• the duration, location and supervision conditions of your voluntary work and the volunteering hours (the start and end date, the location where you will be working and a mention of who will make sure that the voluntary work is done in appropriate conditions);
• documentation of funds that cover your subsistence and accommodation costs during your entire stay;
• documentation of a minimum sum of money paid to you as pocket money during your entire stay;
• if applicable, the training you will receive during your volunteering period.

It is possible to appeal the decisions made by the Finnish Immigration Service before an Administrative Court within the 30 days following the notification. The appeal procedures are indicated in the decision.

A rejection from the Administrative Court can be appealed as a last resort to the Supreme Administrative Court. You will need to apply for leave to appeal.