Finland

Finland (officially the Republic of Finland) is a country in Northern Europe. The continental part borders Russia to the east, as well as Sweden and Norway to the north. The island part consists of the archipelagos of Turku and the Åland Islands. The country's area is 338,434 square kilometers. The capital is Helsinki.

The form of government is a parliamentary republic.

In its modern independent form, Finland emerged in 1917 after the October Revolution in Russia. On December 6, 1917, the Finnish Parliament adopted the Declaration of Independence of Finland. After the dissolution of the USSR, Finland returned to the sphere of influence of Europe. In the 1990s and 2000s, it joined the Council of Europe, the Council of the Baltic Sea States, the European Union, the Schengen Area, and the Eurozone. In 2023, it joined NATO. Finland is also a member of the OECD and the WTO.

Visa to Finland

Finland is part of the Schengen zone and issues Schengen visas. Unfortunately, in 2024, the country does not grant short-term visas to Russian citizens, and entry is allowed only for serious reasons. For example, traveling for tourism, medical treatment, or visiting friends is not permitted. However, one can try to find more substantial reasons for entry.

Currently, it is possible to enter Finland based on employment, studying at a university or certified courses, or if you plan to establish a business in the country. Additionally, you may visit family members who hold Finnish citizenship or a residence permit.

Sometimes, business visas are approved, but only if you can prove that a business meeting is scheduled in the country. Furthermore, property owners are allowed entry if they need to carry out repairs or maintain their property.

Attention

Finland does not have a specific visa for digital nomads, but there are separate types of visas for IT entrepreneurs and startup founders.

Read our article to learn how much it costs to apply for a visa to Finland, who can get it for free, and what types of visas are currently available for Russians.

Residence Permit

People who dream of living in Finland choose this country for its equality, democratic values, rule of law, and the state's care for its citizens. Finland is also renowned for its northern nature, excellent school education, and successful efforts to combat homelessness.

Foreigners can settle here by obtaining a residence permit. However, it is currently quite challenging for Russians to do so.

Grounds for obtaining a residence permit:

1. Real Estate Purchase  – Currently, citizens of non-EU countries need to obtain permission from the Ministry of Defense of Finland to purchase property. If the purchase is approved, the cost of the property must be at least 200,000 euros.
2. Studying at a Finnish University – Finland grants a residence permit for students for the entire duration of their studies.
3. Highly Qualified Work – There is a list of professions for which one can obtain a residence permit. For example, this includes cultural workers, IT specialists, sports figures, and educators. The full list is available in the article on residence permits.
4. Marriage to a Finnish Citizen – A partner can obtain a residence permit if the couple has been in a relationship for at least 2 years, even without being married. If the couple has a common child, the time requirement is waived.
5. Family Reunification – Unfortunately, family reunification is only possible with a spouse or children. It will be very difficult to reunite with parents.
6. Business Registration – For individual entrepreneurs, the residence permit is granted for 1 year, and for companies, it is granted for 2 years. A business plan must be provided or evidence must be given that the business is already profitable.

To learn more about all the ways to obtain a residence permit in Finland, read the separate article by following the link.

Passport of Finland

As of 2024, Finland ranks 4th in the global passport power index. Passport power refers to the opportunities it grants to its holder, particularly the ability to enter countries without a visa. Finnish passport holders can freely visit 176 countries (88% of all countries in the world).

Out of this list, Finland has complete visa-free access to 126 countries, requires a visa upon arrival in 42 countries, and in 8 countries, travelers need to arrange an ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization) in advance.

Finnish citizens can travel freely and without time restrictions across the European Union. In Australia and New Zealand, they can obtain a visa on arrival, while for travel to Canada or the United States, an ETA must be arranged in advance.

Where there is no free entry

You will need to apply for a visa to Afghanistan, Algeria, Benin, Cameroon, Chad, China, Turkmenistan, Liberia, Syria, Libya, and 12 other countries.

In the article about the Finnish passport, we discussed the terms and rules for obtaining a passport, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of Finnish citizenship. Be sure to check it out if you are considering moving.

Citizenship of Finland

Finns take their citizenship seriously, so obtaining it is quite a long and complex process. The main way is naturalization. Previously, one needed to live in the country for 5 years to apply for citizenship, but starting in 2025, this period will be at least 8 years.

Attention

In Finland, there is no program for obtaining citizenship through investment. The only option is to obtain permission from the Ministry of Defense for purchasing property, which can then be used to apply for a residence permit. After that, you would need to live in the country for 8 years on general grounds and go through naturalization.

We have already outlined the details of obtaining Finnish citizenship in one of the articles on the website. It contains detailed requirements, timelines, lists of documents, and reasons for obtaining a Finnish passport.

Climate Conditions

The climate of Finland is moderately cold. The country lies on the border between the maritime and continental climate zones. Areas of low pressure and western winds often bring heavy precipitation and contribute to frequent changes in weather conditions. At the same time, the Scandinavian Mountains protect Finland from the Atlantic. As a result, continental high-pressure zones shape a cold winter and a relatively warm summer.

The Baltic Sea, internal lakes, and the Gulf Stream make the climate in Finland much milder than in other regions at the same latitude. For example, the city of Kuopio is located at about the same latitude as Yakutsk in Siberia, but the average annual temperature there is nearly 13°C higher.

Precipitation in southern Finland amounts to 600-700 mm, while in the north it is significantly less. The least precipitation in the country falls in March, and the most in July or August.

The climate becomes colder moving north. While the average annual temperature in the south is 5°C, in the northern part of Finnish Lapland, it is -2°C. The duration of winter also changes depending on the region: in the southwest of the Finnish Archipelago, winter lasts only 100 days, while in Lapland, it lasts up to 200 days.

The coldest months are January and February, with average temperatures ranging from -4 to -14°C. The lowest recorded temperature was -51.5°C (in 1999).

Summer in southern Finland lasts from late May to mid-September, while in Lapland, it starts one month later and ends one month earlier. The average temperature in July ranges from +12 to +17°C. The highest recorded temperature was +37.2°C (in 2010).

Demographics

In 2023, the population of the Republic was just over 5.5 million people. It has a low population density of about 16.3 people per square kilometer. In terms of population size, the country ranks 114th in the world. The annual population growth rate is +0.5%. According to statistics, the fertility rate is 1.4 births per woman. The life expectancy is 82.1 years (85 for women and 79.4 for men). About 36% of the population is under 30 years old.

The proportion of foreigners is around 4%. This is very low compared to neighboring countries (Norway and Sweden).

Finland has two official languages: Finnish, spoken by the majority (native language of 91% of the population), and Swedish (spoken by 5.5% of the population). In Lapland, around 7,000 people speak three languages from the Sami group.

Most Finns (about 70%) are members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland. A minority (slightly more than 1%) belong to the Orthodox Church. Both are official state churches. The rest of the population identifies as Protestants, Catholics, or Muslims. The non-religious make up 26%.

Economy

Finland's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2023 was 281 billion USD. The GDP per capita in the same year was 47,088 USD. The annual GDP growth rate was -0.4%. The unemployment rate in 2023 was 7.6%. Inflation stood at 6.2%. The currency is the euro.

The largest sector of the economy is services (65.7%), followed by manufacturing and oil refining (31.4%). Primary production accounts for 2.9%. Major industrial sectors include electronics (21.6%), machinery (21.1%), forestry (13.1%), and chemicals (10.9%).

Finland is highly integrated into the global economy, with international trade accounting for one-third of the country's GDP. The European Union represents 60% of the total trade volume.

In the Global Competitiveness Index, which measures the competitiveness of countries, Finland ranks 11th as of 2023. In the Index of Economic Freedom, the country ranked 9th in the same year.

Freedom of Movement (Visa-free Countries)

In the global passport power ranking, Finland ranks 3rd, along with Sweden, Belgium, and Ireland. Finnish passport holders can visit 125 countries visa-free, with the right to stay for up to 180 days. In 43 countries, a visa is required on arrival, allowing stays of up to 90 days. For 8 countries, an electronic entry permit is sufficient, permitting stays of up to 90 days.