Residence Permit Guidance for Fulbright U.S. Scholars

Make sure that you fill in the correct residence permit application. Please take a note of the regulations provided to us below by the Finnish Immigration Service Migri concerning residence permits for Fulbright U.S. Scholar grantees and apply the correct permit that is applicable to your individual situation.

A) Fill in the application for the residence permit for scientific research (OLE_TUT) if you come to Finland to teach, conduct scientific research or your project combines both research and teaching. Please see the instructions below.

B) Fill in the application for the residence permit for internship (OLE_TY3) if you come to Finland to conduct a professional development project (all Mid-Career Professional Development Grantees and awardees conducting professional development projects under the Seeking Solutions for Global Challenges Award). Please see the instructions on the professional section.

First, please fill in the online residence permit application form through the Finnish Immigration Service's pages. Please read the instructions for the residence permit application for scientific research carefully. In the online application system, you are looking for the “Residence permit application for scientific research” (OLE_TUT).

To fill out the application, you will first need to create a user account at the EnterFinland website:
https://enterfinland.fi/eServices/info/researcher

Please note that each family member will need to have a separate user account (all the family members will  be connected together).

If your family is joining you in Finland, separate forms need to be filled out for each dependent. A spouse also needs to fill out form OLE_PH1 and children the form OLE_PH4. The spouse's residence permit includes unrestricted right to work in Finland. 

Spouse: OLE_PH1

Child: OLE_PH4

In addition, the grantee must also fill in the application PK1_plus for their spouse.

Please make sure you fill out all sections of the form. The application will not be processed with inadequate information.

Please take note of the following additional instructions for Fulbright grantees:

Application for a D visa

Fulbright grantees do not need to apply for a D visa because U.S. citizens are not required to have a visa to enter Finland.

Contact information in Finland

If you do not yet have the address, you can fill out the address of your host institution.

Beginning and duration of residence in Finland

Please use the grant dates included in the official Fulbright Finland Foundation Grant Authorization as your arrival and departure dates.

Research institution, location or company in Finland at which you will be conducting research

Please select “no” for the question “Are you or will you be employed by the research organization in Finland?”

Please select your host institution from the list for the question “With which research organization do you have a contract?” and add their contact information below.

Income and other information

Please select “scholarship, grant” for the questions “How will you secure your income in Finland?” and write Fulbright Finland Foundation for “Which institution is paying the scholarship?”

Additional information for the application

Please write that you are a Fulbright U.S. Scholar grantee (except PhD students write that you are a Fulbright U.S. Student Program grantee) and specify that you are applying for the residence permit to conduct research and/or teach on a Fulbright grant.

For a spouse, in their OLE_PH1, in section “Grounds for the residence permit of your spouse”, category “other” should be selected and the same information should be added, i.e. that you are a spouse of a Fulbright Scholar grantee. The same information should be added at the OLE_PH4 for each child.

Make sure the U.S. passport is valid for the entire period you will stay in Finland. The Fulbright grant does not cover expenses related to passport fees.

This means both of the following:

• Researcher agreement: Researcher agreement (sometimes called hosting agreement) issued by your Finnish host institution and signed by you. Please request this document from your host institution.
• Scholarship attachment: Grant Authorization issued by the Fulbright Finland Foundation and signed by you.

Please note, that the “Grant Authorization” document also gives the required information detailing your allowance, the duration of your stay and the details of your duties.

Additional proof of funds may be requested. Please provide proof of all financial support available to you for your period in Finland (personal savings, sabbatical pay, etc).

A spouse also needs to fill out form OLE_PH1 and child a form OLE_PH4. Grantee and spouse need to create their own accounts on the EnterFinland residence permit application system and use their own separate email addresses for that.

Normally, Migri processes children's and spouse's residence permit applications at the same time as the grantee's application.

If your spouse is applying to join you in Finland, a legalized copy of your marriage certificate should be attached to the application. If your children are applying with you, please attach legalized copies of their birth certificates and legalized signatures by both custodians. The certificates are legalized by an authenticity stamp i.e. apostille. The apostille ensures that the certificates are recognized also in Finland.

If you already have a notarized certificate for the marriage/birth certificate, but it looks like that receiving the apostille takes several weeks, according to Migri, you can submit your residence permit application with the notarized certificate and amend it online later with the apostille. Do indicate in the application that you will submit the apostille later. Please note that Migri will not make a decision on your application until they have received all the required documents.

You will be asked to show the original versions of your marriage certificate and children's birth certificates at the VFS Global Application Center or Finnish Consulate. Please hold on to the original documents and take them with you when traveling to Finland. You will be asked to show the certificates as well as the apostilles at the local Digital and Population Data Services Agency DVV when in Finland.

A processing fee is charged for the residence permit application. Pay the processing fee with a credit card or the online bank credentials of a Finnish bank. Personal checks are NOT accepted.

When you start the application process, please contact the VFS Global Application Center or Finnish Consulate to see if you can already schedule an appointment to prove your identity. You will also be fingerprinted for a biometric residence permit card at the Center or Consulate.

Please see instructions on how to book and appointment and what to bring with you for the appointment at the VFS Global website. Make sure that your passport is valid for your entire stay in Finland or longer.