Start-up Entrepreneur Residence Permit (Finland)

Finland has a residence permit for people who come to start a growth-oriented company. It is issued by the Finnish Immigration Service, called Migri. Start-up entrepreneurs have been able to apply for their own permit since 1 April 2018.

The permit is not for every kind of business. Before you apply to Migri, you must get a positive Eligibility Statement from Business Finland, the government agency that assesses start-up teams.

Migri says you must obtain a positive Eligibility Statement from Business Finland before you can apply for this permit. Only one person in the start-up team needs to apply for the statement and then share it with the team.

If you cannot obtain a positive statement, you can apply for an entrepreneur residence permit instead. That permit has its own conditions, so read the Migri page for entrepreneurs before you decide. The pages checked for this guide do not describe the business plan requirements, so use the Business Finland instructions for what the statement involves.

A first permit can be granted for two years. You must have sufficient financial resources for the entire permit period. The Migri page does not give an amount, so ask Migri or check the current instructions before you plan your funding.

Migri lists these fees:

• Electronic application: EUR 450 for a first permit and EUR 170 for an extended permit
• Paper application: EUR 580 for a first permit and EUR 430 for an extended permit

Fees can change, so confirm them on the Migri fees page before you pay. Online fees are lower than paper fees.

You can use the fast-track service to get the permit in two weeks. Migri has a separate set of instructions for start-up entrepreneurs who apply this way. The page links to expected processing times without stating them, so check them when you plan your move.

A founder has other options, and it helps to compare them. The residence permit for an employed person needs confirmed employment with a Finnish employer and, in 2026, a gross salary of at least EUR 1,600 per month. A specialist permit needs a salary of at least EUR 3,937 per month in 2026 and, as a rule, a higher education degree.

The start-up permit works differently. It does not depend on a salary. It depends on a positive statement from Business Finland and on having enough money for the whole permit period. If you are founding a company with a team, this is the route Migri has built for you. If your plan is more like self-employment or a small trade, the entrepreneur residence permit may be the one to look at, so read its page first.

You can apply for a D visa together with the residence permit. Once the permit is issued and the D visa sticker is in your passport, you can travel to Finland.

Your main activity must be start-up entrepreneurship, but you may also do other work alongside it. If you apply for an extended permit, check whether you can work while the application is processed.

Most founders follow the same order:

• Prepare your business description and your team, and apply to Business Finland for the Eligibility Statement.
• Share the statement with the team once it is positive.
• Apply to Migri for the permit, online in Enter Finland if you can, and consider the fast track.
• Apply for a D visa together with the permit if you need one to travel.
• Travel to Finland once the permit is issued and the D visa sticker is in your passport.

Allow time for each stage, and do not book non-refundable travel before the permit is decided.

An extended permit is a separate application, with the lower fees above. The page does not describe the detailed conditions for an extension, so read the instructions and keep records of what your company has done, such as its development, funding and team.

Founders usually need to register a company in Finland, open a bank account and plan their tax and accounting. Compare incorporation providers on scope and price before choosing. Emooves lists service providers who help founders set up companies abroad.

Choose your timing with care. Start preparing the Business Finland statement early, because you cannot apply for the permit without it.

Do not apply for the permit before you have the positive statement. Do not assume any business qualifies, because the statement is about a start-up. Do not forget that you must show funds for the full permit period. And do not use an old fee table, because fees change.