Embassy of Finland, Lusaka
Team Finland in Zambia
Finland's development cooperation in Zambia
Finland and Zambia
Representation of Zambia in Finland
Embassy, Lusaka
If you want to stay in Finland for a longer period than three months, you need a residence permit. Nationals of an EU member state, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland do not need a residence permit to come to Finland.
How to apply for a residence permit
If you lose your residence permit card
Expired residence permit
You can apply for a residence permit in Finland if you have a job, a study place or a family member in Finland. Apply for a residence permit before you come to Finland.
According to the EU visa rules, one of the requirements for granting a Schengen visa is that the person must leave the Schengen area before the visa expires. For this reason, a visa cannot be granted to a person who has come to Finland in order to obtain a residence permit or to wait for the decision on a pending residence permit-related matter. This also applies to family members of Finnish citizens.
Only you may initiate the application.
Apply for a residence permit electronically at enterfinland.fi or on paper at migri.fi
Choose the correct application form based on why you are coming to Finland (job, study place or family member in Finland).
Fill in the residence permit application carefully. Make sure that the appendices are correct.
Having filled in the application, find out which Finnish mission or VFS Global Application Centre you can visit for identification and for submitting biometric identifiers (signature, photograph, fingerprints) and book an appointment there.
A Finnish mission or VFS Application Centre may be located in a different country from where you are staying. Be prepared to apply for a visa for the country in question.
Go to the mission, authenticate yourself, and pay the fee collected for the residence permit application. This fee will not be refunded even if you cancel your application or receive a negative decision.
After this, your application will be transferred to the processing queue at the Finnish Immigration Service
You can follow the progress of the processing online. You may be asked for further information and you may be invited for an interview.
Processing the application takes time. Please be patient. Waiting times are usually long, but each application will be processed.
You will be notified once a decision has been made.
If you receive a positive decision, the residence permit card will be delivered to the mission. A negative decision means that is was considered that you do not have sufficient grounds for a residence permit.
You can get further information about applying for a residence permit at the Finnish Immigration Service website migri.fi
If you are a visa national and lose your residence permit card when abroad, you must primarily apply for a first residence permit at a Finnish diplomatic or consular mission to be able to return to Finland, even if you already have a valid residence permit. Applications for an extended permit cannot be lodged at missions. As a rule, a visa cannot be granted for this purpose, because the return requirement set out in the Visa Code is not met.
A visa may be granted only in situations referred to in the Visa Code, such as in a serious humanitarian situation – not because the applicant is in a hurry, has lost his or her air ticket or cannot pay the residence permit fee, for example. In other words, if a mission does not grant a visa, you must apply for a new residence permit to be able to return to Finland.
If your residence permit has expired while you have been abroad, apply for a new residence permit at a Finnish diplomatic or consular mission. A visa cannot be granted for this purpose, because the return requirement set out in the Visa Code is not met. A visa may be granted only in situations referred to in the Visa Code, such as in a serious humanitarian situation – not because the applicant is in a hurry, has lost his or her air ticket or cannot pay the residence permit fee, for example.
If a mission cannot grant a visa under the Visa Code, you must apply for a residence permit before returning to Finland.
Where to apply for a residence permit?
Apply for a residence permit at the Embassy of Finland in Lusaka.
Customer service: Embassy of Finland, Lusaka
Visa matters
- In Zambia, the Embassy of Sweden handles visa applications to Finland via Visa Centre VFS Global. VFS Global serves customers at Goldman House (Plot 58, Stand 2374), Great East Road, Lusaka. Applicants must schedule an appointment in advance for submitting their visa application.
- Visa appointment bookings are made online via www.vfsglobal.se/zambia. Specific information on the service and visa fees and on how to proceed with your application can be found on the same website.
- VFS Global also answers to inquiries in their helpline number +16466858474 (free of charge).
- Residence permit applications can be submitted at the Embassy of Finland by appointment only. Consular services are open on Tuesday and Thursday from 9.00 to 12.00 hrs.
- Residence permit appointments are booked by contacting us via email [email protected] Please specify whether you are making a paper or electronic application and on what ground you are applying.
- The service fee must be paid in advance to the Embassy's bank account in Zambia. Please see our service fees and payment instructions here.
Consular matters, passports and legalization
- E-mail enquiries concerning passports, document legalization and consular matters can be sent to [email protected] Consular services opening hours are on Tuesday and Thursday 9.00 to 12.00 hrs.
- In a case of emergency, duty phone nr. is +358 9 160 55555. This number is for the consular emergency situations only after office hours, weekends and public holidays.