Eligibility quiz
Has a Finnish citizen living in Finland adopted you, or are they in the process of adopting you?
Benefits
Benefits for your childBenefits for your child
Live in Finland
You can live with your family in Finland for as long as your permit is valid.
Study in Finland
You can study in Finland without a separate permit for your studies.
Work in Finland
You can work without restrictions and do not need a separate work permit.
You can start work after your permit is granted.
Get help abroad
If you live permanently in Finland and are in trouble abroad, a Finnish mission can help with urgent medical care or contacting relatives.
In some cases it can provide a temporary passport for your return.
If Finland has no mission, another Nordic mission may help, or another EU country's mission outside the EU.
Use public healthcare
You can use public healthcare if you have a registered home municipality in Finland.
Get financial support
Kela may provide financial support for housing, family costs, unemployment, sickness and other needs if it considers you permanently resident in Finland.
Working in Finland may qualify you for a narrower set of benefits.
Kela checks eligibility for each benefit, and your permit must be valid.
How to apply
Applying from outside FinlandApplying from outside Finland
Find your consulate
Find the Finnish mission responsible for the country where your child lives legally. Your child will need to visit it in person.
Searches DuckDuckGo for “Which Finnish mission serving your city handles adopted child residence permit applications for Finland?”
Choose the application
Use the application finder to select the residence permit application for an adopted child, called OLE_ADO.
Find the applicationGather your documents
Prepare the required documents for your child's application.
See required documentsFill in the application
Create an Enter Finland account and help your child fill in the adopted child residence permit application. Your child is the applicant.
Fill in the applicationSubmit your application
Submit your child's application in Enter Finland and pay the fee online as instructed. You can instead submit a paper application at the responsible Finnish mission.
Submit the applicationBook an appointment
Book an appointment for your child to prove their identity, following the responsible mission's booking instructions.
Searches DuckDuckGo for “How do I book an appointment for a Finland adopted child residence permit at the Finnish mission serving your city?”
Go to the appointment
Bring your child, their passport and original documents to the appointment. Your child must prove their identity and provide their fingerprints, signature and photograph.
Find appointment instructionsSearches DuckDuckGo for “What should my child bring to a Finland adopted child residence permit appointment at a Finnish mission?”
Wait for the decision
Your child should remain abroad while the application is processed, unless they are allowed to apply in Finland. Follow the application in Enter Finland, answer any requests for more information and take your child to an interview if asked.
Follow the applicationCollect the permit card
Once your child's application is approved, collect the residence permit card from the mission or the delivery point you are given. Your child can then travel to Finland with the card and a valid passport.
Find collection instructionsSearches DuckDuckGo for “How do I collect a Finland adopted child residence permit card after approval abroad?”
Documents needed
Family certificates and recordsFamily certificates and records
Birth certificate
Get your birth certificate from the office that records births in the country where you were born.
Adoption permit or confirmation
Include the permit from the Finnish Adoption Board if one was obtained. If there is no permit, include the Finnish court’s confirmation of your adoption abroad.
Adoption decision *
Get the decision on your adoption from the office that issued it.
* Only if your adoption was decided abroad.
May need translationMay need apostille/legalisationConsiderations
Things to think aboutThings to think about
Permit and record updates
Renew your permit before it expires if you still need it, and keep your passport valid.
Tell the relevant authorities about changes to your address, family circumstances and other registered details.
Residence can be lost
Your permit ends when it expires unless it is extended, and extension is not automatic.
It may be withdrawn or not extended if the reason for your stay no longer exists, though a family breakdown does not automatically end it.
False or misleading information and other legal grounds for removal or withdrawal can also affect it.
Discuss
Online communitiesOnline communities
Expats & Foreigners in Finland
English Facebook group for people living in Finland interested in Finnish visas
Join on Facebookr/AnchorLessEurope
English Reddit group for people living in Europe interested in visas
Join on RedditForeigners in Finland
English Facebook group for people living in Finland interested in Finnish local life
Join on FacebookConsultation
Talk to a professionalTalk to a professional
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