Before arrival

The required travel documents depend on the nationality of the visitor. For more information, please visit the pages of Finnish Immigration Service

Nordic citizens

• Do not need a visa or residence permit, nor an employee’s residence permit if they study or work in Finland. However, they must be able to reliably confirm their identity and nationality. In practice this means a passport or an identification card that has their picture
• Are required to register at the Local Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV) if the visit lasts over 6 months

EU/EEA nationals

• Freedom of mobility: Citizens of the EU, Liechtenstein, Switzerland can freely work in other EU countries for up to three months. The EU countries are the Netherlands, Belgium, Bulgaria, Spain, Ireland, Italy, Austria, Greece, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Portugal, Poland, France, Romania, Sweden, Germany, Slovakia, Slovenia, Denmark, Czech Republic, Hungary, Finland, and Estonia.
• Work permit is not needed if the stay is max 3 months. A longer stay requires a registration of right of residence at the Finnish Immigration Services.
• For the registration, several documents are needed: a certificate from the employer on the employment or e.g. research funded on scholarship, a student certificate, documents on sufficient health insurance and income, national identity documentation or passport, and other documents possibly required by the authorities. The registration fee is 49 € (2021).The principle is that the applicant needs to have sufficient funds to sustain him/herself and the accompanying family members.
• The registration of residence permit is valid until further notice, and after five years of continuous and legal residence in Finland a citizen of the European Union is entitled to permanent residence.
• Find out more about the rights of EU citizens: ec.europa.eu/justice/opinion/your-rights-your-future/

Citizens from countries outside EU/EEA

• Usually a foreign national who has arrived in Finland on a tourist visa or visa-free is not allowed to work in Finland, and cannot be paid, for example, scholarships or grants, so the person must acquire a residence permit.
   
• As an exception, interpreters, experts, and teachers who have an invitation or contract can work visa-free or on Schengen visa for a maximum of 90 days.

• Consider a health insurance from your home country. This is essential especially upon arrival and when still settling in. We strongly recommend an additional health insurance also for EU Citizens, as the European Health Insurance Card only covers necessary medical treatment in the public sector. For more information about insurances, please visit migri.fi/en/insurance
   
• If you are coming from another EU/EEA country or from Switzerland and working simultatiously in two or more EU-countries, you must carry an A1 Certificate. The form will indicate in which EU country your social security contributions are paid.

Start looking for an apartment as early as possible. Especially furnished apartments for short-term lease are sometimes hard to find!

Here are some useful links about housing in Finland:

Infopankki Housing guide
Finnish real estate terms and abbreviations
Waste management and recycling

Finding a cozy rental apartment is one of the most important factors that influence your stay in Vaasa, and therefore it is advisable to start looking as soon as you know the date of your arrival. Finding a furnished apartment especially in August - September can prove to be quite tricky, so please act on this as early as you can!

The University of Vaasa has one fully furnished studio apartment for the use of visitors. The rent for one week is 190 € / week. For booking the apartment, please contact your host at the University of Vaasa or the University of Vaasa Facility Services tilat(a)uwasa.fi. 

Furnished apartments for short-term visits & other accommodation options

There are some companies in Vaasa that offer furnished apartments for individuals and families that can be rented daily or monthly. The standard of these apartments is normally high and e.g. cleaning services are included. The price is quite affordable and some of the providers offer breakfast, sauna and other facilities that are included in the price. Also some of the hotels offer good deals for long-term visits. You can find all options in the Vaasa region at the City of Vaasa webpage

Renting an apartment in Vaasa

The price of a studio apartment in Vaasa is normally between 400 € - 600 € / month. Usually the owners wish to rent the apartment for at least one year forward, so it is not always easy to find apartments for short term lease. The apartments are usually rented out unfurnished.

It is highly recommendable to get a private home insurance. For some landlords, this might even be a requirement for renting the apartment. It is also common practice to ask for a rental deposit of 1 - 2 months rent when making the rental agreement. The deposit will be returned to you when the agreement ends, provided that the apartment is in good shape.

You will find a list of mediators of rental apartments operating in the region in the City of Vaasa web pages

In Vaasa, your home can be located in the middle of the city, by the sea or in real countryside, and yet you are close to quality services. Check the city guide for the different neighbourhoods.

• Remember to bring with you your original Degree Certificates. The Certificates will be checked upon work start.
   
• Legalisation of Birth and Marriage Certificates: If you and your accompanying family member(s) intend to live in Finland for at least a year, all of you must register your residence with the local Digital and Population Data Services Agency. If you are married and / or have children, you must provide a legalised copy of marriage and / or birth certificate(s) upon registration. For more information on how to legalise birth and marriage Certificates, please check out Legalisation of documents, The Apostille Certificate and Finnish diplomatic missions abroad pages.

• In matters related to customs and importing personal items such as pets, plants, car etc, please see Finnish customs instructions for private persons.
   
• Please note that currency exchange is not available in Vaasa. The cash bought with yo to Finland should be in Euros (dollars are not accepted, neither are cheques).