Important information about residence permit for students from China

Newly admitted exchange and degree students from China should be prepared for delays in processing of their residence permit applications. The closing of the Finnish consulate in Guangzhou and the introduction of new obligatory biometric residence permit card with fingerprints are slowing down the application process.

The University of Helsinki has contacted the Finnish Embassy and the Finnish Immigration Service MIGRI and expressed concern about possible late arrivals of Chinese students during autumn term 2012. Unfortunately, the University of Helsinki is not able to speed up the process on behalf of it’s students.

Appointment at the Finnish Consulate is necessary for submitting a residence permit application – please make an appointment as soon as possible and make sure you have all the required documents! We strongly recommend that you initiate your application through MIGRI E-services as this will speed up the process.

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