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Finland

Finland visa

Europe · Northern Europe

In Finland, visas fall to the ministry for foreign affairs (Ulkoministeriö). Its "A visa to visit Finland" page describes the Schengen visa as an entry document for a short stay of less than 90 days in any 180-day period. According to that portal, all applications are filed in person, by appointment, at a visa application center or a Finnish mission. The portal details the documents, the processing times, the grounds for refusal and the avenues of appeal.

Updated on 7 October 2026 · Official sources consulted on 17 September 2026

At a glance

Authority
Ulkoministeriö — ministry for foreign affairs of Finland
Submission channel
Filing in person, by appointment, at the visa application center designated by a Finnish mission, at a Finnish mission, or at the mission of a Schengen State representing Finland
Electronic visa
Not stated on the portal consulted; the form is filled in on a dedicated site, but filing is in person and an application cannot be sent by email or by fax
Portal language
English (English version of the ministry's site)

Do you need a visa?

Gambia passport: visa required for a short tourist stay.

For a short tourist stay with an ordinary passport. To work, study or stay longer, the rules are different: check your situation.

Good to know

Visa required (Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2018/1806, consolidated version of 30.12.2025).

Official source: EUR-Lex — Regulation (EU) 2018/1806, Annexes I and II (consolidated version of 30.12.2025)EUR-Lex — Règlement (UE) 2018/1806, annexes I et II (version consolidée du 30.12.2025) (new tab) Verified on 24 September 2026

All destinations for this nationality

VisaGuideline helps you prepare your application. The decision belongs to the country’s authority: check the official page before paying or applying.

Finland visa: who needs one?

Based on the verified entry rules, for a short tourist stay with an ordinary passport.

Visa exemption 60

List of nationalities

Visa required 104

List of nationalities

Information not available 7

List of nationalities

A nationality missing from this list does not establish a visa exemption. Consult the official authority.

Documented visa types

Schengen visa, category C
According to the portal: allows travel within the Schengen area on a temporary basis for a maximum of 90 days in any 180-day period. It exists as single entry, double entry and multiple entry, the last being valid for at most five years. Official page (new tab)
Schengen visa, category A (airport transit)
According to the portal: allows a person to pass through the international transit area of an airport during a stopover or a change of flight, without authorizing them to leave that area. Official page (new tab)
Schengen visa, category D
According to the portal: valid for 100 days and issued to certain categories of applicant holding a Finnish residence permit; it allows a person to travel and stay elsewhere in the Schengen area for a maximum of 90 days in any 180-day period. Official page (new tab)
Visa with limited territorial validity (LTV)
According to the portal: allows travel within one or more Schengen States expressly mentioned on the visa; issued in exceptional cases, for example on humanitarian grounds, grounds of national interest or international obligations. Official page (new tab)

Where and how to apply

The portal states that, when Finland is the main country of destination, the application is filed at the visa application center designated by a Finnish mission, at a Finnish mission, or at the mission of a Schengen State representing Finland.

All applications are filed in person and biometric data are taken on that occasion; fingerprints are not taken again if they were given for an earlier application less than 59 months old. An appointment must be booked; an application cannot be sent by email or by fax. The portal states that honorary consuls and honorary consulates cannot issue visas.

Steps in the procedure

  1. Check whether a visa is needed and which travel documents Finland accepts.
  2. Fill in the application form on the ministry's dedicated site, or in PDF format.
  3. Book an appointment for the filing of the application.
  4. Gather the documents requested, including the travel insurance and the supporting documents for the purpose of the stay.
  5. File the application in person and have your biometric data taken.
  6. Pay the fees in full at the time of filing; some missions accept a prior bank transfer.
  7. Attend, where applicable, a personal interview requested by the mission.
  8. Wait for the decision, then for the entry check on arrival in Finland.

Documents mentioned by the authority

The exact list depends on the visa type and on the situation; only the official page is authoritative.

Stated fees and processing times

The amount of the visa fee is not stated on the page consulted: the portal refers to the price list of the services of Finnish missions and states that a service fee is added when the application is filed at a visa application center. It states that the visa may be issued free of charge in the situations it lists, in particular in the event of a major disaster, for school groups under 18 invited to a cultural or sporting event, and for holders of a diplomatic or service passport in the cases it describes.

According to the portal consulted on 17 September 2026: the application may be filed at the earliest six months before the start of the planned stay and the maximum processing time is 15 days, the examination possibly taking longer when a thorough assessment is necessary. Extending the validity of a visa in Finland is free of charge in the event of force majeure or on humanitarian grounds, and subject to a fee of 30 EUR for serious personal reasons; the administrative review fee is 255 EUR and the fee for proceedings before the Helsinki administrative court is 310 EUR.

After the decision

The portal states that, if the conditions for issue are not met, the visa is refused, and that the decision and its grounds are notified on a form conforming to the European Union visa code. A visa already issued is annulled if the conditions were not met at the time of issue, and revoked if they are no longer met.

The recipient of a decision to refuse, annul or revoke may ask the ministry for foreign affairs for an administrative review, within 30 days of receiving the decision, in writing in Finnish or in Swedish. The ministry's decision may then be challenged before the Helsinki administrative court, within 30 days. The portal states that the conditions of entry are reassessed on arrival in Finland and that extending the validity of a visa while in the country is a matter for the police.

Prepare your application

Frequently asked questions

Where is the application filed?

According to the portal, in person and by appointment, at the visa application center designated by a Finnish mission, at a Finnish mission, or at the mission of a Schengen State representing Finland.

Is there an electronic visa?

Not stated on the portal consulted. The form is filled in on a dedicated site, but filing is done in person and an application cannot be sent by email or by fax.

What processing time does the ministry state?

According to the portal consulted on 17 September 2026: a maximum processing time of 15 days, the examination possibly taking longer when a thorough assessment is necessary. The application may be filed at the earliest six months before the stay.

What can be done in the event of a refusal?

The portal states that the decision and its grounds are notified on a form conforming to the visa code, that an administrative review may be requested from the ministry within 30 days, and that an appeal is then possible before the Helsinki administrative court.

Points to check with the authority

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