If you are moving to Finland on the startup visa, your company has to be a private limited company, known in Finland as an Oy. Registering one is not expensive: the usual fee at the Finnish Patent and Registration Office (PRH) is EUR 400, and no share capital is required. The full company registration cost in Finland is more than that fee, though, and for founders applying from Iran the timing matters as much as the price. The visa conditions themselves are set out on the Finland startup visa page.
In short: since 1 January 2026 companies can only be registered online, and most founders register after they arrive in Finland, because at least one board member has to live in the European Economic Area.
The official PRH fee for an Oy
PRH fees are set by the 2026 fee decree. The cheaper guided set-up is only available when everyone named in the filing has a Finnish personal identity code, so if you do not have one yet, the fee you pay is EUR 400.
| Item | Fee in 2026 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Start-up notification for a limited company (Oy) | EUR 400 | Standard route, online at ytj.fi |
| Guided set-up | EUR 300 | Only when everyone filed has a Finnish personal identity code |
| Paper filing | Not possible | Online only since 1 January 2026 |
| Minimum share capital | EUR 0 | No share capital required |
The figures are on the PRH limited company page. If you have read that an Oy needs EUR 2,500 in capital, that rule is out of date and was abolished years ago.
Timing: usually after you arrive in Finland
To register an Oy, at least one board member or deputy member must live in the European Economic Area (EEA), unless PRH grants permission, which it mainly gives to residents of Switzerland and the United States. That is why most founders register after they arrive, and Business Finland itself places company registration after the residence permit.
So you do not need a registered company before you apply for the visa. Your business plan has to show that you will run an Oy, because a sole trader business (toiminimi) is not accepted on this route. An existing company outside Finland only qualifies if it moves to Finland with its intellectual property rights and headquarters. It must also be under 5 years old, unless its operations change significantly. A branch or subsidiary is not enough.
Steps to register a limited company in Finland
Of the main company forms in Finland, only the limited company (Oy) works for the startup visa; partnerships, whose partners carry unlimited liability, do not. The steps for an Oy are:
- Prepare the articles of association and the founding minutes, and set out the board, the managing director and each founder’s shareholding. The registration forms are in Finnish or Swedish.
- File the start-up notification online at ytj.fi and pay the PRH fee.
- The company receives a Business ID (Y-tunnus), which you need for invoices, tax and a bank account.
- Registration with the Finnish Tax Administration (Vero), for example for VAT and, if you hire staff, as an employer, is done through the same ytj.fi form.
- Open a business bank account; the bank will ask for documents on ownership, shareholders and your identity.
Other costs: bookkeeping, legal services and translation
Apart from the PRH fee, these costs have no official rate and each provider sets its own price, so the table gives no figures for them. Get two or three quotes before you decide, and ask what each price includes.
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly bookkeeping | No official rate | Depends on transaction volume; recurs every year |
| Legal services (custom articles, shareholders’ agreement) | No official rate | Optional, depending on the company structure |
| Certified translation | Ask a certified translator for a quote | For documents not in Finnish or Swedish |
Corporate tax and VAT in 2026
Finnish corporate income tax is 20% in 2026, as in 2025. The government has proposed cutting it to 18%, but that is a proposal only and not law. The general VAT rate has been 25.5% since 1 September 2024.
Small companies can choose to report VAT quarterly instead of monthly if turnover is no more than EUR 100,000, and quarterly or yearly if it is no more than EUR 30,000. The longer period is optional, not mandatory.
Company costs are separate from proof of funds
Business Finland sets no fixed minimum investment for the company, but it expects a credible funding plan for the first year; company money can come from savings, loans, investors or public funding. That budget is separate from the money Migri, the Finnish Immigration Service, requires for your own living costs: each founder needs EUR 1,030 to 1,210 net a month in their own account for at least a year. The details are in Finland startup visa proof of funds.
The permit fee is separate as well: EUR 650 online for each founder in 2026. Put the three side by side in your first-year budget: company registration and running costs, each founder’s personal funds, and the application fees.
If your business does not fit the startup visa
Business Finland does not accept some businesses on the startup route, such as restaurants, consultancies, import and distribution businesses, and businesses aimed only at the Finnish market. These go to the entrepreneur residence permit, where your business is assessed by the Economic Development Centre (Elinvoimakeskus). Until 1 January 2026 that was the job of the ELY Centres. If you are still comparing countries, see the Netherlands startup visa as well.
Our role
You and your team file the applications yourselves, and you register the company with PRH yourselves after you arrive. Our work is reviewing your plan and team against Business Finland’s published criteria before you apply, and preparing the document list and proof of funds with you. To review your team’s situation, complete the assessment form.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to register a company in Finland?
The usual PRH fee for registering a limited company (Oy) in 2026 is EUR 400. The EUR 300 guided set-up is only available when everyone filed has a Finnish personal identity code. Bookkeeping and optional legal services cost extra.
How much share capital does a Finnish Oy need?
None; an Oy can be registered with EUR 0 share capital. For the startup visa, Business Finland still expects a credible funding plan for the company’s first year.
Can I register the company before I move to Finland?
Usually not, because at least one board member or deputy must live in the EEA unless PRH grants permission. That is why most founders register after they arrive.
Can I still register a company in Finland on paper?
No. Since 1 January 2026 companies can only be registered online at ytj.fi, and the forms are in Finnish or Swedish.
Does registering a company give me residence in Finland?
No. A company registration does not give you a right to live in Finland. You need a residence permit, such as the startup permit with a Business Finland eligibility statement, or the entrepreneur permit.
Official sources
PRH: limited company, Business Finland: applying, Migri: start-up entrepreneur, Migri: fees, Vero: corporate income tax, Vero: VAT tax period. All checked on 12 October 2026.
This article is general information, not legal advice, and it describes published official rules rather than any individual case.
