The Finland startup visa, officially the residence permit for a start-up entrepreneur, lets a founding team move to Finland to build a new, scalable company. It suits two or more founders who have tested their idea with potential customers and are ready to relocate and work on it full-time.
Last checked against Migri and Business Finland: 12 October 2026 · Aval Visa content team · General information
€650 online per founder
€1,030–1,210 a month per person
About 2 weeks in most cases
Up to 2 years
Not required
If you are younger and your budget is limited, a student visa can be the better way in.
A job offer from a Finnish employer, or a Finland work visa, is one of the faster ways into the country.
Restaurants, consultancies and solo founders apply for the entrepreneur residence permit instead.
1First conversation and a check of your team against Business Finland's criteria
2Signed agreement; documents and funds evidence prepared
3Your team files its own applications; identity check at VFS
4After Migri's decision: travel, residence card, and your own company registration at PRH
If you would like to go through your team’s position with us, fill in the assessment form.
The startup permit is a continuous (A) residence permit under Finland’s Aliens Act. Two public bodies decide in turn: Business Finland, the government agency for innovation and trade, judges the business; Migri, the Finnish Immigration Service, decides each founder’s permit.
| Item | 2026 figure |
|---|---|
| Business Finland eligibility statement | Free |
| Migri fee, first permit | €650 online / €800 paper, per founder |
| Personal funds | €1,030–1,210 a month per founder, for at least 1 year |
| Migri decision | About 2 weeks in most cases; 2 months legal maximum |
| First permit | Up to 2 years |
| Language certificate | Not required |
| Quota | None |
| Family | Spouse and children under 18 can come |
Figures: Migri and Business Finland, read 12 October 2026.
Business Finland assesses the business model, the team and its resources, and the potential for rapid international growth. It decides only on what you submit in Enter Finland and normally holds no interview, so the written application carries the whole case.
You need at least two founders with versatile expertise who all move to Finland, work in the company full-time and together own at least 60% of it. In Business Finland’s words, “just owning a startup is not enough”. Co-founders must be genuine, not outsiders paid to join the application.
The idea must be new and scalable, aiming at “at least millions of euros of revenue at global markets”. Having an idea is not enough: you must show it has been validated with potential customers, for example through demos, prototypes or customer conversations. A finished product is not a listed requirement. A pitch deck of 5 to 10 slides is recommended.
The plan must use a Finnish limited liability company (Oy), not a sole trader’s business name (toiminimi). An existing foreign company must move to Finland with its intellectual property and headquarters, and be under 5 years old unless its operations change significantly. A branch or subsidiary does not qualify.
Neither Business Finland nor Migri sets a minimum investment. Business Finland wants “sufficient resources and funding” and a credible funding plan for the first year, and the permit “does not include investments or financial support”. Your personal means are a separate Migri test. Unlike the ordinary entrepreneur permit, you do not have to live off the company at the start.
No language certificate is required. Statement documents must be in English, Finnish or Swedish, and the team needs sufficient written and spoken English.
Business Finland does not accept these for the startup permit:
For these, look at the entrepreneur residence permit, where the Economic Development Centre (Elinvoimakeskus) assesses the business instead of Business Finland.
| Step | Who does it | Where | Typical time | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Eligibility statement | One founder, for the whole team | Enter Finland (Business Finland) | Up to 1 month on average | Free |
| 2. Permit application | Each founder separately | Enter Finland (Migri) | File while the statement is no more than 4 months old | €650 online / €800 paper |
| 3. Identity check | Each applicant in person | Finnish mission or VFS centre | Within 5 working days on fast track | VFS service fee varies |
| 4. Migri decision | Migri | Enter Finland | About 2 weeks in most cases | – |
| 5. Company registration | The founders, after arriving | ytj.fi (PRH) | After you move | €400 start-up notification |
One founder files for the whole team in Enter Finland, with the business plan, CVs and passport copies. The statement is free and takes up to a month on average, longer at peaks; July is slow.
Each founder files and pays separately, while the statement is no more than 4 months old. In Migri’s example, a statement issued on 10 April must be used by 10 August. The fast-track conditions are under processing times below.
Migri starts processing only after you prove your identity in person at a Finnish mission or VFS centre. Applicants in Iran use VFS Tehran. Booking, documents and waiting times are in our guide to VFS Tehran for Finnish residence permits.
A positive statement does not oblige Migri to grant the permit, and Migri cannot grant one after a negative statement. The common reasons for refusal are covered separately. The startup permit and its family permits qualify for a D visa, so you can travel before the residence card arrives.
An Oy can be founded with €0 share capital. Since 1 January 2026, registration with PRH (the Finnish Patent and Registration Office) is online only, through ytj.fi. The start-up notification costs €400; the €300 guided set-up needs a Finnish personal identity code for everyone filed. At least one board member or deputy must live in the EEA unless PRH permits otherwise, so founders usually register after moving, then get a Business ID and tax registration. See company registration cost in Finland.
| For the eligibility statement (one filing for the team) | For each founder’s permit application |
|---|---|
| Business plan in English, Finnish or Swedish | Valid passport |
| Pitch deck (5–10 slides recommended) | Photo no more than 6 months old |
| CVs of all founders | Colour copy of the passport data page |
| Passport copies of all founders | Proof of lawful stay in the country where you file |
| The eligibility statement (no more than 4 months old) | |
| Proof of funds |
Migri accepts as proof of funds a bank statement, a funding decision for the startup (for example from Business Finland), the startup’s current income statement and balance sheet, a rental agreement or an employment contract. Documents in other languages need an authorised translation, and family certificates must be legalised.
Migri’s fees come from the Ministry of the Interior’s 2026 fee decree (Migri fees page). They are charged per application and not refunded.
| Item | 2026 fee |
|---|---|
| Business Finland eligibility statement | Free |
| First startup permit, per founder | €650 online / €800 paper |
| Extended startup permit | €230 online / €430 paper |
| D visa | €95 online / €120 paper |
| Spouse, first permit | €750 online / €800 paper |
| Child under 18, first permit | €400 online / €430 paper |
| Oy registration at PRH | €400 start-up notification (€300 guided set-up with Finnish ID codes); online only |
Translation, legalisation and VFS service fees vary, so ask each provider for its current rate.
The money must be in your own bank account. It can come from savings, income from the startup, funding granted to the startup or other regular income. It must cover at least 1 year and the whole permit period, so a 2-year permit needs 2 years of funds. Evidence and family cases are covered in Finland startup visa proof of funds.
| Area | Per month (net) | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Helsinki area (Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa, Kauniainen) | €1,210 | €14,520 |
| 24 other large municipalities, incl. Tampere, Turku, Oulu, Jyväskylä, Kuopio and Lahti | €1,090 | €13,080 |
| Elsewhere in Finland | €1,030 | €12,360 |
Each family member adds to the monthly amount (Migri thresholds dated 1 November 2024):
| Area | Second adult | First child | Second child | Each further child |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Helsinki area | +€610 | +€610 | +€480 | +€360 |
| Large municipalities | +€550 | +€550 | +€430 | +€320 |
| Elsewhere | +€520 | +€520 | +€410 | +€310 |
Migri’s own example: two adults and two children in Tampere need €2,620 a month.
“Large municipalities” means the 24 named on Migri’s income requirement page. The thresholds are a legal minimum, not a living-cost estimate; for budgets, see cost of living in Finland.
| Stage | Most cases | Maximum or note |
|---|---|---|
| Business Finland statement | Up to 1 month on average | Longer at peaks; July is slow |
| Migri, first startup permit | About 2 weeks | 2 months (legal maximum) |
| Fast track, first permit | About 2 weeks | Conditions below |
| Extended permit | About 1 month | 2 months |
| Family members not on fast track | Backlog, no estimate published | 9 months (legal maximum) |
Migri’s clock starts when you prove your identity, and it updates its processing times every 2 months.
Fast track: first permit only, applied for from abroad. Pay online before submitting, upload all attachments and prove your identity at VFS within 5 working days. A spouse joins by filing within 2 days with your fast-track ID and pre-legalised documents. With a D visa, the residence card goes to a pick-up point in Finland.
Where to file. VFS Tehran accepts Iranian citizens and holders of an Iranian residence permit; a visa is not enough. Every applicant files separately, minors included, and fingerprints are taken from age 12. VFS reported a wait of about 7 working days on 26 July 2026. Since 7 June 2026, students have had priority for identity appointments; family members are not included in those slots, and no end date had been announced as of 12 October 2026. The embassy warned on 30 April 2026 that the Middle East security situation may temporarily limit mission and VFS services. If you get no appointment within 3 months, tell Migri through Enter Finland.
Legalisation. Iran is not in the Apostille Convention. Farsi documents are translated into English, then legalised by Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and then by the Embassy of Finland in Tehran.
Paying the fee. Fast track needs online payment before you submit. In Tehran you can also pay in cash in euros; the application then follows normal processing, still about 2 weeks in most cases.
Moving your funds. EU Regulation 2025/1975 restored the EU rules on transfers involving Iranian persons, and banks apply enhanced checks:
| Transfer to or from an Iranian person, not via an Iranian bank | What applies |
|---|---|
| Under €10,000 | No notification or authorisation |
| €10,000 to under €40,000 | Advance notification |
| €40,000 or more (non-humanitarian) | Prior authorisation |
The thresholds apply to the total of linked transfers, not to each payment separately. Transfers through Iranian banks are prohibited outside authorisable categories. Finland’s government says sanctions make moving money to Finland difficult, so allow time for a lawful transfer into your own account, including the bank’s checks and any notification or authorisation, while you work on the business plan.
Residence card. Card deliveries to Tehran were halted for about 2 months and are now normal but delayed (Migri, 27 May 2026); with a D visa you can travel before the card arrives.
Applying from elsewhere: file where you live lawfully and attach proof of that stay.
Your spouse (married or registered partner) and children under 18 can come with you; parents cannot. For applications from 16 June 2025, both spouses must be at least 21, unless they have joint custody of a child.
The first permit can be granted for up to 2 years if your funds cover 2 years (see proof of funds above). You extend it in Finland (form OLE_YRI) for up to 4 years, but only for the period your continuous income is proven, so 4 years is rare. Migri asks Business Finland directly, so no new statement is needed. The fee is €230 online / €430 paper, and most decisions take about 1 month. More in extending a Finland startup permit.
At extension, Business Finland checks that:
In 2025, 99 extensions were granted and 47 refused. Migri also monitors permits automatically: from 1 April 2024 to 31 December 2025 it considered revocation for 23% of monitored startup permits, and 70% of the 253 decisions revoked the permit. The main reasons Migri opened these reviews were that the holder never arrived in Finland or never started the business.
Right to work: unrestricted, though the startup must be your main activity.
Under the law in force since 8 January 2026, entrepreneur work counts as work history. You must be actively working when you apply, apply in Finland and still have grounds for a continuous (A) permit. The fee is €380 online / €600 paper; most decisions take 12 months. Each family member qualifies on their own residence.
| Path | Years on an A permit | Other requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | 6 | 2 years of work history + B1 Finnish or Swedish |
| High income | 4 | Annual income over €40,000; no language or work requirement |
| Strong language | 4 | 3 years of work history + C1 Finnish or Swedish |
| Foreign degree | 4 | Master’s or doctorate from abroad, recognised in Finland + 2 years of work history |
Citizenship needs 8 years of residence and B1 Finnish or Swedish, with at most 365 days abroad in total and 90 in the last year. Applications from 1 March 2027 add a civic-knowledge test. More in Finland permanent residence.
| Measure (Finnish government bill HE 216/2026) | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Eligibility statement applications | 1,068 | 746 |
| Share of positive statements | 8% | About 7.6% |
| First startup permits granted | 225 | 110 |
| Migri refusals after a positive statement | 5% | 13% |
In 2025, about 8 in 100 eligibility-statement applications got a positive statement; the bill notes that many were trial or repeat applications. The hard filter is Business Finland, not Migri, so the work that matters is the business plan and the customer validation behind it.
The startup permit is open in 2026 under the current rules. On 1 October 2026 the government gave Parliament bill HE 216/2026 vp, which has been with the Administration Committee since 7 October 2026, with no report or vote as of 12 October 2026. We explain each proposal in Finland’s startup permit bill. The bill proposes to:
If passed as proposed, it would take effect on 12 January 2028, and applications pending on that date would be decided under the current rules.
| Startup permit | Entrepreneur residence permit | |
|---|---|---|
| Who assesses the business | Business Finland | Economic Development Centre (Elinvoimakeskus) |
| Founders | At least 2 | Can be 1 |
| First-permit fee | €650 online / €800 paper | €750 online / €900 paper |
| Income from the business at the start | Not required | Required |
| 2025 outcome | About 7.6% positive statements; 13% refused by Migri after a positive statement | 69% of first permits refused |
The entrepreneur residence permit is the route for businesses Business Finland excludes and for founders after a negative statement.
| Advantages | Limitations |
|---|---|
| No language certificate | At least 2 founders needed |
| The eligibility statement is free | Business Finland’s filter is strict (about 7.6% positive in 2025) |
| No quota | Funds must be in your own bank account |
| Spouse and children can come | Applicants in Iran face EU transfer rules and VFS waits |
| Unrestricted right to work for the founder and spouse | You must actually move and run the company; Migri monitors this |
| A route to permanent residence | Extensions depend on proven income and progress |
Comparing countries? See the Netherlands startup visa and the Estonia startup visa.
To see all three side by side, read startup visas in Europe compared.
Business Finland has no partner consultants, and no one may use its logo or promise a positive statement. It says the applying team should fill in the Enter Finland application, and Migri says paid consultancy is not needed. Business Finland and Migri make the decisions.
Aval Visa helps founders prepare their own file:
Your team submits its own applications in Enter Finland. Work starts with a written agreement setting out the services and the fee.
Each founder needs €1,210 a month in the Helsinki area, €1,090 in 24 other large municipalities or €1,030 elsewhere, in their own bank account for at least 1 year. A spouse and children add to this. There is no fixed minimum investment in the company. Full breakdown: Finland startup visa proof of funds.
The Business Finland statement is free. Each founder pays Migri €650 online or €800 on paper for the first permit; an extension costs €230 or €430. A spouse pays €750 / €800 and each child €400 / €430.
Business Finland takes up to a month on average for the statement. Migri then decides most first permits in about 2 weeks after your identity is proved, with a legal maximum of 2 months.
No. You need at least two founders who move to Finland, work full-time and together hold at least 60% of the company. A solo founder can look at the entrepreneur residence permit.
No certificate is needed. Statement documents must be in English, Finnish or Swedish, and the team needs working English. B1 Finnish or Swedish matters later, for standard permanent residence and citizenship.
Yes. Your spouse and children under 18 can apply for family permits; for applications from 16 June 2025, both spouses must be at least 21 unless they have joint custody of a child. Your spouse’s permit carries an unrestricted right to work.
Yes, the startup permit is still open in 2026. A bill before Parliament (HE 216/2026 vp) would change the process from 12 January 2028 if passed; applications pending on that date would follow the current rules.
It takes several years. Since 8 January 2026, the standard path needs 6 years on a continuous permit, 2 years of work history and B1 Finnish or Swedish; a 4-year path exists for annual income over €40,000.
Migri cannot grant the startup permit after a negative statement. You can re-apply, appeal the statement together with a Migri permit decision, or apply for the ordinary entrepreneur residence permit.
Yes, through the entrepreneur residence permit, which covers businesses such as restaurants and consultancies. The Economic Development Centre (Elinvoimakeskus) assesses the business instead of Business Finland.
All read on 12 October 2026.
