Skip to content
07835 205472Mon to Sat, 9am to 7pm
Free visa check

Schengen visa, applied for from the UK

Finland visa from the UK for non-UK passport holders

If you live in the UK on a non-UK passport, you apply for a Finland Schengen visa online at finlandvisa.fi, then submit it in person at VFS Global in London, Manchester or Edinburgh. The visa fee is €90 (£77), plus a €20 VFS fee. The embassy takes about 10 working days.

Checked against official sourcesLast reviewed · sources at the foot of the page
Helsinki Cathedral glowing in golden evening light against a deep blue sky above the Senate Square steps
Consulate fee, adult. €45 for ages 6 to 11, free under 6.
€90
VFS Global in London, Manchester and Edinburgh. Its charge is added at the centre.
3 centres
Standard processing after the appointment.
15 days
The earliest you can apply before you travel.
6 months

Who can apply from the UK

You need a valid UK residence permit. Finland's UK checklist asks for status valid at least one month after you leave the Schengen area, and accepts a Home Office share code.

If you hold a UK short-stay visitor visa, you apply in your country of residence instead.

Finland must be your main destination, judged by the length or the purpose of your stay. If no country stands out, you apply to the Schengen country whose border you will cross first.

Documents for a Finland visit visa

You provide

  • Passport Valid at least 3 months after your trip, issued in the last 10 years, with 2 blank pages. A passport with corrected name details is not accepted.
  • UK immigration status Your residence permit, valid at least one month after you leave the Schengen area, or a valid share code from the Home Office's View and prove service.
  • Photo A photo that meets the ICAO passport photo standard.
  • Bank statements UK statements for the last three months showing your balance, plus credit card statements with your name, address and monthly limit. If a spouse or parent supports you, add proof of relationship, their statements and a signed statement of support.
  • Job or study evidence Employees: a recent letter on headed paper with your position, salary and the employer's UK registration number, plus 3 months of payslips. Self-employed: an accountant's, banker's or solicitor's letter and your self-assessment. Students: a letter with weekly hours and attendance.
  • Children's documents For children travelling alone, with one parent or with others: birth certificate, both parents' written consent, copies of their passports and a British school certificate.

We provide

  • Application form on finlandvisa.fi Completed on Finland's online portal and printed with the UK tourism checklist for your appointment.
  • Cover letter Sets out your dates, plans, who pays and your ties to the UK, with a schedule if you visit several countries.
  • Return flight reservation A reserved return ticket to the UK, or proof of onward travel.
  • Hotel booking A confirmed hotel booking for your full stay, or a tour booking confirmation.
  • Travel medical insurance At least €30,000 of cover for the whole Schengen area (or worldwide) for your whole trip, including medical repatriation and repatriation in case of death.
  • VFS appointment We book your slot through VFS Global's online portal, the only way to book.

Where and when to apply

Finland takes UK short-stay applications through VFS Global in London, Manchester or Edinburgh. Apply no earlier than 6 months and no later than 15 days before you travel.

You fill in the application on Finland's own portal, finlandvisa.fi, then submit it in person at VFS Global. The Embassy of Finland in London decides.

Appointments in London →Appointments in Manchester →Appointments in Edinburgh →

Worth knowing about this consulate

  • You complete the application on finlandvisa.fi, where Finland publishes its UK checklists, and print it with the checklist for your appointment.
  • VFS says the embassy takes 10 working days and recommends applying at least 15 days before you travel. Files lodged in Manchester or Edinburgh take extra days because they are couriered to London.
  • VFS shows the €90 fee as £77 and the €45 child fee as £39, paid by card or cash at the centre, plus a €20 VFS service fee including VAT. Fees are not refundable or transferable.
  • Everyone, children and babies included, submits in person by appointment. Fingerprints are not taken again if you gave them for a Schengen visa in the last 59 months.
  • Supporting documents must be in English, Finnish or Swedish. Bring the originals and copies.
  • The embassy may ask for more documents or call you for an interview, which can add time. Honorary consulates in the UK do not issue visas.

Notes by passport

Pakistani passport holders

  • Pakistan is on the EU's prior-consultation list (version of 1 November 2024), so your application may be checked with other Schengen states before a decision. This can add time, so apply early.
  • Only changing planes at a Finnish airport on the way somewhere else? As a Pakistani national you need an airport transit visa unless an exemption applies. The EU exemption for UK residents names the Biometric Residence Permit, and all BRPs have now expired, so with an eVisa plan on needing the transit visa unless Finland confirms otherwise.

Bangladeshi passport holders

  • Bangladesh is on the EU's prior-consultation list (version of 1 November 2024), so your application may be checked with other Schengen states before a decision. This can add time, so apply early.
  • Only changing planes at a Finnish airport on the way somewhere else? As a Bangladeshi national you need an airport transit visa unless an exemption applies. The EU exemption for UK residents names the Biometric Residence Permit, and all BRPs have now expired, so with an eVisa plan on needing the transit visa unless Finland confirms otherwise.

Nigerian passport holders

  • Nigeria is on the EU's prior-consultation list (version of 1 November 2024), so your application may be checked with other Schengen states before a decision. This can add time, so apply early.
  • Only changing planes at a Finnish airport on the way somewhere else? As a Nigerian national you need an airport transit visa unless an exemption applies. The EU exemption for UK residents names the Biometric Residence Permit, and all BRPs have now expired, so with an eVisa plan on needing the transit visa unless Finland confirms otherwise.

Sri Lankan passport holders

  • Sri Lanka is on the EU's prior-consultation list (version of 1 November 2024), so your application may be checked with other Schengen states before a decision. This can add time, so apply early.
  • Only changing planes at a Finnish airport on the way somewhere else? As a Sri Lankan national you need an airport transit visa unless an exemption applies. The EU exemption for UK residents names the Biometric Residence Permit, and all BRPs have now expired, so with an eVisa plan on needing the transit visa unless Finland confirms otherwise.

Ghanaian passport holders

  • Only changing planes at a Finnish airport on the way somewhere else? As a Ghanaian national you need an airport transit visa unless an exemption applies. The EU exemption for UK residents names the Biometric Residence Permit, and all BRPs have now expired, so with an eVisa plan on needing the transit visa unless Finland confirms otherwise.

Gambian passport holders

  • EU restrictions on The Gambia (Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/1781) mean only single-entry visas and a standard processing time of 45 days instead of 15. Apply well ahead.

Somali passport holders

  • EU restrictions on Somalia (a Council decision of 25 June 2026) mean only single-entry visas and a standard processing time of 45 days instead of 15. Apply well ahead.

Guinean passport holders

  • EU restrictions on Guinea (a Council decision of 10 July 2026) mean only single-entry visas and a standard processing time of 45 days instead of 15. Apply well ahead.

How a Finland application runs, day by day

  1. Day 0Eligibility and checklistA yes, a no or a “not yet, because”.
  2. Days 1–5File builtYou send documents on WhatsApp; we do the rest.
  3. VariesAppointment waitWe watch releases daily and book the first that fits.
  4. 15 daysConsulate decisionFingerprints at VFS Global, then we track the file.
  5. DonePassport backThen we confirm your real flights and hotel.

What it costs, and who you pay

Separate payments to separate people. Only ours is set by us, quoted in writing before you commit.

Consulate visa feePaid to the consulate. €45 for children aged 6 to 11. Not refundable if refused.
€90
VFS Global service chargePaid at the centre. VFS Global sets the amount, and we confirm it in your quote.
Fast Travellers, file and appointmentEverything from eligibility to decision, quoted in writing before you commit.
Fast Travellers, urgent or after a refusalAdds a daily slot search and a refusal review, quoted in writing before you commit.

Finland visa questions from UK residents

Can I apply for a Finland visa on a BRP?

BRPs have been replaced by eVisas. Finland's UK checklist accepts a valid share code from the Home Office, and your status must last at least one month after you leave the Schengen area.

Where do I apply for a Finland visa in the UK?

You fill in the application on finlandvisa.fi, then submit it in person at VFS Global in London, Manchester or Edinburgh.

How long does a Finland visa take from the UK?

VFS says the embassy takes 10 working days. Allow extra days if you apply in Manchester or Edinburgh, and up to 45 days if your case needs more checks.

How much is a Finland Schengen visa from the UK?

VFS shows €90 (£77) for adults and €45 (£39) for children aged 6 to 11. Children under 6 pay nothing. VFS adds a €20 service fee.

Can I apply for a Finland visa on a UK visitor visa?

No. If you hold a UK short-stay visitor visa, apply in the country where you live.

What language should my documents be in for a Finland visa?

English, Finnish or Swedish. Bring originals and copies to your appointment.

Will my passport be stamped when I enter Finland?

No. Since 10 April 2026 the EU's Entry/Exit System records your entries and exits digitally instead of stamping your passport. As a visa holder, the system stores a photo of your face taken at the border; your fingerprints are already on file from your visa application.

Can I visit other Schengen countries on a Finland visa?

Yes. A Schengen visa covers all 29 Schengen countries for up to 90 days in any 180, as long as Finland is your main destination.

Where these facts come from

Fees and rules are checked against official and visa-centre pages. Last reviewed . Rules change: we confirm everything again before you pay.

Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament at sunset, seen from Westminster Bridge with a red double-decker bus

Visa appointments in London

Where to go, what to bring, when slots open.
The Eiffel Tower framed by Haussmann apartment buildings on a Paris street in warm golden-hour light

France visa from the UK

Applying through TLScontact instead.

Send us your passport details. Get your Finland checklist today.

Get my checklistWhatsApp us
Free visa check