Our Journey to Finland — Part 4
Getting a job in Finland was one major step.
But having an employment contract didn’t automatically mean that we could simply pack our bags, board a plane, and start our new life there.
Before we could actually move, there was another very important part of the journey:
our residence permit applications.
As for me, the application was connected to my employment in Finland.
As for my husband and daughter, their applications were based on family ties.
And from the very beginning, there was one thing that mattered most to me.
I wanted us to go together.
I didn’t want our Finland journey to become a story where I moved first and my family had to wait behind in Dubai for an unknown amount of time.
So while Silkkitie guided us through the residence permit process, I also spent time researching the requirements myself, especially how we could submit our applications as a family.
Thankfully, things eventually worked out exactly as we had hoped.
By the end of December 2023, all three of our residence permits had been approved.
But before we reached that happy moment, there were applications, documents, an appointment in VFS, Abu Dhabi, lots of checking EnterFinland.fi website…
and one particularly stressful New Year 2024. 😅
Important: This blog describes our personal experience in 2023-2024. Finnish immigration procedures, residence permit requirements, fees, income requirements, family reunification rules, and processing practices can change. Anyone applying today should always verify the current information directly with the Finnish Immigration Service, Migri, and other appropriate authorities.
Life is a long road – enjoy the view along the way.
What Is a Finnish Residence Permit?
As non-EU citizens planning to live in Finland for more than 90 days, we needed residence permits for our move. Finland has different residence permit categories depending on the reason for staying in the country, including work, studies, entrepreneurship, family ties, and several other grounds.
A first residence permit is generally applied for from abroad.
Applications can be completed online through Enter Finland, or in some cases using a paper application. Even when applying online from abroad, first-time applicants normally still need to visit a Finnish mission or an authorized application center, such as VFS Global, to prove their identity.
For us, applying through Enter Finland was the more practical option.
We could fill in our applications online, upload documents, receive notifications, respond if additional information was requested, and follow the progress of our applications through the service.
1. Why We Needed Residence Permits
After going through the recruitment process and Finnish-language training, I finally signed an employment contract with a Finnish public-sector healthcare employer on November 6, 2023.
That meant the next major step for me was applying for my first residence permit based on employment.
My husband and daughter applied for their own first residence permits based on family ties.
So although we were moving together as one family, our applications had different grounds:
Me – Employment
My husband – Family ties
Our daughter – Family ties
Current Migri guidance also confirms that work-based permits and family-ties permits are separate residence permit grounds, each with its own requirements.
2. The Documents We Prepared
This is one section where I want to be careful.
I don’t want to present our documents as a universal checklist because what was required from us in 2023 may not be exactly what another applicant needs today.
The documents also depend on the type of residence permit and the applicant’s circumstances.
For My Work-Based Residence Permit
Because my residence permit was connected to employment, the application naturally included information about my job and employer.
Some of the important things involved in my application were:
- our identification documents: our valid passports and UAE residence visas for all three of us
- my employment information
- my signed employment contract
- the Terms of Employment information
- Residence permit application for an employed person (‘TTOL’ or OLE_TY1 Form)
- Clarification of Family Ties: Residence Permit Application for Spouse (PK1_Plus Form)
- Clarification of Family Ties For Guardian Whose Child is the Applicant (PK4_Plus Form)
- other supporting documents requested during our application process
- Financial documents – 6-month Bank Statement, Bank Balance Certificate, Car Valuation, Car Insurance and Vehicle Licenses (or Mulkiya in the UAE)
The employer also had a role in providing employment-related information.
Today, for a residence permit for an employed person, Migri requires the employer to supplement the application with the terms of employment and any required employer documents.
My signed employment contract was especially meaningful to me because without that job, there would have been no work-based journey to Finland in the first place.
For My Husband and Daughter
Their applications were different because they were applying on the basis of family ties.
For my husband, our marriage certificate helped prove our relationship.
Our marriage certificate, which was issued in the Philippines, had already been authenticated/apostilled by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in the Philippines. We then had it legalized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the UAE, followed by legalization at the Embassy of Finland in Abu Dhabi.
Some details have been omitted for privacy.
For our daughter, her birth certificate established our parent-child relationship.
Her birth certificate was issued in the UAE, since she was born there. We had it legalized by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and then by the Embassy of Finland in Abu Dhabi.
Some details have been omitted for privacy.
We also prepared their valid passports and the other documents required for their applications.
Current Migri guidance still requires applicants applying through family ties to provide reliable evidence of the family relationship, such as a marriage certificate or birth certificate. Depending on where documents were issued, legalization may also be required.
Again, I wouldn’t recommend using our 2023 document list as today’s checklist.
Always follow the checklist generated for your own application by Migri.
3. Submitting Our Applications Through Enter Finland
After signing my employment contract on November 6, 2023, things started moving quickly.
On November 10, 2023, I submitted my residence permit application through Enter Finland, the Finnish Immigration Service’s online service.
Silkkitie had given us orientation and guidance about what we needed to do during the application process.
I also researched the process myself, especially because my biggest concern was:
How can the three of us apply together?
I wanted my husband and daughter included in our plans from the beginning.
I didn’t want to assume that because I had an employment contract, everything else would automatically follow.
So we prepared carefully and submitted our applications according to the instructions given to us at that time.
4. Our Residence Permit Timeline
November 6, 2023
I signed my employment contract with a Finnish public-sector healthcare employer.
November 10, 2023
I submitted my Finnish residence permit application through Enter Finland.
November 16, 2023
We booked our VFS Global appointment in Abu Dhabi.
Our original appointment was scheduled for January 2024.
November 22, 2023
Additional Terms of Employment documents were processed and submitted by my employer.
December 1, 2023
We received confirmation of an appointment for all three members of our family.
December 8, 2023
Good news!
Our appointment was moved to an earlier date:
December 13, 2023.
Every earlier step felt important because it meant getting a little closer to finding out whether Finland was really going to happen for us.
How We Actually Got to Finland: Our Recruitment and Residence Permit Journey
5. Our Trip to VFS Global in Abu Dhabi
Because we were living in Dubai, we travelled to Abu Dhabi for our in-person residence permit appointment.
On December 13, 2023, all three of us attended our appointment together.
That day felt like another major milestone.
Until then, so much of our Finland journey had happened online.
Online orientation.
Online Finnish classes.
Online tests.
Emails.
Documents.
Enter Finland.
But now we were physically travelling to an application centre with our passports and documents.
Suddenly, Finland didn’t feel like something happening only on a computer screen anymore.
It felt much more real.
We completed the required identity verification as a family.
For first residence permit applications submitted from abroad, applicants generally have to prove their identity at a Finnish mission or an authorized external service provider such as VFS Global.
And after completing our appointment, there wasn’t much more we could do.
We had prepared.
We had submitted what was required.
We had shown up for our appointment.
Now came perhaps the most difficult part:
waiting.
Image Source: Khaleej Times
6. The Waiting Period
On December 18, 2023, we received the customer and diary numbers connected to our three applications.
Then, on December 21, the Employment and Economic Development Office issued the partial decision relating to my work-based residence permit.
A small note for anyone reading this today
That partial-decision step was part of the system when we applied in 2023.
The process has since changed.
On January 1, 2025, work permit services previously handled by the TE Offices were transferred to the Finnish Immigration Service. For residence permits for employed persons, the separate TE Office partial decision is no longer part of the current process.
It Felt Like the Longest Wait
In my original notes, I remembered this period as almost a month of waiting.
But looking back at the actual dates, it was shorter than it felt. 😅
We completed our identity verification on December 13.
My residence permit was approved on December 27 – 14 days later.
By December 29, my husband and daughter’s permits were also approved – 16 days after our VFS appointment.
From the date I submitted my application on November 10 until my approval on December 27, the process took 47 days.
And by December 29, 49 days after my application was submitted, all three of us had positive decisions.
Still…
when the decision you’re waiting for could determine where your family will live next, even a few days can feel incredibly long.
I kept checking.
Email.
Enter Finland.
Email again.
Enter Finland again.
😅
And although we felt confident that we had prepared everything properly, there was always that little voice asking:
What if something is missing?
What if they ask for another document?
What if my permit is approved but theirs isn’t?
Because for me, the goal wasn’t simply:
Get my residence permit.
The goal was:
Get our family to Finland together.
7. My Residence Permit Was Approved First
Then came the first big piece of good news.
December 27, 2023
My residence permit was approved!
Of course I was happy.
After all the Finnish classes, assessments, paperwork, recruitment steps, and uncertainty, seeing that positive decision was a huge relief.
But was I 100% happy?
Not quite.
Because I was still waiting for my husband and daughter’s decisions.
I didn’t want to migrate to Finland alone.
This wasn’t supposed to be only my Finland journey.
It was ours.
So although I celebrated my approval, part of me was still holding my breath.
On December 28, my residence permit card was ordered.
And then came one of the funniest stories to remember now…
although it definitely wasn’t funny while we were experiencing it. 😅
8. The Most Stressful Website Maintenance
Around December 29, 2023, we received a notification relating to my husband and daughter’s applications.
Normally, you would think:
Great! Just log in and check!
Except…
we couldn’t.
Enter Finland was undergoing maintenance.
😅
We knew there had been an update to their applications, but we couldn’t open the service to see the actual decisions.
So somewhere inside the system was an answer that could change our family’s life.
And we couldn’t see it.
Was it:
APPROVED?
Or…
REJECTED?
Imagine the suspense!
According to the information we had at the time, the online service was expected to become available again around January 1, 2024 at 00:01 Finnish time.
During winter, Dubai is two hours ahead of Finland.
So midnight in Finland meant around 2:00 AM for us in Dubai.
And we waited.
We kept wondering:
Was it approved?
Was something wrong?
Did they need another document?
What if mine was approved but theirs weren’t?
Then New Year’s Eve arrived.
People were celebrating.
Fireworks were going off.
Everyone was preparing to welcome 2024.
And there we were…
waiting for a Finnish immigration website to come back online.
😂
Finally, after midnight in Finland – around 2 AM for us in Dubai – we were able to check.
And there it was.
APPROVED.
My husband’s residence permit had been approved.
Our daughter’s residence permit had been approved.
We could finally breathe.
We were going to Finland…
together.
❤️
That New Year suddenly became much more meaningful.
It wasn’t simply:
Happy New Year 2024!
For us, it felt like:
Happy New Life!
And honestly, that is still one of my favorite memories from this entire journey.
9. Our Residence Permit Decisions
| Date | What Happened |
|---|---|
| December 27, 2023 | My residence permit was approved. |
| December 28, 2023 | My residence permit card was ordered. |
| December 29, 2023 | My husband and daughter’s residence permits were approved. |
| December 30, 2023 | Their residence permit cards were ordered. |
| January 6, 2024 | I received my residence permit card. My husband and daughter’s cards arrived shortly afterward. |
Our processing time was relatively quick, but I would never tell another applicant:
“You’ll get your decision in the same number of days.”
Processing times vary depending on the type of permit, the individual application, whether additional information is needed, and the current processing situation.
Migri publishes current processing information, so applicants today should check that rather than using our family’s 2023 experience as an estimate.
What We Love About Finland: Our Life After Moving From Dubai
10. What Happened After Approval?
By January 2024, we had our residence permit cards.
But receiving those cards didn’t mean we immediately boarded a plane for Finland.
We still had almost ten years of life in Dubai to close properly.
And you don’t simply pack almost ten years into a few suitcases overnight.
During the following months, we:
- completed our responsibilities at work
- resigned properly
- settled our bills and other obligations
- sorted through years of belongings
- prepared for our move
- continued studying Finnish
- spent time with our friends
- visited the Philippines once again
- and tried to enjoy our remaining months in the UAE.
We needed that time.
Not only for the practical preparations, but emotionally too.
Dubai had been our home for almost a decade.
We had built careers there.
Made friendships.
Became parents.
Created countless memories.
Leaving wasn’t simply changing our address.
We were closing one very long chapter before beginning another.
And then, on April 14, 2024, after months of preparation…
we finally arrived in Finland.
❤️
What Helped Us During the Application Process
We were fortunate to receive guidance from Silkkitie, our hiring agency, about the residence permit process and what we needed to prepare.
But I also did my own research.
As a wife and mother, I wanted to understand what was happening and what was needed with our applications.
My biggest concern was our family.
I wanted to know whether my husband, our daughter, and I could submit our applications around the same time and hopefully receive our decisions around the same time too.
So I read.
I checked the requirements.
I asked questions.
I reviewed the documents.
And I tried to make sure that our applications were complete before we submitted them.
Thankfully, our applications moved through the process close together, and by the end of December 2023, all three of us had received positive decisions.
Looking back, I think one of the best things we did was simply being prepared and involved in our own application process.
Even when you have an agency, employer, or another person helping you, it’s still important to understand what you are applying for.
After all, it isn’t just paperwork.
It can determine something much bigger:
where your family will begin its next chapter.
Our Experience Was in 2023 – The Rules Have Changed
Our family submitted these applications in 2023.
Since then, Finnish immigration rules and procedures have changed.
For example, changes to Finland’s family reunification provisions took effect on June 16, 2025, affecting areas such as certain spouse requirements, financial resources, rules concerning minors, and residence-period requirements in some family reunification situations.
There have also been changes to work-based residence permit processing, including the transfer of responsibilities from TE Offices to Migri in 2025.
So if you’re reading our story while preparing your own application today:
Please check any new requirements.
Our story can show you what the experience felt like.
But your actual requirements should always come from the current Migri instructions.
Final Thoughts
When I look back at our residence permit journey now, I don’t remember every field I filled in on the application.
I don’t remember every document we uploaded.
And I definitely don’t remember every time I refreshed Enter Finland.
Although I’m sure there were many. 😅
What I remember most is the feeling.
The excitement when my own permit was approved.
The worry because my husband and daughter’s decisions were still missing.
The frustration of knowing there was an update but being unable to open the website.
And finally, that moment during New Year when we saw:
APPROVED.
All three of us.
Together.
At the time, those residence permits felt like the biggest thing in the world.
Today, they’re simply part of our family’s story.
But without them, the life we have now in Finland wouldn’t have begun in the same way.
A few months after that stressful New Year, we were standing in Finland with our luggage, our little daughter, and very little idea of what life here would actually be like.
We had left behind almost ten years in Dubai.
Ahead of us was a new country.
A new language.
New jobs.
New systems.
New challenges.
And a completely new chapter for our family.
Maybe that’s why “Happy New Life” still feels like the perfect way to describe that New Year.
We weren’t only welcoming 2024.
We were preparing to welcome a life we had never lived before.
And thankfully, we were going to live it together.
❤️
“Sometimes the waiting becomes part of the story that makes the answer even more meaningful.”
“Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.”
- Psalm 37:5, KJV
There are moments when we have already done everything within our control.
We prepare.
We work.
We submit what is required.
We ask questions.
We double-check.
And then eventually, there comes a point when all we can do is wait.
Our residence permit journey reminds me that waiting doesn’t always mean nothing is happening.
Sometimes, while we’re waiting, another chapter is already quietly being prepared for us.
For our family, that chapter was Finland. ❤️
Places to Visit in Kuhmo: Discovering Local Nature and Everyday Beauty
Catch Up on Our Journey to Finland
If you’re new to this series, you can start from the beginning:
Part 1 – Moving to Finland: Why It Wasn’t Part of Our Original Plan
Read Part 1
Part 2 – How We Actually Got to Finland: Our Recruitment and Residence Permit Journey
Read Part 2
Part 3 – Our Silkkitie Recruitment Experience: How Our Finland Journey Began
Read Part 3
And now, Part 4 tells the story behind one particularly important part of those months:
getting permission for our family to actually make the move.
Important Note
This article is based on our family’s personal residence permit experience from 2023 to 2024.
Residence permit categories, eligibility requirements, application procedures, processing practices, fees, income requirements, employer obligations, and family reunification rules can change.
Always verify current information directly with the Finnish Immigration Service before submitting an application or making important financial, employment, or migration decisions.
Sources
- Finnish Immigration Service – Residence Permits
- Finnish Immigration Service – Applying for a Residence Permit
- Finnish Immigration Service – Enter Finland
- Finnish Immigration Service – Residence Permit for an Employed Person
- Finnish Immigration Service – Proving Your Identity Abroad
- Finnish Immigration Service – Documentation of Family Ties
- Finnish Immigration Service – Income Requirements for Family Members
- Finnish Immigration Service – 2025 Changes to Family Reunification
- Finnish Immigration Service – Transfer of Work Permit Services to Migri
