Residence Permit for Other Dependent Family Member
Finland
Last updated: December 23, 2025
1 year (renewable)
$860-$920
3-9 months
High
About this Visa
This visa lets you live in Finland with a family member who already lives there. You must be fully dependent on this person—they provide your care, not just money. It's for elderly parents, disabled siblings, or anyone who genuinely needs their family member's help to survive. This is one of the hardest Finnish visas to get. Only 19-35% of applications are approved. You need to prove you can't live on your own and that you had a real family relationship with your sponsor before they moved to Finland. You can work and study in Finland with this visa. You can also get permanent residence after 4 years.
Key Benefits
- Work without restrictions
- Study without restrictions
- Access to Finnish healthcare
- Personal ID number
- Bring spouse or children later if eligible
- Permanent residence after 4 years
- Become Finnish citizen after 6 years with stable income
Eligibility & Requirements
Eligibility Criteria
- Not an EU citizen
- Fully dependent on sponsor (both physically and mentally, not just financially)
- Real family relationship with sponsor (parent, sibling, adult child, foster child)
- Family relationship must have existed before sponsor moved to Finland
- Valid passport from your country
- Sponsor must be Finnish citizen or refugee
- If sponsor is refugee: must have lived in Finland 2 years (as of June 2025)
- Sponsor must earn sufficient income unless refugee exemption applies
- No serious criminal record
Financial Requirement
Sponsor must earn €1,030-€1,210 per month net (varies by location). Waived if sponsor is refugee and application submitted within 3 months of asylum approval.
Documents
- Valid passportMandatory from your country; very rare exceptions only since Sept 2024
- Birth certificateMust be officially stamped/legalised with Apostille
- Proof of dependenceDoctor's letter, social worker letter, or court guardianship papers
- Sponsor employment contract or income proofRecent employment contract or income documentation
- Bank statementsLast 3-6 months of bank statements
- Accommodation proofProof of housing in Finland
- Health insuranceCoverage during application processing
- Completed application formFrom Enter Finland website
Disclaimer: The information on this page is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or immigration advice. Visa requirements, fees, and processes change frequently. Please verify all information with official government sources and consult a qualified immigration attorney before making decisions.