Hi readers! Hi August!
I collected my residence permit card from the embassy just 2 days ago. It looks stunning with glint and detailed layers.
 |
| My First Finnish Residence Permit Card! (Backside) |
What a residence permit allows
To live in the country, obviously. But also to work and access some exclusive programs for residents.
My permit is on the basis of family ties, so I have unlimited rights to work. I can join the integration program as well, in the first two years.
Meanwhile, my husband, a Software Engineering student at LUT, is only allowed up to 30 work hours per week. He also gets many student discounts and benefits. For our upcoming flight with Turkish Airlines, he receives 15% off the ticket and 10kg of extra checked luggage.
How I applied on enterfinland.fi
I hit "submit" the application and paid application fee on May 8th. I created an account with just my email address long before that and drafted my application. The site autosaves every time you fill in something new.
The next period waiting for an appointment to prove our identity at the embassy felt really really long. Since nothing was certain, we didn't buy stuff. But we learned a lot of Finnish together. Facebook groups were full of posts asking if anyone received a decision. Such anxious time. Near the end of June I gave up on expecting the email and thought "ugh whatever" then it came.
On June 23rd, we went to the embassy with all the documents submitted online and scanned our fingerprints.
Just five days later, my hubby's application was approved. Two weeks later, his card arrived and my application was approved. It took my card another two weeks to arrive.
So our application process was nearly three months in total. Although my husband received his decision a few weeks before me, we still can fly together. Mahtava!
If your family submit applications all on the same day, it's likely you two can get the cards in time to go on the same flight.
What now?
I pack.
We've started shopping on the day Linh got his decision. It was super stressful. My mind was fully occupied by things to bring so I couldn't blog to whine about that phase... haha
Luckily, shopping and packing are almost done. Less than two weeks to our longest flight ever. *panic*
The first things we'll do in Finland are getting a SIM card, apartment keys, an ID card, and a bank account. Then Linh attends his course while I sign up for language classes and explore work opportunities in Lahti and nearby cities.
My goal in this initial phase is experience not finance. So I'll take even an unpaid voluntary job or internship to gain work experience with Finns!
If you happen to need a hand or know someone hiring in Lahti, Helsinki or any close areas, I'm now available!
No comments:
Post a Comment