This guide covers the UK visa from Finland in 2026: the ETA Finnish passport holders now need, current fees in euros, and the visa routes for work, study, and non-EU residents. Finland uses the euro, so UK fees convert directly, and Helsinki and London enjoy steady business and academic exchange. Since Brexit, Finnish travellers need a €24 ETA approved before boarding.
UK Visas from Finland
UK Visa from Finland 2026: ETA Requirements, Fees & Finnish Passport Entry
UK Entry Requirements for Finnish Citizens
Finnish citizens do not need a visa for visits of up to six months, but they do need an ETA (€24, valid two years) obtained through the UK ETA App. Non-EU residents of Finland need a Standard Visitor visa (€164) instead, with biometrics at the Helsinki visa centre. For work, study, or family stays, Finnish nationals apply for the relevant visa and verify their identity through the UK Immigration: ID Check App.
Finland and Britain built their ties through trade and shared security interests — British engineers helped industrialise 19th-century Finland, and the two have grown closer since Finland's 2023 NATO accession, strongly supported by the UK. Since Brexit, though, Finnish travellers face the same ETA system as other visa-exempt nationals, checked at boarding.
- A valid passport: covering the duration of the stay — a Finnish ID card is not accepted.
- An approved ETA: €24, valid two years, via the UK ETA App.
- Evidence of return or onward travel.
- Accommodation details: a booking or a host's address.
- Enough funds: to support the visit without working.
- Genuine intention to leave within six months.
At the border, officers may ask about your plans, accommodation, and funds, though detailed questioning is rare for Finnish visitors. Keeping your booking and return ticket on your phone speeds things up. Travellers from elsewhere in Europe face the same system, including those covered by our France ETA guidance.
Do I Need a Visa for the UK from Finland?
It depends on your nationality, not your residence. Free movement between the EU and UK ended on 31 December 2020, so Finnish citizens are now visa-exempt nationals for short visits — they can visit without a visa but cannot work, study courses over six months, or access public funds. According to the official gov.uk ETA guidance, Finnish citizens have needed an ETA since 2 April 2025, with a 99.6% issue rate — approval is effectively automatic. Those settled before Brexit may hold status under the EU Settlement Scheme and need neither an ETA nor a visa.
The full rules, exemptions, and how the scheme works across nationalities are covered in our guide to the UK Electronic Travel Authorisation scheme. The same ETA route applies to German citizens travelling to the UK.
UK Tourist Visa from Finland
“UK tourist visa from Finland” means different things by nationality. A Finnish passport holder visiting as a tourist only needs the €24 ETA — covering tourism, family visits, business meetings and negotiations (never paid work), short courses up to 30 days, private medical treatment, and transit. A non-EU national living in Finland must apply for a Standard Visitor visa, regardless of how long they have lived there.
For repeat trips, the long-term visitor visa allows unlimited entries over two, five, or ten years while still capping each stay at six months — it spreads the cost for frequent travellers.
UK Visa Fees from Finland 2026 (in Euros)
Home Office fees are set in pounds and shown in euros for applicants in Finland and the eurozone. The figures below are pulled from the official fee calculator, apply identically across euro-currency countries, and are non-refundable.
UK visitor and short-stay fees from Finland (2026)
| Visa Type | Fee (EUR) | Max Stay Per Visit |
|---|---|---|
| ETA (Finnish citizens) | €24 | 6 months |
| Standard Visitor (6 months) | €164 | 6 months |
| Long-term Visitor (2 years) | €615 | 6 months |
| Long-term Visitor (5 years) | €1,097 | 6 months |
| Long-term Visitor (10 years) | €1,371 | 6 months |
| Marriage Visitor | €164 | 6 months |
| Private Medical Treatment | €284 | 11 months |
| Direct Airside Transit (DATV) | €50 | Airside only |
| Visitor in Transit | €91 | 48 hours |
Source: Home Office immigration and nationality fees, 8 April 2026 schedule, as displayed in euros; ETA per GOV.UK.
UK work, study and family visa fees from Finland (2026)
| Visa Category | Fee (EUR) |
|---|---|
| Student | €678 |
| Skilled Worker (up to 3 years) | €995 |
| Skilled Worker (over 3 years) | €1,966 |
| Health and Care Worker (up to 3 years) | €394 |
| Youth Mobility Scheme | €413 |
| Partner / Family visa | €2,508 |
| Adult Dependent Relative | €4,417 |
| Priority service | +€608 |
| Super Priority service | +€1,215 |
Source: Home Office immigration and nationality fees, 8 April 2026 schedule, as displayed in euros.
The Immigration Health Surcharge
Any visa over six months also carries the Immigration Health Surcharge, charged in pounds at £1,035 a year — students and Youth Mobility participants pay £776. It is paid on top of the visa fee. Health and Care Worker visa holders are exempt.
UK Visa from Finland for Non-EU Residents
Finland's non-EU communities — Turkish, Pakistani, Filipino, Indian, and others — often travel to the UK for family, business, or tourism. A Finnish residence permit does not grant visa-free UK travel — only your passport nationality decides the requirement. Visa-national passport holders pay €164 for a six-month Standard Visitor visa; applications go through the visa centre in Helsinki, with processing of about three weeks.
- Valid passport with adequate remaining validity.
- Finnish residence permit (oleskelulupa) proving legal stay.
- Employment contract or study enrolment in Finland.
- Bank statements: showing funds for the trip.
- Travel plan and accommodation for the UK visit.
- Ties to Finland: tenancy, family, or ongoing work.
Finnish Residence Strengthens Your Application
Legal residence in Finland — especially permanent residence — helps a UK visitor application by showing strong ties and a clear reason to return. Build the file using our UK visa supporting documents checklist, and if a relative is hosting you, our guide to the sponsor's invitation letter shows what to include. If a visit was refused before, see why UK visas are refused and the odds when reapplying.
Working and Studying in the UK
A Finnish passport no longer confers UK work rights — free movement ended on 31 December 2020, so Finnish nationals now need permission to work or study long-term. The upside is convenience: as an EU national, you verify your identity through the UK Immigration: ID Check App rather than attending a visa centre, and UK visa grant rates for Finnish applicants are high across all routes.
Skilled Worker, Youth Mobility and Student Routes
The Skilled Worker route needs a job offer from a licensed sponsor and a salary meeting the £41,700 general threshold; the fee is €995 for up to three years or €1,966 beyond, leading to settlement after five years. Finnish citizens aged 18 to 35 can use the Youth Mobility Scheme (€413, two years). For courses over six months, the Student visa costs €678; after a degree the Graduate route gives two years' post-study work. A partner visa (€2,508) carries a £29,000 income requirement.
How to Apply for a UK Visa from Finland
Finnish citizens do almost everything by app: the ETA App for short visits, and the ID Check App for full visa applications — no visa centre visit needed. Non-EU residents use the Helsinki visa centre for biometrics. For an ETA there is no form beyond the app itself — download it, scan your passport, take a photo, and pay.
- Complete the online application and pay the fee at gov.uk.
- Finnish citizens: give biometrics via the UK Immigration: ID Check App from home.
- Non-EU residents: book biometrics at the Helsinki visa centre.
- Upload your supporting documents.
- Wait for the decision — about 3 weeks standard, 5 days on priority.
- Receive your eVisa or a vignette in your passport.
Processing Times and Delays
Standard processing is about three weeks for non-settlement visas and up to twelve weeks for settlement routes; ETAs are usually decided within minutes. If a decision runs late, our guide on UK visa delays explains how to chase it, priority and super-priority services can speed things up where available, and you can track timelines with our guide to processing after biometrics.
For official confirmation, use the gov.uk visa checker and the Standard Visitor visa guidance. Nordic neighbours are covered in our guides to the UK visa from Sweden, Denmark, Norway, and Iceland. Sources: Home Office immigration and nationality fees, 8 April 2026 schedule; GOV.UK ETA guidance. Figures verified August 2026 against the 8 April 2026 fee schedule.
Frequently Asked
Questions about UK Visas from Finland
No visa is needed for visits up to six months, but Finnish citizens must hold an ETA before travelling. It costs €24, lasts two years, and is obtained through the UK ETA App. The requirement has applied since 2 April 2025 and is enforced at boarding — without an approved ETA, carriers will not let Finnish travellers board transport to the UK. For work or study, the appropriate visa is required.
For Finnish citizens the cost of a UK visit is simply the €24 ETA — there is no visit visa to buy. Non-EU residents of Finland pay €164 for the six-month Standard Visitor visa, with longer options at €615 for two years, €1,097 for five, and €1,371 for ten. Those applications run through the Helsinki centre and take about three weeks.
No. Since 1 October 2021, EU identity cards are no longer accepted at the UK border for most travellers, so Finnish visitors need a full passport plus the ETA. The main exceptions are those with EU Settlement Scheme status, who can still use a national ID card. If your passport has expired, renew it before booking — the ETA links to the passport you apply with.
Not without a work visa. The main route is the Skilled Worker visa (€995–€1,966), needing sponsorship from a licensed UK employer and a salary at or above the £41,700 general threshold. Finnish nationals aged 18–35 may also use the Youth Mobility Scheme (€413). Business meetings are allowed on an ETA, but paid work is not.
No. An oleskelulupa proves your status in Finland but carries no UK travel rights. Visa-national passport holders — Indian, Pakistani, Iranian, and others — still need a Standard Visitor visa (€164) for any UK trip, while visa-exempt nationals need an ETA. Only your passport nationality decides the requirement, however long you have lived in Finland.
ETAs are usually decided within minutes, up to three working days. Standard visa processing is about three weeks for visitor and other non-settlement visas, and up to twelve weeks for settlement visas such as partner routes. Priority service (€608) targets five working days for visitor visas, and super priority (€1,215) aims for the next working day where available.
A Finnish citizen with an ETA can stay up to six months per visit for tourism, family, or business. There is no annual cap on visits, but frequent or very long stays may prompt questions about whether you are a genuine visitor. Working, studying long-term, or settling all require the relevant visa with its own conditions.
The UK ETA App is for applying for an Electronic Travel Authorisation, which Finnish citizens use for short visits up to six months. The UK Immigration: ID Check App is for giving biometrics when applying for an actual visa — work, study, or family. In short, the ETA app is for visiting and the ID Check app is for longer stays that need a visa.
Ei — enintään kuuden kuukauden vierailuun riittää ETA. Se maksaa €24 (£20), on voimassa kaksi vuotta ja haetaan UK ETA -sovelluksella. Vaatimus on ollut voimassa 2. huhtikuuta 2025 alkaen, ja se tarkistetaan koneeseen noustessa. Työtä, yli kuuden kuukauden opintoja tai perheenyhdistämistä varten tarvitaan vastaava viisumi; EU Settlement Scheme -aseman haltija ei tarvitse ETAa eikä viisumia.
Vierailuihin tarkoitettu ETA maksaa €24. Täydet viisumit: Standard Visitor €164 (kuusi kuukautta), opiskelijaviisumi €678, Skilled Worker €995 (enintään 3 vuotta), Youth Mobility €413 ja puolisoviisumi €2,508. Maksut suoritetaan verkossa hakemuksen yhteydessä, ja Suomen kansalaiset vahvistavat henkilöllisyytensä UK Immigration: ID Check -sovelluksella — ilman käyntiä viisumikeskuksessa. EU:n ulkopuoliset asukkaat antavat biometriset tiedot Helsingin viisumikeskuksessa.