Visa Information

Overview

In case you are applying as a family or a group however submitting the application on different dates, you would be requested to provide details of the remaining applicants which includes the name or application reference number (VURN) and the dates of appointment or submission.

All citizens of China are required to apply for a visa before entering Finland and/or other countries under the Schengen agreement. Before applying, please ensure you understand your particular ‘purpose of visit’. Schengen visas must be applied for at the respective Embassy/Consulate of the country of your main destination. Your main destination will be the Schengen country where your duration of stay exceeds all others. Due to this, when traveling to more than one Schengen country, you should submit your application to the Embassy/Consulate representing the country of your main destination. In case of equal stay, you have to submit your application to the mission of the Schengen country representing your first port of entry.

More information about Schengen visas can be found at the website of Finnish Embassy in Beijing/Consulate General of Finland in Shanghai.

The Visa Application centre accepts applications for short stay Schengen visas only (not exceeding 90 days during 180 days period). Stay exceeding 90 days will need to apply for a residence permit, please see the website of the Finish Immigration Service www.migri.fi.

Who can submit a visa application in Beijing/Shanghai

The Visa centre of Finland in
Beijing/Xi’an/Chongqing/Guangzhou/Shenyang/Wuhan/Changsha/Chengdu/Jinan/Shenzhen/Fuzhou/Kunming accepts Schengen visa applications from applicants residing in the territory served by the Embassy of Finland in Beijing. Jurisdiction of the Embassy of Finland in Beijing is Chongqing, Gansu, Guizhou, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jilin, Liaoning, Ningxia, Beijing, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi, Sichuan, Inner Mongolia, Tianjin, Tibet, Xinjiang, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Yunnan.

The Visa centre of Finland in Shanghai/Hangzhou/Nanjing accepts Schengen visa applications from applicants residing in the territory served by the Consulate General of Finland is Shanghai. Jurisdiction of the Consulate General of Finland in Shanghai is Anhui, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Shanghai, Zhejiang.

In Mongolia, please contact the Embassy of Germany.

Processing terms

Visa applications can be submitted six months before the trip, we recommend you to apply at least one month before the planned trip. Please note that all applications are processed individually. The Mission may request further documentation, information or you may be called for an interview which can prolong the processing time.

The Visa Application Centre takes visa applications with an appointment. Information how to book the appointment can be found here.

Please click here to book an appointment

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Visa Fees

Methods of payment for visa fees:

• If the applicant submits their visa application at the Finland Visa Application Centre:
  1. Card payment at the Finland Visa Application Centre on the day of appointment
  2. Cash payment at the Finland Visa Application Centre on the day of appointment
  3. Mobile payment at the Finland Visa Application Centre on the day of appointment

Applicants exempted from visa fee:

• Family members of EU/EEA–citizen
• School pupils, students, post graduate students and accompanying teachers who undertake trips for the purpose of study or educational training - To be evaluated case per case
• Researchers travelling for the purpose of carrying out scientific research - To be evaluated case per case

Service charge:

*Please note that the service fee is inclusive of tax

Applicants may choose to pay at the Visa Application Centre using Credit/Debit Card/make the payment by cash/mobile pay. Original proof of payment must be received with the visa application. The passport number of the applicant must be clearly stated as reference on Link to the proof of payment.

Click for the price list of additional services

Please Note:

• The applicable visa fee and the service fee is in Chinese Yuan as per current exchange rate. It is subject to change every 1 month.
• The applicants who submit their applications at the Visa Application Centre should pay the visa fee at the Centre in cash, bank cards or mobile pay.
• Applicants exempted from the visa fee need to pay only the service fee.
• The fees are non-refundable and non-transferable.

Documents Required

The checklists of required visa application documents are available in the online visa application portal of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland

According to the Personal Information Protection Law of the People’s Republic of China and other applicable laws and regulations to protect your personal information, VFS Global must obtain the consent from you for the processing of your personal data and proceed with your visa application. Please download, print, fill, sign and submit the consent form along with your visa application form, without which we will not be able to proceed with the application lodgment. Click here

Photo Specifications

To see the visa application photo specifications, please, click here.

Travel Medical Insurance

Each applicant (including children) must have a travel medical insurance. Exceptions are applicants under the directive 2004/38/EC and holders of diplomatic and official passports on mission.

Basic requirements for an insurance policy:

Covering the entire duration of the trip to Schengen area.Minimum coverage 30 000 euros non-deductible; must cover emergency medical expenses, hospital treatment and repatriation for medical reasons or death. Name in pinyin. Validity: Schengen/Worldwide.

Original or copy insurance policy needs to be presented during submission; applicant can provide a copy to the application (the Mission does not return documents after application has been processed).

Travel medical insurances can be bought from any European insurance company or from Travel Medical Insurance Companies in China.

An applicant for multiple-entry visa should provide an insurance policy which covers at least the first trip. The applicant undertakes to purchase an insurance policy for further trips by signing the visa application.

Processing Time

The period of consideration of your visa application by respective Consular authority may be extended up to a maximum of 45 calendar days.

A visa application should be submitted well in advance, but not earlier than six months before the intended date of the journey.

The processing time is counted from the date when the Embassy of Finland in Beijing/Consulate General of Finland in Shanghai receives the application documents; this does not include the delivery time between the Visa Application Centre and Embassy/Consulate. Visa applications submitted in Xi'an/Chongqing/Guangzhou/Shenyang/Wuhan/Changsha/Chengdu/Jinan/Shenzhen/Fuzhou/Kunming Visa Application Centre will be delivered to the Embassy of Finland in Beijing for processing. Visa applications submitted in Hangzhou /Nanjing Visa Application Centre will be delivered to the Consulate General of Finland in Shanghai for processing.