Challenges of moving from the Finland to the UK involve complex immigration laws and visa applications. Just one misstep — delay or even denial of entry could affect your personal and professional plans. Let an expert team of immigration solicitors help you with your relocation. Leave all your worries behind and rest assured regarding having every aspect of your move managed efficiently and in compliance with UK regulations. From securing an appropriate visa to enter the country to understanding the minutiae of residency in the UK, our services help you to move seamlessly.
The Success Story: Read about how A Y & J Solicitors helped this Finland client relocate to the UK and made the process easy, ensuring timely entry into the UK.
At A Y & J Solicitors in London, we've helped thousands of new and experienced business owners move to the UK from around the world. We understand the typical challenges that come along with your visa application for self-sponsorship UK and know how to mitigate them. We walk you through step by step, showing you how to self-sponsor a work visa in the UK. Instead of going it alone, let our lawyers take the weight off your shoulders, so you can rest easy knowing you'll be able to bring your business (and family) to the UK.
Kate Corey, Founder of 6 Degrees
We are specialists in immigration law and have supported more than 4,000 business owners and professionals around the globe to successfully navigate the British system. We work quickly, always responding to any queries within 24 working hours. And we work closely with the Home Office to pre-empt issues before they jeopardise sponsorship applications or breach compliance. We manage all United Kingdom immigration matters including visa applications under the new points-based immigration system, Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), Spouse Visas, nationality, and more. We also handle complex cases of appeal, administrative reviews, judicial reviews and the many immigration challenges involving European Union law and human rights.
A Y & J Solicitors has more than 1,200 positive client reviews across Google and Trustpilot and is listed in The Legal top 500 best UK law firms, so you can rest assured your immigration challenges are in safe hands when you take these three simple steps:
"The team has been incredibly helpful and provided great support with regard to guiding me through the immigration process. Everyone was responsive, enthusiastic and diligent. I could not recommend them more."
"Excellent service, top-notch communication and a highly experienced, knowledgable team of solicitors. Would recommend to any one looking for peace-of-mind with their immigration."
"I would recommend this firm. Ikra was professional, reliable and a good communicator."
"“I write to express my sincere and heartfelt appreciation and gratitude for your highly professional and competent services, provided in both a friendly and accessible manner."
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"I would like to share my great experience on the service I had. For my case, it is complicated and unusual but the attentive service and advice in every step from the lawyer: Mr. Imad made clearly process. My Visa has proved within just a week, OMG this is amazing. I can give just Five Stars because this is no star number Six. Thank you very much for your assistance.🙏"
For citizens of Finland, the UK has a great deal to offer, including:
As an EU / Finnish national with plans to move to the UK, the legal requirements that you need to meet will depend on the visa you apply for. The requirements for a work visa are quite different from those for a business or family visa, but there are also some similarities. The following explains the most popular and commonly used UK visas used by EU and Finnish nationals coming to live in the UK.
The Skilled Worker visa enables Finnish and other EU nationals to live and work in the UK for an initial period of up to 5 years. Holders of this visa can then either apply to renew their visa or for permanent settlement (also called ‘indefinite leave to remain’). Citizens of Finland applying for a UK Skilled Worker visa will need to satisfy the Home Office that they meet all of the following requirements:
The UK Student visa enables overseas nationals, including citizens of Finland, to study full-time at a British university, college, or school. Student visas can apply for a UK graduate visa towards the end of their course of study, enabling them to live here for a further 2 years to find work.
To apply for a Student visa, Finnish nationals must:
The Innovator Founder visa affords holders the ability to come to the UK to set up a new business and even acquire permanent residency after just 3 years. This is much faster than the 5 years it normally takes to get residency. Applicants from Finland need to:
The UK has many more visas available to citizens of Finland, including the Family visa and the self-sponsorship visa. Before you apply for a visa, it is important to speak to an expert immigration lawyer based in the UK who will recommend the most advantageous route for your needs and future plans, as well as those of your family.
The UK has a modern digital bank system, which makes managing money simple and straightforward. The banks in the UK require proof of identity and a permanent UK address when opening a new account; hence, we recommend waiting until you arrive here before doing so. Another task you will need to complete once in the UK is applying for your National Insurance (NI) number. It is important that you do this before you start working for your employer.
Tax is also very simple in the UK. If you plan to work in the UK, there is nothing to do because your employer will automatically deduct any tax you owe to His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) from your pay and ensure this is paid on your behalf. If you plan to work for yourself in the UK, you will need to prepare and submit a ‘self-assessment tax return’ to HMRC each year. An accountant in the UK can handle all of this for you.
Based on the latest statistics, there are 14,000 Finnish nationals living in the UK. Citizens of Finland move to the UK for a wide range of reasons, including joining family members who live here, finding employment, and establishing businesses in the vibrant UK market. While there is no longer freedom of movement between the EU and the UK, it is still perfectly possible for citizens of Finland to permanently relocate to the UK. In this guide, we will show you how to do it. We will explain the legal requirements for nationals of Finland coming to the UK and the cost of living here compared to Finland, and we will provide a relocation checklist to make the process as smooth as possible.
After the departure of the UK from the EU at 11pm GMT on the 31st December 2020 (‘Brexit’), it was no longer possible for Finnish nationals to travel, work, and study freely within the UK. Citizens from Finland who were already in the UK before the cut-off date were allowed to stay under the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS), but those who did not now need to apply for a visa to live in the UK. If you are planning a move from Finland to the UK in 2024/25 or beyond, working with a UK immigration specialist will make the whole process much easier for you. Not only do they understand the immigration process, but they know all of the routes available, including self-sponsorship (see below), and recommend the best route for your needs and those of your family members.
According to the cost of living comparison website Numbeo:
for anyone considering moving to the UK, it is important to remember that the cost of living and rental varies considerably across the UK. Costs are typically higher in and around London and in the South of England (especially house and rental prices). Looking outside of these areas can make the cost of living in the UK much more affordable.
Before you make the move to the UK from Finland, we recommend taking the following steps:
The self-sponsorship route makes it even easier for citizens of Finland to move to the UK while providing a pathway to permanent residency and citizenship. Self-sponsorship negates the need to apply for a job in the UK and work for an employer. Instead, Finnish nationals can set up their own business here and work for (and sponsor) themselves. This also removes the risk of losing employment and having to find a new job. AY&J specialises in self-sponsorship and will show you how to leverage this innovative immigration route.
If you are a non-Finnish national, you will most likely need to apply for a visa to relocate to the UK. As for EU nationals, the UK offers a wide range of visas, with the most suitable visa depending on your nationality, familial connections to the UK, and whether you wish to join family, work or study here. For more details on the visa routes open to non-Finnish citizens, please feel free to discuss your plans with one of our knowledgeable and helpful UK Immigration Solicitors.
If you are a non-Finnish national with plans to join family members who already live here, you will need to apply for a UK Family visa. This route will enable you to apply for permanent settlement after 5 years of continuous residence and citizenship a year later. The Family visa enables overseas citizens to move to the UK to be with their British or settled partner, spouse, parent, or child. To make a successful Family visa application, your family must be either:
The exact list of documents that you will require to move from Finland to the UK will depend on the type of visa you apply for. For example, to apply for a UK Skilled Worker visa, you may need a valid Finnish passport, evidence of a job offer for an eligible role, an English language test pass certificate, and a bank statement showing you have sufficient savings funds to support yourself and your immediate family members.
Yes, if you wish to apply for a work visa in the UK as a national of Finland, you must be a UK-licenced employer. Alternatively, you can consider the self-sponsorship route, which means that your own business can sponsor you.
Before returning from Finland to the UK, we recommend considering your employment banking arrangements and establishing a credit rating. Remember, you may have lost your credit rating if you have been living outside of the UK for many years, which may make it difficult to secure a mortgage or borrow money. Another key consideration is tax. If you have lived in Finland for more than 5 years, you may need to meet different rules for income and capital gains tax. And finally, there is National Insurance and your pension. We recommend checking whether you will need to ‘top up’ your national insurance contributions so that you are eligible for a UK state pension when you reach retirement age.
Please see the legal requirements for moving from Finland to the UK above.
Yes, however, Finnish citizens and their family members require a visa to live in the UK. Please see the visa options explained above.
Yes, but you will require a job offer from a sponsoring employer, a certificate of sponsorship, and a work visa granted by the UK Home Office.
As a Finnish national, you can apply for a UK visa online through the UK’s Home Office website. You will need to complete the visa application form, pay any fees, and submit the documents required to support your case. An immigration Solicitor in the UK can handle this process for you.
Please see the legal requirements for moving from Finland to the UK above.
The length of time you can spend in the UK will depend on the type of visa you hold. Finnish nationals can visit the UK for up to 6 months without a visa. Work visas last up to 5 years and provide a route to permanent settlement. Student visas typically last for the duration of the course, but holders can then apply for a Graduate visa to stay in the UK for a further 2 years to find work.
Please see the cost of living section above.
Some UK nationals are moving back to the UK from countries within the EU, including Finland, as a result of the UK’s departure from the EU and the end of UK/EU free movement. Due to Brexit, UK nationals are now restricted to the number of days (90 days in every 180 days) they can spend in the EU.
A Y & J Solicitors is a specialist immigration law firm with extensive experience with all types of visa applications. We have an in-depth understanding of immigration law and are professional and results-focused. For assistance with your visa application or any other UK immigration law concerns, please contact us on +44 20 7404 7933 or at contact us today. We’re here to help!
