Finland Self Employed Visa (Entrepreneur Residence Permit): The Complete Guide for UK Applicants

Finland is one of those places where work and life feel perfectly balanced. Considering its growing self-employed workforce, there’s no doubt that you’ll find numerous opportunities here.

As of 2023, 13.19% of Finland’s employed population was self-employed¹, proving that freelancing and self-employment isn’t just a fad in this forward-thinking nation.

If you’re ready to build your independent career in this Nordic gem, this guide walks you through everything you need to get an entrepreneur residence permit to work as a self-employed individual in Finland.

We’ve also explained how Wise Business can help you throughout the process, from saving when you pay for the initial application fees in EUR to managing your earnings when your business is in full swing.

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Key facts

Topic	Notes
Visa/permit exemptions 🗺️	EU/EEA/Swiss citizens don’t need a residence permit to live and work in Finland. They just register their right of residence2.
Permit type 🪪	Residence permit for an entrepreneur via the Finnish Immigration Service3.
Application fee 💷	Applying for a regular self-employed residence permit for entrepreneurs for the first time costs €550 online or €700 on paper10. \ The first-time application fee for the startup entrepreneur permit is €450 online or €580 on paper4.
Processing time ⏳	3 to 6 weeks based on recent data5. Note: If you’re applying through the startup fast-track scheme, electronic applications are usually processed in about 14 days6.
Profitability and income requirements 💸	Your business must be viable and generate regular, sufficient income. The ELY Centre assesses business plans, contracts, and qualifications.
Pension insurance (YEL) 👵	It is mandatory for self-employed individuals to have insurance under the Self-employed Persons’ Pensions Act (YEL insurance) in Finland15. To qualify for the insurance scheme, your business must meet a minimum YEL income threshold (approx. €9,200+ per year in 2025)7.
Renewal and longer stay 🔁	The initial permit is fixed-term (often 1 year). It can be renewed if the business continues to meet the criteria. \ After continuous legal residence, you may qualify for permanent residence status.

Who can apply?

You must apply for a Entrepreneur Residence Permit in Finland if you wish to trade as a:

• Sole proprietor / individually-owned business (toiminimi)
• Partner in a general partnership, or as a general partner (not a silent partner) in a limited partnership
• Member of a cooperative (if you have unlimited liability)
• Shareholder with managerial responsibility in a limited-liability company, if you own at least 30% of capital or votes (or equivalent share of control)

Key things to note:

• You must actively work in your company. Just owning shares isn’t enough.
• Your business must be viable. The ELY Centre will check your business plan, expected income, customer contracts, finances, etc.
• You need to ensure your livelihood is covered by business earnings (or, in the case of startups, other income until the business takes off).

Application requirements

Topic	Notes
📈 Business Plan & Forecast	Outlines your business concept, strategy, and financial projections to prove viability.
🏠 Proof of Premises	Required if your business needs a physical location (e.g., a lease agreement).
🎓 Qualifications & Credentials	Documents showing you have the experience to run your business (e.g., diplomas, references).
💰 Proof of Financial Resources	Evidence you can support yourself financially (e.g., bank statements, savings).
📊 Financial Statements	Required if your business is already operating (e.g., profit & loss, tax returns).
📎 Industry-Specific Items	Any additional documents required for your specific field (e.g., special licenses).
🌍 Translations & Legalisation	Documents must be in Finnish, Swedish, or English; family documents must be legalised.

How to apply (step by step)

1. Get your business foundation ready
2. Register your business with the Trade Register
3. Create your EnterFinland account
4. Upload your documents and pay the fee
5. Verify your identity
6. Wait for the review
7. Receive your permit and move to Finland

Step 1: Get your business foundation ready

Before you even start the visa process, have a clear outline of your business plan. Decide whether you’ll register as a private trader (toiminimi) or set up a limited company (osakeyhtiö). Having this sorted helps your application go smoothly later on.

Step 2: Register your business with the Trade Register

Apply to register your business at the Finnish Patent and Registration Office (PRH) or through the Business Information System.

Entrepreneurs usually need to enter their business in the Trade Register before a permit can be issued.

However, if you are applying for your first residence permit from abroad (for example, as a sole proprietor), and you haven’t reached Finland yet, then you can apply before you have a Finnish business ID⁵.

Step 3: Create your EnterFinland account

Create an account on EnterFinland. This online portal will guide you through the whole process, from uploading your documents to tracking your application status.

Step 4: Upload your documents and pay the fee

Fill out the form after logging in and upload all the supporting documents (like your business plan, proof of funds, and credentials).

Don’t forget to pay the application fee online. It’s faster and slightly cheaper than paper applications.

Step 5: Verify your identity

After submitting online, you must visit your nearest Finnish mission or service point. Bring your original passport, biometrics, and any other required documents for verification.

Step 6: Wait for the review

Your application first goes to the ELY Centre⁸ to assess your business’s profitability, then to Migri⁹ for the final decision. Keep checking your Enter Finland account for updates. This is where you’ll see if more details are needed.

Step 7: Receive your permit and move to Finland

If approved, you’ll receive your residence permit card. After stepping into Finland, you can open a local bank account, register your address, and start working as a self-employed professional.

The entire application process may seem daunting. However, you should know that all the effort is worth it.

Finland offers a lifestyle that is indeed one of its kind, and you’ll be able to reach your business goals if you’re proactive and abide by all the laws here.

How much does it cost?

Type of application	Online application fee (€)	Paper application fee (€)	Notes/sources
Entrepreneur Residence Permit (non-startup)	€550	€700	First-time permits for self-employed individuals10
Startup Entrepreneur Residence Permit	€450	€580	This is for innovative or high-growth startups approved by Business Finland4.
Extension of Residence Permit	€170	€430	Fees vary depending on the type of permit and whether it’s online or paper10.
Translations and Legalisation (if needed)	Varies (€50 to €200+)	—	Applies if documents aren’t in Finnish, Swedish, or English.
Business Registration (PRH/YTJ)	From €60 (online)	—	Registration with the Finnish Patent and Registration Office

These fees only cover the official side of things. You’ll still want to plan for the real-world costs of getting started, like registering your business, renting a workspace, or covering your living expenses while things get rolling. And if your clients are based outside Finland, think ahead about payments.

Note: These official fees are just the tip of the iceberg. After you land in Finland, you’ll need to budget for a bunch of “real life” stuff too. This should cover:

• Rent + bills
• Workspace (if you’re not going fully remote or home)
• Food, transport, and other daily essentials
• A buffer for unexpected expenses (translations, equipment, travel, etc.)

These are the usual costs in almost every place you set up your business. Still, it’s essential to factor them in during your budget planning.

How long does it take to receive the visa?

The time it takes for a visa to be issued varies greatly depending on your situation, the completeness of your documents, and the type of permit you are applying for. The table below illustrates what you should expect for each, in general:

Situation	Typical Processing Time
Standard work-based residence permits (first permits)	Around 3-6 weeks (approx. 23 days for clean, favourable cases) to about 40-60 days on average6.
Extensions/renewal of permits	Slightly faster. Often, it’s about 3 weeks once everything’s submitted6.
Start-up entrepreneur/specialist/Fast-track cases	It can be swift. Some decisions are made in about 2 weeks if your application is clean, all docs included, and you’ve used the Fast Track/online route11.
Cases with missing documents/complicated reviews/identity verification delays	Can stretch out to 2-3 months or more. Delays often come from waiting for the identity/biometrics appointment, extra questions from authorities, or needing business viability checks.

The clock often starts ticking after you’ve submitted your full application and completed all identity or embassy/mission steps (biometrics, etc.). If you delay those, it adds to the waiting time.

Paying taxes as a self-employed freelancer in Finland

Income tax

Your income as a self-employed person is taxed progressively. Finland has brackets, and besides the national tax, there’s also a municipal tax (and church tax if applicable). Your deductions (business expenses, YEL, etc.) help reduce what you owe¹².

Pension insurance

If you’re 18-69, working self-employed for at least 4 months, and your annual income estimate (your “YEL income”) is above the threshold (approximately €9,000 to €10,000 depending on year), then YEL contributions are mandatory. This pays into your pension, social security, etc¹³.

VAT (Value-Added Tax)

As of January 1, 2025, businesses whose annual turnover is €20,000 or less (current & previous calendar years) are exempt from compulsory VAT registration¹⁴.

Above that, you must register for VAT, charge it on invoices, and file returns.

Health Insurance and Social Contributions

Self-employed people pay into Finland’s National Health Insurance scheme via Kela. In 2025, there will be a health insurance contribution (approx. 1.06%) and a daily allowance contribution (approx. 1.04%)⁷.

Note: The Finnish system is built to be fair. You pay more as you earn more, and there's a strong social safety net backed by YEL and health/insurance contributions. But misfiling, forgetting deadlines, or underestimating contributions like VAT or YEL can lead to unexpected costs. So aim for a clean start.

Summary

Finland hits a sweet spot for freelancers who want both flexibility and balance. The nation’s clear tax and visa systems, reliable infrastructure, and welcoming business environment make it a solid choice for self-employed professionals.

Cherry on top: its high-speed internet even in remote towns and an emphasis on work-life harmony, you’ll have no trouble staying productive or inspired.

Manage your freelance earnings like a pro with Wise Business

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With a Wise Business Advanced plan*, you can get local account details to receive payments in EUR and other currencies, and even create professional invoices with the free invoice generator.

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Start your self-employed journey in Finland on the right foot and with the right business account.

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**Disclaimer: The UK Wise Business pricing structure is changing with effect from 26/11/2025 date. Receiving money, direct debits and getting paid features are not available with the Essential Plan which you can open for free. Pay a one-time set up fee of £50 to unlock Advanced features including account details to receive payments in 22+ currencies or 8+ currencies for non-swift payments. You’ll also get access to our invoice generating tool, payment links, QuickPay QR codes and the ability to set up direct debits all within one account. Please check our website for the latest pricing information.

“We moved to Wise quite a while ago from a traditional UK bank that didn't allow multi-currency holding, charged quite a lot for international payments, and was overall not ideal for our small business.”
Jack MacHugh, Co-Founder of Interrail Planner

**Sources**

1. Trading Economics, Finland - Self-employed; Total (% Of Total Employed)
2. Expat Finland, Finnish Work and Residence Permits
3. European Commission, Self-employed worker in Finland
4. Finnish Immigration Service, Residence permit application for a start-up entrepreneur
5. Job Market Finland, Permit processing time reduces by half
6. Info Finland, Entrepreneur in Finland
7. Kela, Self-employed persons: Income and contributions to health insurance
8. Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment of Finland, Joint strategy of the Regional State Administrative Agencies and ELY Centres guides the operations of regional state administration
9. Finnish Immigration Service, Residence permit application for an entrepreneur
10. Finnish Immigration Service, Processing fees and payment methods
11. Finland Relocation, Fast Track for residence permits: our experiences
12. PWC, Finland Individual - Taxes on personal income
13. IF Business Insurance, YEL insurance
14. VAT Update, VAT for small businesses will change – new minimum threshold for tax liability of EUR 20,000

Sources last checked on October 31st, 2025

*Disclaimer: The UK Wise Business pricing structure is changing with effect from 26/11/2025 date. Receiving money, direct debits and getting paid features are not available with the Essential Plan which you can open for free. Pay a one-time set up fee of £50 to unlock Advanced features including account details to receive payments in 22+ currencies or 8+ currencies for non-swift payments. You’ll also get access to our invoice generating tool, payment links, QuickPay QR codes and the ability to set up direct debits all within one account. Please check our website for the latest pricing information.