You will need to have your passport and residence permit/visa to travel to Finland, but also to access the ferry and to visit Sweden.
Students who have a Finnish residence permit will need to bring their passport and residence permit for accessing the ferry and going to Sweden. European nationals do not need a residence permit or visa for the Spring School (only valid passport).
Please ensure you have the needed travel documents (valid residence permit or visa) before the Spring School.
Visiting Finland (and Sweden) on an EU residence permit
The EU residence permit granted by a Schengen state allows free movement and residence in Schengen states for a maximum period of 90 days. If you have a residence permit for another Schengen country, you may visit Finland and Sweden during the Spring School without appying for a separate visa or residence permit. Europhotonics students will generally have a Schengen residence permit in an EU country (e.g. France, Germany, Spain, Lithuania).
For more information on travelling with the EU residence permit please visit the Finnish Immigration web page
Visiting Finland (and Sweden) with Visa
If someone is coming from outside Europe and does not have a Schengen residence permit they might need a visa.
No visa is required if you are a citizen of a visa-free country. Visa-free countries are:
- The Schengen Area or the EEA/EU.
- The Nordic Countries
- US., Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Republic of San Marino, or the Republic of Andorra
You may apply for a visa outside Finland from a Finnish embassy operating under the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland. Finnish embassies also make decisions on the granting of visas.
A Finnish visa will allow you to visit Sweden (as another Schengen country) as well.
Information on applying a visa on the Finnish Ministry for Foreing Affairs web page
For the visa application you will need an invitation letter from the organisers. Please contact the organisers for the invitation letter.
The invitation letter is a signed letter from the Finnish organisation (Tampere University) on official paper, containing the following information:
- Contact details of the organisation (address, email, telephone number)
- Name and date of birth of the invited person
- Purpose, destination and duration of the visit
- Detailed program for the visit
- Clarification who will cover the travel costs of the invited person
- Name and position of the countersigning person