PHOTO GUIDE
Finland Short-stay Schengen Visa (Type C) — Applying from Japan
Applying from Japan for a Finland short-stay Schengen visa (Type C): the Embassy of Finland in Tokyo has outsourced reception to the VFS Global visa application centre in Tsukiji, Tokyo — fill in the application at finlandvisa.fi, book a VFS appointment, and attend in person (children and infants included) with biometrics captured at the counter. The embassy itself examines and decides. Finland's dedicated 36×47 mm photo specification is on the global Finland visa photo page.
Last Updated: 2026-08-15
Quick requirements
- Scope: this page is for people who legally reside in Japan and need a Finland short-stay Schengen visa (Type C). The Embassy of Finland in Tokyo is competent for applicants legally residing in Japan, Marshall Islands, Micronesia and Palau. It covers the application steps, not the photo specification — Finland uses a dedicated 36×47 mm format, explained on the Finland photo-requirements page.
- Reception outsourced to VFS: visa applications in Japan are received by the VFS Global Visa Application Centre (Hamarikyu Parkside Place Bldg. 8F, 5-6-10 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo; phone 050-5433-7978, weekdays 9:00–15:00). The embassy examines and decides; honorary consuls cannot grant visas.
- Form: fill in the visa application at finlandvisa.fi — it also carries the country-specific document requirements and passport photo information — then remember to print the form: an electronically completed application form is not valid without its code.
- Everyone attends in person: every applicant, including children and infants, has to submit the application in person and by appointment only. Biometric identifiers (fingerprints and a photograph) are collected at the same time; fingerprints given less than 59 months ago are reused.
- Photo: the official requirement is one colour photograph from which you are recognizable; the MFA delegates the photograph guidance to the Finnish Police standard, and the Japan centre's photo-specification link points to the ICAO guidelines without Finland-specific millimetres. The 36×47 mm print size used by Finnish missions' checklists — do not substitute the common 35×45 — is on the Finland photo-requirements page.
- Fee: 90 EUR for applicants aged 12 or over, 45 EUR for children 6–11, and free under 6, plus the VFS service fee of 20 EUR (VAT included). Confirm the payment method and yen amounts with VFS when booking; fees are not refunded whatever the decision.
- Timing: an application can be submitted no more than six months before the start of the intended visit; the processing time is 15 days, and it may be longer if a more detailed examination is required. A possible interview may also be requested.
Who this page is for
This page is for people who legally reside in Japan and are applying for a Finland short-stay Schengen visa (Type C) — a stay of up to 90 days within any 180-day period. The Finnish Embassy in Tokyo is competent to receive visa applications from applicants who legally reside in its jurisdiction: Japan, Marshall Islands, Micronesia and Palau.
Long-stay (D) visas and residence permits use a different procedure and are not covered here. If Finland is your only destination or the main destination (longest stay) of a multi-country trip — or, on a tie in days, the first Schengen country of entry — you apply to Finland. Finland's photo specification is not the common Schengen 35×45: it is a dedicated 36×47 mm format, maintained on the global Finland visa photo page.
Where to apply: VFS reception, embassy decision
Visa applications in Japan are received by the visa application centre operated by VFS Global at Hamarikyu Parkside Place Bldg. 8F, 5-6-10 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0045 (phone 050-5433-7978, 9:00–15:00 weekdays). The Embassy of Finland in Tokyo indicates the centre for applicants in its jurisdiction, examines the files and makes the decisions; VFS charges an additional service fee for the reception. Honorary consuls and consulates cannot grant visas.
Every applicant, including children and infants, has to submit the Schengen visa application in person and by appointment only — book the appointment with the VFS Global Visa Application Centre. Family members of EU or EEA citizens exercising their right to free movement may lodge the application directly at the mission instead of the centre; a possible interview may be requested from any applicant.
Application form and required documents
Fill in the visa application electronically at finlandvisa.fi — the service also carries the country-specific instructions and document requirements for Japan, including what the passport photo must satisfy — and then print the form and bring it to the appointment. An electronically completed application form is not valid without its code, so printing it after completing it is part of the procedure; a paper PDF form exists as an alternative.
The Finnish MFA's document list asks for the completed and signed application form, one photograph, a passport, travel insurance and supporting documents, with parental consent required for minors. Present the original documents at the mission with copies as instructed — the Finnish mission does not make copies — and check the finlandvisa.fi checklist for your purpose of travel before your appointment.
Photo requirements: the dedicated 36×47 mm format
The Finnish MFA asks for one colour photograph from which you are recognizable and delegates the photograph guidance to the Finnish Police photograph standard; the police instructions (head 32–36 mm, a monochromatic light-grey-suitable background, no more than six months old) and the missions' visa checklists (36×47 mm, not older than 6 months) are what the global Finland photo-requirements page is built on. The Japan centre's photo-specification section simply links the ICAO photograph guidelines — VFS Japan adds no Finland-specific size and does not replace the photograph you bring.
So from Japan you prepare the same photograph as anywhere else: one colour print in the Finland 36×47 mm format — not the common 35×45 mm format used for most other Schengen countries. The photo tool's Finland mode outputs exactly this dedicated format; see the Finland photo-requirements page for the framing rules. The biometric photograph captured at the counter is separate from the print you bring.
Fees, timing and biometrics
The visa fee is EUR 90 for applicants aged 12 or over, EUR 45 for children aged 6–11, and EUR 0 for children aged 0–5, per the Japan centre's fee table; the VFS service fee is 20.00 EUR, inclusive of VAT. Confirm the payment method and current yen amounts with VFS when booking — fees are charged per application regardless of the outcome.
An application can be submitted no more than six months before the start of the intended visit, and the processing time is 15 days, which may be longer if a more detailed examination is required. All applications are submitted in person and biometric identifiers are collected at the same time; fingerprints are not taken again if they were given in connection with a previous visa application less than 59 months ago, but every applicant — children and infants included — still attends in person.
Where to apply for a Finland short-stay Schengen visa from Japan
Visa applications in Japan are received by the VFS Global Visa Application Centre (Hamarikyu Parkside Place Bldg. 8F, 5-6-10 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo), to which the Embassy of Finland in Tokyo — competent for applicants legally residing in Japan, Marshall Islands, Micronesia and Palau — has outsourced reception. Every applicant including children and infants attends in person by appointment; biometric identifiers are collected at the same time, and fingerprints given less than 59 months ago are reused. The application form is completed at finlandvisa.fi and printed for the appointment. The visa fee is EUR 90/45/0 by age plus a 20 EUR VFS service fee. Finland's photograph requirement is one colour photograph in the missions' dedicated {finlandWidth}×{finlandHeight} mm format, with guidance delegated to the Finnish Police standard — the Japan centre adds no size of its own. Procedures, fees and checklists can change, so confirm the latest information with the embassy pages, finlandvisa.fi and VFS before you book.
shoumei.org helps users prepare photo files based on publicly available requirements. It does not submit visa applications, and it is not an official government service, Schengen authority, embassy, consulate, VFS Global, TLScontact, or BLS International service. Please verify the latest requirements with the official embassy, consulate, or visa application center before submitting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do I submit a Finland visa application in Japan?
At the VFS Global Visa Application Centre in Tokyo (Hamarikyu Parkside Place Bldg. 8F, 5-6-10 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku), by appointment. Reception of visa applications in Japan is outsourced to the centre by the Embassy of Finland in Tokyo, which examines the applications and makes the decisions. Honorary consuls and consulates cannot grant visas.
Does everyone really have to attend in person, including children?
Yes. Every applicant, including children and infants, has to submit the Schengen visa application in person and by appointment only. Biometric identifiers are collected at the same time; fingerprints given in connection with a previous application less than 59 months ago are not taken again, but attendance in person is still required.
What photo size does Finland require — is 35×45 mm acceptable?
Finland uses a dedicated 36×47 mm format, not the common 35×45 mm one. Finnish missions' visa checklists specify 36×47 mm (not older than 6 months), and the MFA delegates the photograph guidance to the Finnish Police standard (head 32–36 mm, plain light monochromatic background). The Japan centre's photo section links only the general ICAO guidelines, so the Japan route does not change the format. See the Finland photo-requirements page for the full rules.
How is the application form filled in?
Electronically at finlandvisa.fi, which also carries the country-specific document requirements and passport photo information for Japan. After completing the form electronically you must print it and bring it to the appointment — an electronically completed application form is not valid without its code. A paper PDF form exists as an alternative.
How much is the Finland Schengen visa fee in Japan?
EUR 90 for applicants aged 12 or over, EUR 45 for children 6–11, and free for children 0–5. The VFS Global centre adds its service fee of 20 EUR (VAT included). Confirm the payment method and the current yen amounts with VFS when booking; the fee is charged per application regardless of the outcome.
When can I apply and how long does processing take?
An application can be submitted no more than six months before the start of the intended visit. The processing time is 15 days, and it may be longer if a more detailed examination of the application is required; a possible interview may also be requested. Book as early as possible once your trip is fixed.
Can family members of EU/EEA citizens apply at the embassy instead of VFS?
Family members of EU or EEA citizens exercising their right to free movement may lodge the visa application directly at the Finnish mission instead of the visa application centre, as the embassy's page states. Everyone else applies at the VFS Global centre by appointment.
Do I need to bring copies of my documents?
Yes — original documents are presented at the mission and copies are submitted with the application as instructed; the Finnish mission does not make copies. Check the finlandvisa.fi checklist for your purpose of travel for the exact set before your appointment.
Official and submission sources
- Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland (um.fi) — A visa to visit Finland (2026-08-15 re-verified: documents include the completed and signed visa application form and one photograph — a colour photograph from which you are recognizable, with guidance delegated to the Police website; apply at the Visa Application Centre indicated by a Finnish mission, at a Finnish mission, or at a mission of a Schengen country representing Finland; all visa applications must be submitted in person and biometric identifiers collected at the same time; fingerprints not taken if given in connection with a previous application less than 59 months ago; country-specific instructions on finlandvisa.fi; applications no more than six months before the visit; processing time 15 days, possibly longer; honorary consuls cannot grant visas) (used for: application channel, application form, biometrics notes, fingerprint reuse, photo copy count, processing time) Checked: 2026-08-15
- Embassy of Finland in Tokyo (finlandabroad.fi) — Where and how to apply for a visa? (2026-08-15 re-verified: apply at the Visa Application Centre indicated by the nearest Finnish mission; fill in the application at finlandvisa.fi, where you find information about documents, appendices and the passport photo you need; alternatively fill in a PDF application form; book an appointment at the VFS Global Visa Application Centre; every applicant must submit the application in person and biometric identifiers will be collected; fingerprints are reused if given less than 59 months ago; remember to print the form after completing it electronically — an electronically completed application form is not valid without its code; in addition to the visa fee the Visa Application Centre charges an additional service fee; applications no more than six months before the visit; processing time 15 days, may be longer; a possible interview may be requested; family members of EU/EEA citizens exercising free movement may lodge the application at the mission) (used for: application channel, appointment system, application form, biometrics notes, fingerprint reuse, visa fee, processing time, jurisdiction notes) Checked: 2026-08-15
- VFS Global — Finland Visa Application Centre Japan one-pager (2026-08-15 re-verified: the Finnish Embassy in Tokyo is competent to receive visa applications from applicants who legally reside in the jurisdiction of Japan, Marshall Islands, Micronesia and Palau; every applicant, including children and infants, has to submit the Schengen visa application in person and by appointment only; Schengen visa fee EUR 90 (age 12+), EUR 45 (children 6-11), EUR 0 (children 0-5); VFS service fee EUR 20.00 inclusive of VAT; the photo specifications section links the ICAO Annex A photograph guidelines — no Finland-specific mm dimensions and no alternative to the applicant-provided photograph) (used for: application channel, appointment system, visa fee, jurisdiction notes) Checked: 2026-08-15
- Embassy of Finland in Tokyo (finlandabroad.fi) — Customer service and appointments (2026-08-15 re-verified: visa applications are received by the outsourced VFS Visa Application Centre at Hamarikyu Parkside Place Bldg. 8F, 5-6-10 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0045; telephone 050-5433-7978, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM; residence permits are also received by VFS) (used for: application channel, submission offices) Checked: 2026-08-15
shoumei.org helps users prepare photo files based on publicly available requirements. It does not submit visa applications, and it is not an official government service, Schengen authority, embassy, consulate, VFS Global, TLScontact, or BLS International service. Please verify the latest requirements with the official embassy, consulate, or visa application center before submitting.
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