Finland Schengen Visa Application 2026

The invitation letter and the documents you need

Many people living in Finland want to send an invitation letter to family members, friends or relatives who are coming from Turkey and applying for a Schengen visa. The question that comes up most often is how the invitation letter and the sponsorship form should be prepared. In this article we explain, step by step, the documents required for a Finland Schengen visa application and the invitation process itself.

What are an invitation letter and sponsorship?

If you live in Finland and are inviting someone close to you, you can act as the sponsor in the application process. In that case the person issuing the invitation declares that they will cover the applicant’s accommodation and/or daily expenses in Finland. That declaration is made official through a sponsorship form and a free-form invitation letter. “Visiting family or friends” can be chosen as the application category.

Documents required from the sponsor (the person living in Finland)

The documents to be prepared by the person sending the invitation from Finland:

Invitation letter (click here for a template)
Finnish identity card
Passport, if a Finnish citizen
Residence permit card
Proof of income (employment contract, payslips for the last 3 months)
Bank statements for the last 3 months
Current tax card and the previous year’s tax decision (preferably)
Tenancy agreement, or the title deed if you own the home (preferably)

These documents need to be prepared and sent to the person close to you who will submit the visa application in Turkey. Getting the invitation and sponsorship documents right is the most important part of the application, and we can help you prepare them.

Documents required from the applicant (the person travelling from Turkey)

The basic documents that the person applying for the Schengen visa needs to prepare are as follows:

Visa application form (https://finlandvisa.fi/)
Passport and ID
Biometric photograph
Certificate of residence (ikametgah belgesi)
Full civil registry record (tam vukuatlı nüfus kayıt örneği)
Return flight reservation
Travel health insurance
Payslips for the last 3 months or proof of income
Bank statements for the last 3 months
- Signed and stamped by the bank, together with the bank’s list of authorised signatories (imza sirküleri)
Further financial documents (title deed, vehicle registration, rental income, etc.) (preferably)

Official site for the required documents: https://finlandvisa.fi/checklist/TUR/265

Additional documents depending on the applicant’s situation

Additional documents are also required depending on the applicant’s situation:

For employees:

Employer letter / approval of leave
SGK employment record

For business owners:

Chamber of Commerce registration
Tax certificate
Trade registry gazette

For pensioners:

Pension certificate or account statement

For students:

Student certificate

For farmers:

Farming certificate approved by the Chamber of Agriculture

Booking an appointment

Finland Schengen visa applications can be submitted in Turkey through VFS Global’s Ankara, Istanbul, Izmir and Antalya offices. An appointment must be booked through the system before the application is made.

VFS Global Finland appointment system: https://visa.vfsglobal.com/tur/en/fin/login

The visa fee is EUR 90, collected at the VFS Global centre when the application is submitted. A EUR 20 VFS service fee and a courier fee are charged on top.

Put the whole file together before you book. An appointment attended with missing or incorrect papers only drags the process out.

The most common mistakes

A missing or incorrect invitation letter
An insufficient bank balance, or a large sum paid into the account at the last minute
Giving inconsistent information
Failing to submit documents that show family ties
Failing to provide evidence of an intention to return

These mistakes can lead to the application being refused.

How ENB can help

We prepare the invitation letter and sponsorship documents with you and check the whole Schengen visa file before it is submitted.

Consultancy fee: EUR 350 + VAT