Published: 18/06/25 | 20:53
In a temporary move to assist Pakistani students facing entry issues into the United Arab Emirates, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland has announced that student residence permit applications will be processed at VFS Global in Doha, Qatar between July 9 and August 6, 2025. This arrangement is strictly limited to student residence permit applicants and excludes family members or other visa categories who must continue using VFS Abu Dhabi for identification appointments as usual. The temporary service in Doha will be conducted at the VFS office located on the first floor of the Al Nuaimi Building near the Oqba Bin Nafie Metro Station on Airport Road, Zone 45.
According to the announcement, students currently on the waiting list for VFS Abu Dhabi have already been assigned appointments at VFS Doha and will receive email notifications from the Embassy of Finland in Abu Dhabi or the MFA. Those who already have appointments in Abu Dhabi but wish to transfer to Doha can email the embassy at Coim.ABO@gov.fi by Friday July 11 to inquire about available slots. If space permits further instructions will be shared by email. It is important to note that appointments at VFS Doha cannot be rescheduled due to limited capacity. Students who decline their offered slot must book a new appointment in Abu Dhabi through VFS Global’s official site.
Students completing their identification process in Doha will have their residence permit cards delivered to the Finnish Embassy in Abu Dhabi which will contact them once the cards are ready and provide delivery options. To streamline the process applicants are urged to pay the residence permit application fee in advance through the Enter Finland online service. Additionally, the MFA advises against applying for a D visa as this requires passport submission to the Abu Dhabi embassy for visa sticker printing.
No appointment requests for VFS Doha will be accepted after July 11. The special arrangement is aimed at ensuring that Pakistani students receive their residence permits in time to begin their studies in Finland as scheduled. The MFA noted that this policy is temporary and urges applicants to follow the outlined instructions closely to avoid delays.
