USA to Finland?

[farandaway]

I thought I continue on this thread since USA to Finland is the topic. I have written in other threads and we have slowly moved forward over almost 3 years we've known each other. We have big issues to solve but we're starting by bringing him to Finland in a week's time!!! I've been to the States now 4 times to be with him. He runs his own business and we have looked at Migri pages to see what is the best possible way to get a permit to live and work here. I wonder if anyone has any experience on how this might work as a self employed person. If it's as easy as it sounds.

https://www.migri.fi/working_in_finland/self_employed_person/processing_and_deciding_on_the_application

First of course he has to create contacts and have projects with Finnish clients but that he is already working on. He will be in Finland for the Slush (www.slush.org) and he wants to make appointments with prospective clients and I hope it works out.

If the above works out would be good. Bue also we are prepared to get married once his divorce is clear (he is still legally married in the US).

Any ideas / comments on what we could do to prepare for our future in Finland?

[TwoThree]

IIRC, she broke up with him soon after he posted this thread, so I doubt he'll be reading this.

[Liiru]

This thread is only a "few" months old, but still xD

Hopefully you enjoy(ed?) your time in Finland. Be careful though, you seem to rush. You're in love, but please don't lose your mind I also don't really think that you marry her on the first visit, lol. I mean, you need to spend time together to find out if she's really the right person for you in the long run, you would need to plan the wedding, and everything so soon... to me, it just sounds unrealistic. I know, it's none of my business, but I'm just saying. Enjoy your time, stay patient

Someone said that you have to educate yourself first, and it's true. If you want to find a job, or join the Finnish military or whatever, first of all: know the Finnish law, LEARN Finnish (and/or Swedish, lol). Your girlfriend should let you know how things work in Finland, it's SO much more different (and perhaps better?) than in US. You get the idea. Good luck.

[summerkid]

If she speaks English, why don't you guys try to bring her to the US. It seems to me like it would be easier for her to move there than for you to move to Finland.

[iloveafinnishgirl]

That's what we all think. A word of advice, if you go to fast you will find you only damage the relationship. From what I've seen people in the Nordics like to take things rather slow relationship wise (correct me if I'm wrong people!), for example it isn't unusual at all to have a 5 years long engagement in Finland (if you're not rather religious).

I have no idea how much you know about Finland and Finns in general but I'd suggest educating yourself and visit to see how you like it. Especially in winter. I don't know if you know about Finnish winter, but the further north you go, the shorter the day (at home my shortest day in winter is something like 4-5 hours). Even in Helsinki it gets dark and even more miserable if they don't get any snow. You'll probably say you can do it but it affects a lot of natives badly, so there's no reason why it shouldn't affect you as well. That's just one of the things people find hard to acclimatise to, there's language (like many previously mentioned), mentality (that differs a lot even from community to community), political orientation and so on.

my SO has taught me most of what you have told me but the language, and she has expressed wanting to marry me

[Alsfia]

trust me when i say she knows things about me i didn't even know and vice versa and she has been there for me always, and what she wants is what i plan to give her

That's what we all think. A word of advice, if you go to fast you will find you only damage the relationship. From what I've seen people in the Nordics like to take things rather slow relationship wise (correct me if I'm wrong people!), for example it isn't unusual at all to have a 5 years long engagement in Finland (if you're not rather religious).

I have no idea how much you know about Finland and Finns in general but I'd suggest educating yourself and visit to see how you like it. Especially in winter. I don't know if you know about Finnish winter, but the further north you go, the shorter the day (at home my shortest day in winter is something like 4-5 hours). Even in Helsinki it gets dark and even more miserable if they don't get any snow. You'll probably say you can do it but it affects a lot of natives badly, so there's no reason why it shouldn't affect you as well. That's just one of the things people find hard to acclimatise to, there's language (like many previously mentioned), mentality (that differs a lot even from community to community), political orientation and so on.

[TwoThree]

Oh boy. Look, you are young and smitten and are probably not going to listen to my advice, so I won't give you any. All I can say is, good luck and I hope it turns out for the best.

[iloveafinnishgirl]

trust me when i say she knows things about me i didn't even know and vice versa and she has been there for me always, and what she wants is what i plan to give her

[TwoThree]

(note we would be getting married on my first leave so wed have the required 2 years by the time i finished service, that and id have way more money to start with in finland)

Don't get married on the first visit, man. That's never a good idea. Generally don't do any kind of drastic, life-changing plans until you see what Finland is like and you actually MEET this woman.

You better start saving then!

[iloveafinnishgirl]

Actually, Finnish military service is mandatory for all male citizens, the OP would have to do his service if he became one. (And, get a roomful of drunk Finnish guys and they all feel the need to tell their stories )

thats why i said id be willing to serve in the finnish army, i knew it was mandatory, my SO told me that

honestly id do anything for my SO, cause as long as i am by her side im happy, and when i can finally hold her in my arms and kiss her i will be forever overjoyed <3

[Moon]

I'm not military, I have a few friends who are in the Air Force, but I don't know how similar it is to Army. From what I gather, you don't get to choose where you want to be stationed. Once you've been in for a while (2+ years, I think is the "average" from what I've seen), you can pick your top 3 or so, but they still tell you where you go. And you can't say "no".

However- I could be completely incorrect about all of that. And, I have no idea how the Finnish military works, but I imagine you have to be a citizen. Maybe?

Actually, Finnish military service is mandatory for all male citizens, the OP would have to do his service if he became one. (And, get a roomful of drunk Finnish guys and they all feel the need to tell their stories )

[iloveafinnishgirl]

That's a tough one. I know it is very hard for trained pilots to land a job in this country.
If you would have said you wanted to study economics or biology I could have helped you.

I don't know if you can choose where you get stationed to, if you can, that might work.

But for now I think you should concentrate on getting a job and saving up to go and see her first.

like i said any job will do, id go for biology but economics may not be so good

[lyonsgirl]

I'm not military, I have a few friends who are in the Air Force, but I don't know how similar it is to Army. From what I gather, you don't get to choose where you want to be stationed. Once you've been in for a while (2+ years, I think is the "average" from what I've seen), you can pick your top 3 or so, but they still tell you where you go. And you can't say "no".

However- I could be completely incorrect about all of that. And, I have no idea how the Finnish military works, but I imagine you have to be a citizen. Maybe?

That's a tough one. I know it is very hard for trained pilots to land a job in this country.
If you would have said you wanted to study economics or biology I could have helped you.

I don't know if you can choose where you get stationed to, if you can, that might work.

But for now I think you should concentrate on getting a job and saving up to go and see her first.