Finnish Government issues a resolution to strongly restrict entry of Russian tourists into Finland

On 29 September 2022, the Finnish Government issued a resolution to significantly restrict the entry of Russian tourists into Finland. The entry restrictions will enter into force on 30 September 2022 at 00.00, and they will remain in force until further notice.

The restrictions are based on Article 6(1)(e) of the Schengen Borders Code, according to which the entry of third-country nationals requires that they are not considered to be a threat to public policy, internal security, public health or the international relations of any of the Member States. The Schengen acquis allows Member States leeway for making national decisions and policies when factors such as international relations and security are taken into account.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine and the mobilisation declared by Russia have changed the security situation in Europe. The Government deems that the Russian mobilisation and the rapidly increasing volume of tourists arriving in Finland and transiting via Finland endanger Finland’s international position and international relations.

The Government resolution confirms the guidelines for assessing whether Russian citizens fulfil the entry conditions, for granting visas and for assessing the conditions for the validity of visas. The resolution applies to both tourism into Finland and transit to other countries through Finland. 

The resolution aims to stop tourism and related transit from Russia altogether. It will drastically limit the capacity to receive visa applications in Russia. The resolution will not prevent travelling when it is deemed necessary for humanitarian reasons, for national interests or for meeting Finland’s international obligations. More detailed information on the entry restrictions is available on the website of the Finnish Border Guard.

Government resolution (in Finnish)

Q&A about the Government resolution (in English) (pdf, 604 kb, 6 pages)