Services of the Embassy of Finland, Damascus temporarily transferred elsewhere
The Embassy of Finland in Damascus has temporarily halted the processing of entry applications as of 11 December. The reception and processing of applications will be transferred on a temporary basis to the Embassy of Finland in Ankara during January 2012. Accurate date when these services will recommence will be announced later. During the temporary arrangement, in addition to Turkish citizens, the citizens of Syria, Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon can file visa and permit of residence applications in Ankara.
The Ministry for Foreign Affairs has also decided to cancel the opportunity for advance voting in the presidential election in the Embassy of Damascus. Persons entitled to vote still residing in Syria may cast their votes in the locations assigned for advance voting in Beirut and Amman.
According to information of the Finnish Embassy, in Syria, there are still more than 30 Finnish citizens or foreigners with a permanent residence in Finland. In its travel bulletin, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs advises people to avoid all travel to Syria and urges those still in the country to leave if they do not have a compelling reason to stay.
Further information: Counsellor Vesa Häkkinen, Unit for Passports and Visas, tel. +358 9 1605 55219 or +358 40 726 1379; (issues related to entry to Finland), and Helena Tuuri, Head of Unit for the Middle East and North Africa, tel. +358 9 1605 6358 or +358 40 553 3494 (situation in Syria)