Cars registered in Russia can no longer enter Finland.

Finnish Customs: Russian-registered cars must exit Finland no later than 15 March 2024

Call us for advice - private customers - Finnish Customs (tulli.fi)

Finland restricts the non-essential travel of Russian citizens to Finland and to Schengen area via Finland. The entry restrictions that entered into force on 30 September 2022 have been continued based on a Finnish Government decision on 6 July 2023. The restrictions are valid for the present.

On this page are listed all the special groups whose entry into the country will not generally be restricted.

Those who travel with a residence permit in Finland, in an EU member state, in a European Economic Area member state or in Switzerland, or travel with a long-stay visa to a Schengen country (type D visa), can still arrive in Finland and continue to another EU state or Schengen country.

Decisions on permitting entry will always be made on a case-by-case basis in connection with border checks. Refusal of entry may lead to revocation of a visa. The Finnish Border Guard does not grant advance permits for entry to Finland. 

Special groups

Russian citizens who belong to one of the groups listed below are allowed to enter Finland from Russia during the validity period of the current travel restrictions:

  1. Family members of citizens of Finland and family members of foreigners with a permanent residency in Finland
  2. Family members of citizens of a Member State of the European Union, a Member State of the European Economic Area or Switzerland
  3. Work visa
  4. Transport and logistics personnel exercising their duties
  5. Business travellers
  6. Students
  7. People arriving in Finland for treatment
  8. Owners of an apartment or property
  9. Personnel of diplomatic missions and consular representations
  10. Other special reasons (necessities)

 

1. Family members of citizens of Finland and family members of foreigners with a permanent residency in Finland

Entry from Russia to Finland is allowed for the family members of citizens of Finland and family members of foreigners with a permanent residency in Finland (spouses, parents, grandparents, children, grandchildren and dependants, and those in an established partnership) when travelling to Finland.

The admission of family members, as stated in this chapter (1), is only allowed in connection with travel to Finland.

The section 37 of the Aliens Act (301/2004) shall be applied, where applicable, to the definition of a spouse or an established relationship. Persons living in marriagelike circumstances shall be treated as spouses regardless of their gender. It is required that these persons have lived together for at least two years. This is not required if the persons have a child in their joint custody or if there are other compelling reasons. However, a family member of a Finnish citizen may be a family member of a Finnish citizen living in Finland or abroad. The family member must also have the required travel documents and, if required, a visa.

Passengers must provide acceptable proof of family relations at the border check. The guardian or trustee of a dependent person is also treated as a relative in this purpose of entry.

2. Family members of citizens of a Member State of the European Union, a Member State of the European Economic Area or Switzerland

Entry from Russia to Finland is allowed for the family members of citizens of a Member State of the European Union, a Member State of the European Economic Area or Switzerland as outlined in Directive EC/2004/38.

The entry of Russian citizens is allowed if they are family members of an EU citizen who is exercising his or her right to freedom of movement in accordance with the directive EY/2004/38. The directive is implemented nationally by Foreign Nationals Act.

Passengers must be able to verify their status as a family member during the border check, and, when travelling otherwise than together with an EU citizen, that he or she is following an EU citizen who is exercising his or her right to freedom of movement.

The aforementioned instructions for EU citizens also apply to citizens of European Economic Area Member States and citizens of Switzerland and their family members.

See also:

3. Work visa

Entry from Russia to Finland is allowed for persons who are coming to Finland with a visa for a short term work that lasts less than 90 days.

A visa issued for seasonal work can be used to enter Finland to carry out the work referred to in the visa. Persons who have a residence permit for seasonal work may arrive in Finland in a similar manner as persons who have a residence permit.

Section 81 b of the Aliens Act lays down the grounds for an alien's right to gainful employment and to engage in commercial activities without a residence permit. In all the above-mentioned cases: during the border check, the person must prove that their purpose for entry is work or commercial activities.

4. Transport and logistics industry personnel exercising their duties

Entry from Russia to Finland is allowed for transport and logistics personnel travelling to Finland for work.

Persons arriving in the country must be exercising their duties or on transit in the exercise of their duties (e.g., a seafarer travelling to their vessel).

Transit via Finland to Schengen area is not allowed only with this reason if there is no other special reason for entry (see item 10).

Crew changes of seafarers shall be permitted as transport and logistics personnel as crew changes are part of a seafarers’ duties. There is no restriction on the seafarers’ rights to shore leave in the area of the ship’s port area as laid down in the Aliens Act.

5. Business travellers

Entry from Russia to Finland is allowed for business travellers whose reason to travel to Finland is that their personal presence is an utmost requirement for the business.

Transit via Finland to Schengen area is not allowed for business related reasons if there is no other special reason for entry (see item 10).

Business travellers arriving with a visa must provide proof of their reason for entering the country at the time of entry. This reason must be essential and that their personal presence is an utmost requirement for the business. The necessity of entry will be assessed on a case-by-case basis based on the information gathered in connection with the border check. The existence of a business meeting can be verified with a phone call or by other reliable means.

6. Students

Entry from Russia to Finland is allowed for students arriving in Finland for short-term studies (less than 90 days), for studies leading to a degree or for studies as a part of a degree, including taking an entrance exam or an aptitude test. It is also possible to come to Finland to participate in a language test that is part of studies leading to a degree.

Courses at adult education centres or corresponding short courses, which do not lead to a degree, are not a reason to allow the entry to Finland with a short-term visa.

The purpose of entry must be connected to studying. Persons must verify the purpose of their entry in connection with the border check with an invitation from the educational institution or a similar document. If necessary, the authenticity of the invitation may be checked with the institution’s representative.

As a rule, the right to study must be in Finland.

7. People arriving in Finland for treatment

Entry from Russia to Finland is allowed for persons whose entry into the country is based on an established patient care relationship in a care institution located in Finland.

Persons must verify the purpose of their entry in connection with the border check. If necessary, the existence of an established patient care relationship will be checked with the company providing the care. As a rule, the patient care relationship must have started before the current restrictions entered into force. Entry is not allowed if the patient care relationship is not established nor there is no other special reason for entry (see item 10).

8. Owners of an apartment or property

Entry from Russia to Finland is allowed for the owner of an apartment or property, who have owned an apartment or property in Finland already before 30th September 2022, if the purpose of the trip is an urgent and necessary maintenance of the apartment or property and it requires the personal presence of the owner.

The ownership must have started before the 30th September 2022 and it must still be in force.

Persons must justify the ownership and why it is necessary and urgent to maintain the apartment or property and why it requires the personal presence of the owner. The necessity of the situation will be assessed on a case-by-case basis in connection with the border check. As a rule, entry to the country may be allowed on the above-mentioned basis for one person listed as an owner of the property. It is not permitted to bring along family members or a group when travelling because of maintenance of property.

9. Personnel of diplomatic missions and consular representations

Entry from Russia to Finland is allowed for the personnel of diplomatic missions and consular representations of the Russian Federation who are accredited by Finland or sent to Finland, as well as their family members, diplomatic couriers, and the personnel of diplomatic missions and consular representations of the Russian Federation who use the territory of Finland for transit to carry out their official duties, as well as their family members.

Entry to the country is also permitted for diplomats of the Russian Federation and holders of diplomatic and service passports, who are on their way to a short-term business trip to Finland or the Schengen area.

10. Other special reasons (necessities)

In accordance with the Government guidelines, other persons travelling for special reasons on the basis of individual consideration.

Other special reasons may include humanitarian reasons, compelling personal reasons, reasons related to the best interests of a child or other justified reasons. The reasons will be assessed on a case-by-case basis in connection with the border check

a) persons in need of international protection or who are travelling for other humanitarian reasons
b) other necessary and justified reasons (e.g., representatives of foreign media)
c) in external border traffic, persons may also arrive in Finland for a compelling personal reason.

A compelling personal reason should involve a pressing or unpredictable cause which requires personal attendance, which cannot tolerate delay, and which would cause undue harm within the context in question if the person concerned would not tend to it. A compelling personal reason can be, for example, participation in the funeral of next of kin, serious illness of next of kin, or an invitation from a Finnish authority to visit said authority. Compelling personal reasons will be assessed on a case-by-case basis in connection with the border check.

The Finnish Immigration Service is a decision-making organisation in matters related to immigration, asylum, refugee status and citizenship and maintains the reception system. Read also: Frequently asked questions about Russia's attack on Ukraine and its effects on Russian citizens (migri.fi).

Revocation of a visa

According to the Visa Code ((EC) No 810/2009), the visa will be revoked if the conditions for issuing visas are no longer met.

If the Finnish Border Guard assesses the refusal of entry decision and the Schengen visa was issued by Finland, the visa will usually be revoked.
 
If the visa has been issued by another Schengen country, the Border Guard will consider whether to revoke the visa on a case-by-case basis. If the visa is revoked the Border Guard will inform the visa issuing authorities of the Member State. 

Updated 10.7.2023.