If you come to Finland from a country outside the Schengen Area or you depart Finland for a country outside the Schengen Area you must travel via a border crossing point.

The whole eastern border is closed between 15 December 2023 20:00 and 14 January 2024.

Valitse kieli Suomi Välj språket Svenska Select language English Crime prevention – We combat cross-border crime The Border Guard combats, reveals and investigates cross-border crime. The Border Guard’s focus in crime prevention is in combatting i...

Valitse kieli Suomi Välj språket Svenska Select language English Border checks The Finnish Border Guard conducts border checks on border crossing traffic at the external borders of the Schengen area. Border checks refer to checks performed for the...

Border checks are checks on persons and interviews of persons, carried out on those crossing or intending to cross the border. They include persons means of transport and the objects in their possession.

Border Surveillance The purpose of border surveillance is to maintain order and security at our borders and prevent and investigate unauthorised border crossings. There is a particular focus on the external border of the Schengen area to prevent u...

Border control operations at the external borders of Finland are efficient and credible. The international operations of the Finnish Border Guard contribute to the safety and security of Finland and Europe.

Valitse kieli Suomi Välj språket Svenska Select language English Border surveillance The purpose of border surveillance is to maintain security and public order at land and sea borders. Situational awareness obtained through surveillance facilitat...

Smart borders The communiqué ‘Preparation of future developments of border security in the EU’ that the European Commission issued in 2008 brought forward parts of the next developments within EU’s border security. The proposal that is based on th...

Privacy statement for processing of personal data in border control, to maintain border security and order along the border

Valitse kieli Suomi Välj språket Svenska Select language English Border and maritime security Border surveillance The Border Guard managed to control the situation at the eastern border despite the disruption. The Border Guard allocated resources ...

You can give the Finnish Border Guard a tip if you have noticed cross-border crime, hunting and fishing violations or environmental offences in marine areas, or preparation for such crimes. Fill out the Give a tip form.

The Kainuu Border Guard District is responsible for border security in Kainuu and Koillismaa as part of Finland's internal security system. It has surveillance responsibility for 406 kilometres of the national border between Finland and Russia.

All recreational craft that can with justified cause be assumed to have crossed the external Schengen border may always be subjected to a border check.

The three largest international border crossing points on the eastern border are located in the area of the Southeast Finland Border Guard District: Nuijamaa, Vaalimaa and Imatra. In addition, Vainikkala is the only rail border crossing point between Finland and Russia.

The Border Guard District mainly operates in the area of municipalities located on the border: Kitee, Tohmajärvi, Joensuu, Ilomantsi and Lieksa. It has responsibility for monitoring 304 kilometres of border.

Register of Border Guard Activities Updated on 7 August 2025 1. Name of the register Register of Border Guard Activities 2. Data controller Headquarters of the Finnish Border Guard Vilhonvuorenkatu 4-6 00500 Helsinki, Finland Switchboard +358 295 ...

In terms of area, the Lapland Border Guard District is the largest and northernmost administrative unit of the Finnish Border Guard. It monitors a total of 1,608 kilometres of national border.

Sustainability and responsibility report 2024 of the Finnish Border Guard

On 21 March 1919, when Finland had become independent, the Government made the decision ordering the surveillance of the border to be assigned to military-organised border guard troops under the Ministry f the Interior.