Finland is relaxing entry requirements from Schengen and EU countries from Monday next week for those coming for work or on a business trip or leisure travelers.
Finland has had one of the strictest entry requirements for even intra-bloc arrivals since March last year that had not applied to nationals, including myself and residents of the country. Life during the pandemic has been mostly normal, with some early restaurant and bar closures but no curfews like in many countries in Central Europe.
You can access Finland’s page for entry requirements here.
Work-based travel from the EU and Schengen countries will completely reopen from the following Monday (June 21).
Travelers from EU and Schengen countries can enter Finland for tourism purposes if:
1. They have been fully vaccinated a minimum of 14 days before
2. They had had coronavirus infection, and the first jab
3. They have had a coronavirus infection in the past six months:
Here are the full entry rules from Raja:
Guidelines for border traffic during pandemic as of 21.6.2021
The instructions of the Finnish Border Guard to passengers regarding entry to Finland
These instructions issued by the Finnish border guard provide passengers with information on the changes that apply to entry to Finland as of 21 June. Restrictions on entry into Finland will continue until 11 July 2021.
These instructions issued by the Finnish Border Guard during the pandemic use the terms:
- Border traffic returned to normal
- Restriction category 1
- Restriction category 2.
The purpose of the country based classification is to make these instructions more reliable and understandable for the citizens. These restriction categories reflect which border traffic restrictions and entry requirements are observed for passengers arriving from various countries to Finland or the citizens of these countries. Instructions are based on latest decisions of the Finnish Government.
Health safety instructions (concerning for example coronavirus tests and certificates, and quarantine):
Entry into Finland from EU and Schengen countries and from Andorra, Bulgaria, Ireland, Croatia and Cyprus is permitted for persons holding a certificate of an acceptable Covid-19 vaccination series completed at least 14 days before arrival in Finland, proof of having had Covid-19 infection and of having received at least one dose of an approved coronavirus vaccine at least 7 days before arrival in Finland, or proof of having had Covid-19 infection within the last six months.
A vaccination certificate or medical certificate of having had a Covid-19 infection does not alone entitle a foreign national to enter the country from countries other than those mentioned above. A negative test result does not entitle any foreign national to enter the country. A foreign national must meet the requirements of normalised traffic, restriction category I or II, to enter. A Finnish citizen does not need to present a certificate in a border check in order to enter the country. However, several transport operators require a certificate of a negative test result as a condition for boarding the means of transport.
A certificate for a negative test result, a vaccination certificate, and a medical certificate for Covid-19 that the person has had less than six months earlier will have an impact also on the health security measures applied upon the person’s entry into Finland. The health authorities will assess any certificates as part of border health security measures. The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) is responsible for and instructs on such health security measures and safety instructions for passengers arriving in Finland (including voluntary quarantine). See THL’s guidelines for up-to-date health and safety recommendations related to travel: Instructions for passengers and employees arriving in Finland.
It is recommended that you log in to the Finentry Web service before you travel and book a time for coronavirus test: Home – Finentry.
1. General
According to section 9 of the Constitution of Finland, Finnish citizens must not be prevented from entering Finland, and everyone has the right to leave Finland. However, limitations on the right to leave the country may be provided by law if they are necessary for the purpose of safeguarding legal proceedings or for the enforcement of penalties or for the fulfilment of the duty of national defence.
Every person travelling from Finland to another state must check for themselves the restrictions on entry into the destination country. Destination countries may have in force their own restrictions and conditions on entry for travellers.
Internal border traffic, or traffic crossing the internal border, refers to traffic crossing the border between Finland and another state that is a member of the Schengen area. The Schengen countries include Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden and Spain, and of the non-EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.
External border traffic, or traffic crossing the external border, refers to traffic between Finland and a state that does not belong to the Schengen area. To traffic crossing the border between Finland and another state, the guidelines concerning border crossing apply, if the other state does not belong to the Schengen area. This also applies to non-Schengen EU member States. Of the EU member states, Bulgaria, Ireland, Croatia, Cyprus and Romania are not part of the Schengen area.
2. Border traffic turned to normal
This section applies to:
- Internal border traffic to Finland from countries for which internal border controls has been lifted: travel from Iceland, Malta, Poland and Hungary and by pleasure craft between the Schengen countries.
- External border traffic to Finland from countries for which traffic restrictions have been lifted: Monaco, Romania, San Marino and the Vatican
- External border traffic between Finland and Australia, Israel, New Zealand, Rwanda, Singapore and South Korea for the residents of these countries, when arriving to Finland from their country of residence (only direct flights)
- Persons who have completed a full vaccination series or had a Covid-19 infection within the last six months when crossing internal borders or traveling between Finland and Andorra, Bulgaria, Ireland, Croatia and Cyprus.
2.1 Internal border traffic without restrictions
Travel between Finland and Iceland, Malta, Poland and Hungary and recreational boat traffic (travel by pleasure craft) between Schengen countries is unrestricted by border control.
Recreational boat traffic between Schengen countries is unrestricted by border control, and recreational boats are not obliged to enter a border checkpoint. In addition to the sea areas, it is also possible to enter the country on a recreational boat at the river border between Finland and Sweden (the rivers Tornionjoki and Muonionjoki).
A person may also enter the country without restrictions in internal border traffic if they have a certificate of an approved Covid-19 vaccination series (one or two doses depending on the vaccine) completed at least 14 days before arrival in Finland, proof of having had Covid-19 infection and of having received at least one dose of an approved coronavirus vaccine at least 7 days before arrival in Finland, or proof of having had Covid-19 infection within the last six months.
Approved vaccines are those included on the lists of approved vaccines by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and World Health Organisation (WHO).
2.2 External border traffic without restrictions
Travel between Finland and Monaco, Romania, San Marino and the Vatican is unrestricted at all border crossing points, however taking into account the provisions on the entry of a foreign citizen.
The entry of residents of Australia, Israel, New Zealand, Rwanda, Singapore and South Korea into Finland, when arriving from abovementioned countries, is unrestricted while taking into account the provisions on the entry of foreign nationals into Finland.
In principle, those travelling on passports from the above-mentioned countries can be expected to reside in the country in question. If necessary, the traveller may be asked questions during the border check to determine his or her country of residence. As a rule, authorities assume that the traveller’s own notification of their country of residence is correct. If necessary, place of residence can be confirmed by presenting, for example, an ID or driving licence issued by the third country in question or another document demonstrating residence. In addition, residence and work permits of the countries concerned indicate a person’s residence in those countries. Other official documents that confirm the traveller’s residence may also be used to establish residence in the country in question.
Entry into Finland from these countries for persons other than those living in these countries is permitted under the same restrictions as under restriction category 2.
A person may enter the country without restriction in external border traffic between Finland and Andorra, Bulgaria, Ireland, Croatia and Cyprus if they hold a certificate of an approved vaccination series of covid-19 completed at least 14 days before arrival in Finland (one or two doses depending on the vaccine), proof of having had Covid-19 infection and of having received at least one dose of an approved coronavirus vaccine at least 7 days before arrival in Finland, or proof of having had Covid-19 infection within the last six months.
Approved vaccines are those included on the lists of approved vaccines by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and World Health Organisation (WHO).
3. Restriction category 1
Restriction category 1 applies to:
- Internal border traffic to Finland from countries to which internal border controls are still applied: Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland
- External border traffic between Finland and Andorra, Bulgaria, Ireland, Croatia and Cyprus
3.1 Partial continuation of internal border control: Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland
Internal border control will continue to be in place in travel between Finland and Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland, with the exception of pleasure craft travel. Crossing the border is permitted for residents of communities on the land border between Finland and Norway.
Border communities are defined on a municipality basis as municipalities located opposite to each other across a border with traffic that crosses a national border. Traffic at the land border between Finland and Norway between border communities (in Norway, the municipalities of Storfjord, Kåfjord, Nordreisa, Kautokeino, Kaarasjok, Tana, Nesseby, and Sør-Varanger and in Finland, the municipalities of Enontekiö, Inari, and Utsjoki) is permitted. Persons crossing the border are required to present the normal travel documents and must be able to prove their identity. In traffic between Nordic countries, it is sufficient for Nordic citizens to be able to prove their identity in some way. As a rule, travellers are required to show that they are members of a border community, based on their place of residence. If necessary, border inspectors may ask the passenger further questions in order to ensure this.
Conclusion
The partial border control is lifted from a small number of countries, and the rest must go through the (illegal) passport and health control at the border that cannot handle any significant number of passengers.
It is good that Finland is slowly starting to open up first for intra-bloc arrivals and later hopefully for fully vaccinated outside of Europe as well.
Finland has managed the Covid-19 very well compared to its neighbors, and the number of deaths has been close to insignificant. More than half of the population have received their first jab, and I will get my second Pfizer one next month.
