Changes to consular and entry services in Russia as of 1 September

On 6 July 2023, Russia announced the closure of Finland’s Consulate General in St Petersburg as of 1 October 2023. Consequently, the customer service at the Consulate General will close on 1 September 2023.

As of 1 September 2023, Finland’s Embassy in Moscow will take on the duties for consular and entry matters previously handled in St Petersburg. Applications for a visa to Finland may be submitted at VFS Global Visa Applications Centres. From the beginning of September, VFS Global Visa Application Centres in St Petersburg and elsewhere in Northwest Russia will only receive visa applications. As of 1 September 2023, applications for a visa will be received on five days a week from Monday to Friday. You can book an appointment for submitting your application at https://visa.vfsglobal.com/rus/en/fin(Link to another website.).

From the beginning of September, customers must visit the Embassy in Moscow in all matters concerning residence permits. Applications for a residence permit will be received on three days a week from Monday to Wednesday. You can book an appointment for submitting your application at https://services.vfsglobal.com/rus/en/frp/(Link to another website.).

Appointments for submitting a visa application and for supplying biometric information for a residence permit may be booked from 1 September 2023 onwards. However, the number of slots available both for visa application submission and for biometric enrolment for a residence permit application will be significantly reduced from earlier levels due to limited resources.