Current affairs

Restrictions on entry at Finland’s external borders imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic will be lifted on 1 July 2022. Third-country travellers arriving in Finland will no longer be required to hold vaccination or COVID-19 test certificates, and COVID-19 tests will not be carried out at border crossing points.

In line with the Government decision of 2 June, the restrictions on entry at Finland’s external borders will continue until 30 June 2022.

A new fast track service enables specialists, growth entrepreneurs and their family members to obtain a residence permit within 14 days. The service will be launched at the beginning of June. This service pledge is one of the Government's many measures to streamline the immigration of experts.

Finland is preparing to apply for membership of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). On 15 May, the Government submitted a report to Parliament on Finland’s accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and proposed that the President of the Republic decide that Finland will apply for membership in NATO after Parliament has been heard.

In line with the Government decision of 5 May, the restrictions on entry at Finland’s external borders will continue until 5 June 2022.

In line with the Government decision of 7 April, the restrictions on entry at Finland’s external borders will continue until 8 May 2022.

On 23 March, all Nordic countries and Åland, the Faroe Islands and Greenland will celebrate the anniversary of the Helsinki Treaty, which was signed in 1962. This year marks the 60th anniversary of the Helsinki Treaty, which serves as the legal framework for official Nordic cooperation.

In line with the Government decision of 10 March, the restrictions on entry at Finland’s external borders will continue until 10 April 2022.

The second year of the pandemic was busy for the consular assistance services provided by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Finland's missions abroad, and the number of customers continued to increase. In 2021, the Ministry and the missions abroad provided consular services to a total of 255,000 customers.

In line with the Government decision of 10 February, the restrictions on entry at Finland’s external borders will continue until 13 March 2022.