Current affairs

The Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom has decided that the suspension of direct passenger flights from the UK, Ireland and South Africa to Finland be continued until 25 January 2021. Due to the decision, many travellers find that returning to Finland is even more difficult than before or may be prevented altogether.

The Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom has decided to continue to suspend passenger flights from the UK to Finland until 18 January 2021. Direct passenger flights from Ireland and South Africa to Finland will also be suspended from 11 to 18 January 2021. Due to the decision, many travellers find that returning to Finland is even more difficult than before or may be prevented altogether.

All Finnish missions abroad responsible for entry matters accept visa applications submitted by representatives of defined special groups. Representatives of such special groups include, for example, persons applying for a visa on the basis of family ties or an established relationship. The conditions for issuing a visa under the Schengen Visa Code must also be met.

The year 2020 has been like no other year in recent memory. Anytime humanity faces difficult challenges, children have even more questions and concerns than usual about what is happening in the world. The coronavirus has affected the lives of just about everyone on the planet, regardless of age.

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to influence the entry permit services of the Finnish diplomatic missions abroad. All missions are not able to provide these services in the same way and to the same extent as in normal circumstances before the pandemic. The missions have been able to serve customers in questions related to entry matters in the countries where this has been possible taking into account health security and local official regulations. In this fall, the missions have been reopening their services as far as possible, and currently entry services are provided in most countries at least to a limited extent.

According to the Government decision made in September, restrictions on entry may be lifted for traffic between Finland and those EU and Schengen countries and the counties on the green list specified by the Council of the EU where the incidence of COVID-19 has not exceeded 25 new cases per 100,000 persons in the previous 14 days. The Government assesses the situation in different countries once a week. This news article will be updated with changes to the guidance and restrictions.

Finland makes the Elements of AI online course available for EU citizens during the period 2020–2021. Finland offers free access to the Elements of AI online course to one per cent of EU citizens, thereby strengthening digital competence within the EU. Elements of AI is a free online course designed and organised by the University of Helsinki and Reaktor, a Finnish technology company. The objective of the course is to encourage everyone, regardless of age or educational background, to learn the basics of artificial intelligence. The course will be launched in Ireland on October 30, 2020. In Ireland, the local partner is University College Cork (UCC). The course will be launched as a part of Silicon Republic’s Future Human event.

On 11 September, the Government adopted a decision on restrictions on border traffic, which will enter into force on 19 September. Restrictions on entry will be lifted for traffic between Finland and Cyprus, Germany, Iceland, Norway, Poland and Sweden, as well as for residents of Australia, Canada and Japan who are travelling from their home country to Finland. Restrictions on entry into the country will be reintroduced between Finland and Hungary and Italy.

Common questions and answers about how the coronavirus affects travel.