Current affairs
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12.6.2025
Read more about the Foreign Ministry’s trade promotion services
The Ministry for Foreign Affairs has launched a new trade promotion services website offering comprehensive information on the Ministry’s services to businesses. The new service package comprises four categories.
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6.5.2025
Fund for Local Cooperation: Call for Proposals in Lebanon 2025
The Embassy of Finland in Beirut supports Lebanese civil society initiatives for development through the Funds for Local Cooperation (FLC). The deadline for project proposals is on Sunday 25 May 2025 at 23:59 Beirut time.
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25.4.2025
The Embassy of Finland in Beirut will open consular and immigration services as of 1.5.2025
Finland will start providing consular and immigration services at the Embassy of Finland in Beirut. In the future, Finnish citizens will for example be able to renew their passports at the Embassy of Finland in Beirut. As a result of the amendment, identification related to residence permit applications will be conducted by the Embassy of Finland in Beirut instead of the Embassy of Finland in Ankara.
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19.2.2025
Foreign wild-berry pickers now subject to seasonal work rules: legislative amendment combats exploitation and human trafficking
Following legislative amendments that entered into force on 17 February, wild-berry picking carried out by foreign nationals is treated as seasonal work. Companies must hire foreign berry pickers for a contractual employment relationship to enable them apply for an entry permit to Finland. In future, berry pickers will apply for a seasonal work visa for stays up to three months.
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28.1.2025
Advance voting in county elections and municipal elections to take place on 2–3 April 2025 in Lebanon
Finland’s county elections and municipal elections will be held simultaneously on Sunday 13 April 2025. The advance voting period abroad will be from 2 to 5 April 2025, but for practical reasons many advance polling stations will be open for a shorter period.
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6.12.2024
Finland Debuts the World’s First National Soundscape
Finland is the first country in the world to commission a composer to create an official national soundscape. Ääniä is an original musical work by Lauri Porra, one of the country’s most celebrated composers. It takes the listener on a journey through the impressions, seasons and serene beauty of the happiest country in the world.
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5.12.2024
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8.8.2024
Foreign Ministry’s organisational reform emphasises teamwork
The reform of the Foreign Service of Finland took a step forward on 1 August, when the reorganisation of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and the updated rules of procedure took effect. The purpose of the organisational reform is to lay a suitable foundation for the Ministry’s work in the current international situation and in terms of Finland’s foreign policy change. At the same time, cooperation across organisational boundaries has become even more important.
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4.7.2024
Foreign Ministry selects partner for reception of visa and residence permit applications
Based on predetermined criteria, the contract was awarded to VF Worldwide Holdings Ltd, which is the current provider of the outsourced application services to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland.
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2.4.2024
Foreign Ministry invites tenders for services for submitting entry permit applications
The request for participation, instructions for responding and contact details regarding the competitive procedure are available for service providers in the HILMA official service for notices on public procurement in Finland. Service providers are requested to submit their responses by 2 May 2024.