Record high number of visa applications in St. Petersburg once again
Press release 1/2010
8 January 2010
Despite the international economic situation, Finland’s Consulate General in St. Petersburg received a record high number of visa applications – 546,520 in total – in 2009. Compared against the 524,404 applications submitted during the previous year, this represents growth of four per cent.
Finland’s other diplomatic missions in Russia, located in Moscow, Murmansk and Petrozavodsk, received fewer visa applications than the year before. The Embassy of Finland in Moscow processed 124,068 visa applications (144,204 in 2008). The two branch offices of the Consulate General of Finland in St. Petersburg, in Petrozavodsk and Murmansk, processed 46,027 and 19,311 visa applications, respectively (54,268 and 19,361, respectively).
In total, Finland received 735,926 visa applications in Russia, which is less than one per cent less than in the previous year (742,237). The recession brought the tremendous growth in the number of visa applications filed at Finland’s diplomatic missions in Russia to a halt for the first time since 2005, when a total of 373,483 visa applications were processed by Finland’s diplomatic missions in Russia.
Of all Schengen countries, Finland receives by far the most visa applications in Russia. In 2008 Italy, which of the Schengen countries receives the most visa applications in Russia after Finland, processed about 430,000 visa applications. According to preliminary estimates, a downturn in the number of visa applications received by all Schengen countries took place in Russia last year.
Of all visa applications processed by Finland abroad, more than 90 per cent were processed by the Finnish diplomatic missions in Russia.
Finland’s diplomatic missions processed about 800,000 visa applications
In 2009, all of Finland’s diplomatic missions processed a total of 795,936 visa applications, which is one per cent less than the year before (806,156). The number of applications filed in 2008 was greater than ever before.
In addition to Finland’s diplomatic missions in Russia, more than 5,000 visa applications were processed by the Embassy of Finland in Kiev (11,075), Bangkok (6,450), New Delhi (6,170) and Beijing (5, 415).
Last year, in all 11,850 visa applications were turned down by Finland’s diplomatic missions; this is 1.4 per cent of all applications. The share of negative decisions varies considerably by country of location. The percentage of negative decisions was the highest at the Embassy of Finland in Abuja, Nigeria (70.5 per cent). At its lowest, the percentage was less than half a per cent (among others, in Murmansk and New York).
Partial outsourcing of visa services under preparation
In autumn 2007 the Ministry for Foreign Affairs launched what is known as ‘the visa project’. Development of visa services at Finland’s diplomatic missions receiving the most visa applications – those in Russia and Ukraine, where the brisk growth in application numbers caused long queues – was set as the central goal. Appreciable input in both personnel and premises has been made at these diplomatic missions in the last few years. Last autumn ‘the visa project’ was extended to encompass all of Finland’s other diplomatic missions.
The main aim of the project is to improve client services and the efficiency of visa application processing not only by input in personnel and premises but also by means of technological development. An appointment booking system has already been adopted in Moscow and Kiev, and online eServices, i.e. development of an internet-based visa application system is now underway.
Preparations are in progress for outsourcing the reception of visa applications, e.g. in Moscow, because the current premises are not adequately suited for serving the increased client flows. Partial outsourcing of visa services in this way is based on EU visa regulations, which Finland must also apply in Finnish legislation.
As part of the ‘visa project’, a centre for processing visa applications was established in Onttola, Kontiolahti in summer 2008, in order to relieve bottlenecks at the diplomatic missions in Petrozavodsk and St. Petersburg. The Onttola processing centre will close down at the end of January. The service point in Petrozavodsk is relocating to new premises.
Additional information: Counsellor Vesa Häkkinen, Unit for Passports and Visas, Consular Services, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, tel. +358 9 1605 5219, mobile +358 40 726 1379