Helsinki, 6 July 2023
Finland will continue to impose restrictions on the travel by citizens of the Russian Federation on the basis of a government resolution issued on 6 July 2023. Non-essential travel by Russian citizens to Finland and through Finland to the rest of the Schengen area will continue to be restricted for the time being. At the same time, restrictions will be tightened for business travellers, property owners and students.
In future, business travellers will only be allowed to travel to Finland, i.e. transit to other countries will be prohibited. Business travellers must also have an essential reason to come to Finland in person. As regards property owners, they will also be required to provide grounds for their personal presence. In future, students will only be allowed to participate in programmes leading to a degree or studies completed as part of a degree (e.g. exchange studies). This will exclude participation in courses offered by folk high schools, for example.
The government resolution confirms the guidelines for assessing whether Russian citizens fulfil the entry conditions, for granting visas and for assessing the conditions for the validity of visas. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs will be responsible for implementing the restrictions on the issuing of visas and the Border Guard for issues relating entry to the country.
This resolution reforms the government resolution issued on 29 September 2022. The new restrictions will enter into force on 10 July 2023 at 00:00 and will remain in effect until further notice.
Source – Finnish Government
Russia to expel nine persons working in Finland’s diplomatic missions to Russia and announced closure of Finland’s Consulate General in St Petersburg
On 6 July 2023, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation notified Ambassador of Finland Antti Helanterä of forthcoming expulsions. Russia also announced that it would cancel the authorisation of Finland’s Consulate General in St Petersburg as of 1 October.
Russia will expel a total of nine persons working at the Embassy of Finland in Moscow and the Consulate General in St Petersburg.
According to Russia, the announced expulsions are a countermeasure in response to Finland’s decision, made on Tuesday 6 June, to expel nine members of the personnel at the Embassy of Russia in Helsinki. These persons were engaged in intelligence gathering activities and expelled from Finland based on the fact that they acted in a manner contrary to the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
The expulsion decision made by Russia has no relation to the activities of the persons who have worked in Finland’s diplomatic missions in Russia.
The identity of the embassy staff to be expelled from Russia is not public information. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs will not provide further information about this matter.
Cancellation of the authorisation of Finland’s Consulate General in St Petersburg and difficulties in the diplomatic missions’ bank accounts
At the same time, Russia announced that it would withdraw its support for the activities of Finland’s Consulate General in St Petersburg as of 1 October 2023. Finland will prepare a measure that will be reciprocal in nature.
At the meeting with the Russian Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Helanterä called for a rapid solution to the ongoing banking problems faced by Finland’s diplomatic missions in Russia.
Source – Finnish Government