Finland intends to extend travel restrictions until May 13

31.3.2020

The Finnish Government announced on March 30 that they intend to extend the travel restrictions until May 13, 2020 due to the COVID-19. The travel restrictions for Finland’s outer borders were originally imposed for the period March 19 to April 13. 

Finnish nationals and residents are allowed to return to Finland despite the restrictions and also necessary travel due to e.g. transportation of goods remains permissible. While Finnish residence permit holders are generally deemed residents and allowed to re-enter, there is one important exception. Individuals, who have been issued a first residence permit and who would be arriving in Finland for the first time will no longer be allowed to enter from April 1 onwards unless the travel is deemed necessary.

Regional travel restrictions concerning the Uusimaa region took effect on March 28 and are currently valid until April 19. The purpose of these restrictions is to slow down the spreading of the virus outside the Uusimaa region, which is currently the most affected region in Finland. Work traffic remains permissible and individuals are also allowed to return to their homes. However, all leisure time travel and other unnecessary travel is prohibited. The police have set up temporary border controls on the border of the Uusimaa region and individuals travelling in and out of the region can experience some delays as a result. 

Finnish missions remain closed while the Finnish Immigration Service continues to process applications

The Finnish missions remain closed. Normally, applicants must visit the mission for identification purposes within three months from filing the application online but due to the current situation, this time limit has been extended until August 31. The processing of a new application will in practice only start once the applicant visits the mission.

The Finnish Immigration Service, however, remains open and e.g. residence permit extension appointments are still taking. The Finnish Immigration Service has, however, recently announced that they will due to the current situation prioritize certain necessary applications, which can cause some delays to other applications. The Finnish Immigration Service has additionally announced that they will continue to issue new decisions and deliver residence permit cards even though the applicant may not currently be able to travel to Finland due to the travel restrictions.

We expect that the restrictions will be changing continuously in the upcoming weeks so it is important to check the latest information when making decisions on moves.