Monday January 26, 2026

Entry restrictions to continue until 15 June

Published : 20 May 2021, 22:40

Updated : 21 May 2021, 10:27

DF Report

Interior Minister Maria Ohisalo and officials of the ministry spoke at a press conference on the government entry restrictions measures on Thursday. Photo: Finnish government by Laura Kotila.

The government on Thursday decided to extend the restrictions on entry into the country until 15 June.

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread, and there are no adequate measures available yet to replace the restrictions, said the Ministry of the Interior in a press release.

Against the backdrop of the coronavirus situation and to check the spread of COVID-19 variants, both internal border controls and restrictions on external border traffic will continue.

In addition to the restrictions on internal and external border traffic, restrictions on the opening hours of certain border crossing points at the western border in Lapland and the eastern border will continue.

At the border crossing points that are open to passenger traffic, the accepted criteria for entry are return of persons living in Finland or in another EU or Schengen country and other essential reasons.

In the future, taking an entrance examination to an educational institution will be considered a justifiable personal reason to enter the country, if physical attendance at the examination is mandatory.

Internal border traffic refers to traffic between Finland and other Schengen countries.

The government, however, will lift the border traffic restrictions for residents of border communities at Finland’s land border with Norway.

Finland restricts entry from all other Schengen countries except Iceland.

Restrictions on entry will be lifted for residents of Israel arriving in Finland from Israel as of 24 May.

Restrictions have been lifted earlier for traffic arriving in Finland from the Vatican, and for traffic to Finland from Australia, South Korea, Singapore, Rwanda, Thailand, and New Zealand for residents of these countries. Entry from these low-risk countries is not restricted due to their low incidence of COVID-19 cases.

As of 24 May, restrictions on entry will be reinstated for residents of Thailand arriving in Finland from Thailand. For other countries, the restrictions on entry will be extended until 15 June 2021.