Entry restrictions to continue until 27 June

The government on Thursday decided to extend the restrictions on entry into the country until 27 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.

Some amendments, however, will be made to the decisions adopted on 20 May. These will enter into force on 7 June.

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 for passenger traffic on land and water, the accepted criteria for entry are the return of persons living in Finland or in another EU or Schengen country and other essential reasons. At the border crossing points for passenger air traffic, another accepted criterion for entry is travel for work.

Internal border traffic refers to traffic between Finland and other Schengen countries. From now on, travel for work will be allowed in air traffic between EU countries or Schengen countries. Students will be allowed entry for purposes of training included in their studies.

In water transport and on land borders (with the exception of border community traffic between Finland and Norway), travel for work will still be allowed for essential reasons only.

Essential reasons mean work that is important for the functioning of society or the security of supply or certain specifically defined special groups. Restrictions were lifted earlier for residents of border communities between Finland and Norway.

Based on an epidemiological assessment, internal border control is lifted from travel between Finland and Malta. Finland now restricts entry from all other Schengen countries except Iceland and Malta.

External border traffic refers to traffic between Finland and non-Schengen third countries. The Government decision of 20 May will be specified so that non-Finnish citizens living in another EU or Schengen country are not allowed to return to their country of residence through Finland if the transit is not work related.

This does not apply to air traffic. Based on an epidemiological assessment, no other amendments will be made to the decision.

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

For other countries, the restrictions on entry will be extended until 27 June 2021.