Entry restrictions for outside EU to continue until 13 March

The ongoing restrictions on entry at external borders (outside of European Union) will be continued until 13 March, said the Ministry of the Interior in a press release on Thursday.

The government at a meeting took the decision against the backdrop of the worsening coronavirus situation in the country.

The meeting, however, made some exemptions and they will enter into force on 15 February.

The restrictions will be amended so that people arriving from outside the EU and the Schengen area will no longer be required to show a negative COVID-19 test result.

However, a valid certificate of a full course of vaccination or proof of recovery from COVID-19 within the past six months is still required as a prerequisite for entry, apart from a few exceptions. This requirement applies to those born in 2006 or earlier.

The Border Guard at the external borders will not require the above-mentioned certificates as a prerequisite for entry from Finnish citizens, foreign nationals residing permanently in Finland, or persons who have an essential reason for entry, such as compelling family matters or another compelling personal reason.

Entry into the country will continue to be permitted without restrictions for residents of the countries and regions on the EU’s green list.

Countries on the green list mean countries with a sufficiently good epidemiological situation for which the Council of the European Union has decided to allow free travel to the EU.

Internal border control, which was reinstated for traffic between Finland and all Schengen countries, ended on 31 January. Entry restrictions for non-Schengen EU countries were also lifted entirely as of 1 February due to the end of internal border control.

However, all passengers arriving in Finland are required to comply with the decisions made by the Regional State Administrative Agencies on compulsory health examinations and to present the required certificates as laid down in the Communicable Diseases Act.

All passengers arriving in Finland must have one of these certificates: a vaccination certificate, a certificate of recovery from COVID-19 or a negative test certificate (issued less than 72 hours prior to entry). Passengers who do not have any of the above-mentioned certificates may be directed to a COVID-19 test.

Finnish travellers should note that while they are allowed to enter Finland without a test, other countries and airlines may have their own testing requirements.