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Finland tightens visa requirements for Russians

Tourists from Russia will soon be required to provide proof of income to apply for a visa to visit Finland.

viisumihakemus suomen pietarin pääkonsulaatti
Visiting Finland from Russia gets trickier in September. Image: Kari Kosonen / Yle
  • Yle News

Starting from September, tourists travelling with tour operators and other visitors from Russia who wish to enter Finland will be required to provide a job letter with salary information, evidence of real estate ownership and travel itineraries when applying for a visa.

Other EU states already require non- European travellers to include their financial details with their visa applications.

The Finnish government has previously merely requested that Russians include additional financial and travel information in certain cases. From 1 September these specifics will be a requirement for all Russians applying for a visa.

Russian tourists must now their financial details in the form of a job letter including salary information, bank statements from the previous three months or proof of property ownership in Russia.

The change applies to applications submitted at Finland's embassies and Finnish visa centres across Russia.

Meanwhile, Russia is planning to reform its own tourist visa system, and introduce an online system to apply for a free-of-charge visa for travel to certain areas.