OREANDA-NEWS The VFS Global Visa Center will start accepting applications for Finnish visas in St. Petersburg from September 1, the Finnish Foreign Ministry reported. In August, the acceptance of applications was suspended, as explained by the authorities of the country, due to lack of resources.

In early July, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced the decision to close the Consulate General of Finland in St. Petersburg from October 1. In addition, then it was reported that nine Finnish diplomats were declared persona non grata.

The decision was made in response to the expulsion of ten representatives of Russian foreign institutions from Finland, the Foreign Ministry explained. Helsinki considered that their actions contradict the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

In the autumn of 2022, Finland introduced entry restrictions for Russians on a Schengen visa, including transit. The restrictions do not apply to family members of Finnish and EU citizens, to those traveling on a visa for short-term work, to personnel in the field of transport and logistics, to students and those traveling for medical treatment, and to "persons in need of international protection or traveling across the border for other humanitarian reasons."