Finland’s eastern border is closed. This is a common perception. The statistics do not support the image.
By the end of July, there were 973,337 crossings of the eastern border, or almost a million. Half of those who crossed the border were Russian citizens. About half of them have arrived from Russia and half have returned there.
Finland’s eastern border traffic has hardly spoken to the public. Critical attention has been received by Norway, which is criticized for still letting Russians on holiday with tourist visas despite the war of aggression.
By the end of July, however, the number of people crossing Norway’s eastern border was just under 40,000, which is negligible compared to Finland’s million.
The significantly busier traffic on Finland’s eastern border is also reflected in the difference in the number of Schengen visas issued by the countries. There are 3,900 issued by Norway and 120,000 issued by Finland. The majority were issued before the corona in 2019.
– The large number is due to the fact that the Schengen visa can be issued as a multiple entry visa and then it is valid for a maximum of five years. We still have valid visas that were issued before corona 2019. Their number is decreasing all the time, but the large number of valid ones is due to this, says the head of the immigration affairs unit of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Katja Luopajärvi.
Finland and Norway have different lines
In addition to Finland, the Schengen countries Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and the Czech Republic have restricted the entry of Russian citizens. Norway’s different line, which still allows holiday travel by Russians, is perceived as embarrassing by the Foreign Ministry.
– Recently, there have also been reports in the media that Russians arrive in Finland via Norway. It is difficult to prevent this, because they arrive in Norway legally, after that this is treated as internal border traffic. The phenomenon is difficult from our point of view, and we are having a good discussion about it with Norway, says Katja Luopajärvi.
– It seems inconvenient that we have national restrictions that aim to avoid or reduce the travel of Russians to absolutely essential. Then when you are able to cross the internal border legally, it is understandable that this also causes irritation in people, says Luopajärvi.
Does Finland hope that Norway would follow the same practice as Finland, the Baltic countries Poland and the Czech Republic and limit the entry of Russian citizens?
– There has been no discussion about this. Rather, it’s about the fact that we exchange information on both sides of this situation in good agreement.
“In Norway, the threshold for visas is as strict as in Finland”
Political State Secretary of the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs by Eivind Vad Petersson according to Norway’s current visa practice is as strict as in Finland.
– We in Norway have only one border crossing to Russia. The threshold for new visas is as strict as in Finland and most European countries. So far, we haven’t made any major changes, but we have a good dialogue with Finland and the issue is being evaluated all the time, says Petersson.
Russians coming to Finland need a passport and a Schengen visa
According to the Border Guard Service, almost a quarter of a million Russians have been allowed into the country between January and July this year at the eastern border crossing points, and 1,300 Russians have been denied entry.
According to the Border Guard, the majority of Russians have entered the country based on a passport and a Schengen visa.
The Border Guard does not say which special groups the Russians allowed into the country belong to.
– The reasons for which entry is allowed in each case are not separately recorded, replies the head of the Border Guard’s situation and risk analysis center, colonel, by email Mikko Lehmus.
According to the Border Guard, there are no statistics on whether Russians allowed to Finland continue their journey to other Schengen countries.
Information on the number of border crossings was stopped last fall
In the peak year of 2013, there were more than 12 million eastern border crossings, and before the corona virus, there were about 8.5 million annual border crossings. Compared to the busiest years, the current number is therefore small, but not negligible.
According to the Border Guard, the vast majority of Russian travelers travel with a Schengen visa. The number or relative share is not stated because, according to the Border Guard, it is not kept in statistics.
In November 2022, the Border Guard stopped reporting on the number of eastern border crossings. The termination is mentioned on the institution’s website. In the question about the reasons for the termination, the evaluation of interest and the establishment of crossing traffic are mentioned.
– The Border Guard communicates about issues that are current and that it considers to be of general national or regional interest. After November 2022, the situation has stabilized to such an extent that enhanced communication has not been carried out to the extent of the previous months, answers Mikko Lehmus.