Finland will tighten rules of entry – Rosbalt

The Finnish government plans to tighten the rules for entering the country. This is reported by TASS with reference to the Finnish Ministry of Internal Affairs.

“Measures to ensure health care security will be tightened, and the current restrictions on the external borders will be extended until January 16, 2022 (previously they were in effect until December 19),” reads the message.

Moreover, from December 21, Finns are planning to ask for a negative coronavirus test from those who enter, regardless of whether a person has received a full vaccination, to a country from outside the EU and the Schengen area. The test must be taken less than 48 hours before entry.

Earlier it was reported that passenger rail service between Finland and Russia has resumed. Allegro trains will operate two pairs of flights a day between Helsinki and St. Petersburg.

Passengers must have Finnish or Russian citizenship and certificates issued by health authorities. For example, Russians must provide a certificate of vaccination with a vaccine approved in this country. According to the Finnish National Institute for Health and Social Development (THL), Pfizer-BionTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Janssen (Johnson & Johnson), Sinopharm, CoronaVac, Covishield and Covaxin vaccines are recognized in Suomi. Those who do not live in Finland and are not vaccinated with WHO-approved vaccines must present a negative coronavirus test result at the border to enter the country.

Holders of Finnish passports and residence permits, as well as other categories of citizens, can come to Finland from Russia. The list is published on the website of the Border Service. Russian tourists cannot visit Finland yet. Finnish citizens entering Russia need to have a negative PCR test taken no earlier than three calendar days before arrival.