Finland bars Russians with Schengen visas

Finland said on 29 September that it will bar Russians with Schengen tourist visas from entering the country at midnight after a surge in arrivals after Moscow's mobilisation order.

Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto said that the decision aims to prevent Russian tourism to Finland and the related transit through Finland.

Haavisto cited damage to Finland's international relations as a justification for the decision and said Russia's mobilisation had a significant impact on their assessment.

Haavisto said that there were concerns about the illegal referendums in Ukraine and the alleged sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines in the Baltic Sea.

Russians can still meet family, work, or study in Finland despite restrictions on human rights grounds.

Haavisto said that the decision must not prevent travel for humanitarian reasons.

The Interior Minister Krista Mikkonen said that it is possible that the restrictions will result in increased numbers of asylum applications and illegal border crossings.

Mikkonen said that someone being called up for mobilisation is not grounds for asylum unless it can be shown, for example, that the individual might be forced to commit war crimes or is subject to disproportionate punishment.

She said that decisions are always taken by the authorities.

Even before Russia's mobilisation order, Finland had restricted the number of visas issued to Russians, as tourism from its eastern neighbour had caused discontent due to the war in Ukraine.

The restrictions in place were not sufficient in the current situation, according to Haavisto.