Finland issues most Schengen visas in Russia

Finland is experiencing a tourist boom from Russia. In 2008 more than two million Russians visited Finland, not counting freight transporters. The number of business trips is falling, but tourist and shopping trips beat all records.

Tourism helps Finnish authorities to develop small and medium enterprises and create new jobs, especially in the country’s northern regions, which have been troubled by unemployment.

To attract more Russian visitors, Finnish authorities have emphasized on improving visa politics. Amongst the measures Finland has taken, is withdrawal of the demand for invitations from Russian visitors and joint projects with Russian authorities on improvement of the distribution process. Of all the countries in the Schengen area, it is Finland that issues most visas in Russia. 80 percent of the issued visas are long-term and for multiple entries.

In 2008, Finnish representations abroad handled 806 156 visa applications – over 12 percent more than in 2007. 90 percent of all applications were sent to the four Finnish representations in Russia. The Finnish Embassy in Moscow handled 144 204 applications, While the Consulate Generals in St. Petersburg, Petrozavodsk and Murmansk handled respectively 524 404, 54 268 and 19 361 applications.