The Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs urges to avoid all travel to the United Kingdom, Ireland and South Africa in accordance with the recommendation of the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL). For all other countries, the Foreign Ministry’s general travel advice due to the COVID-19 pandemic is to avoid all but essential travel.
According to a government press release, the coronavirus pandemic remains a major global risk to travel safety, and the situation may deteriorate abruptly and unpredictably in any country or region. Travellers may face limited access to healthcare, quarantine and restrictions on being outdoors.
"The Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs has only limited capabilities to assist travellers in distress during the pandemic," the release says.
Prevent new variants spread
In its meeting on Wednesday 13 January, the government discussed measures to prevent the spread of the new Covid-19 variants and the renewed acceleration of the epidemic. According to THL, the new virus variants may be more infectious and spread faster than other variants.
In accordance with the THL recommendation and to prevent the spread of the new virus variants to Finland, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs urges to avoid all travel to the United Kingdom, Ireland and South Africa.
For all other countries, the Foreign Ministry’s general travel advice due to the Covid-19 pandemic is to avoid all but essential travel. This general advice does not apply to countries for which the Finnish Government has already lifted the entry restrictions.
Negative test, vaccination
In addition, the Foreign Ministry recommends to avoid all travel to certain countries due to their general security situation or to leave such countries immediately. For country-specific travel advice click HERE.
Finnish citizens always have the right to leave Finland if they wish to do so, provided that there is no legal impediment to this, and Finnish citizens always have the right to return to Finland.
An increasing number of countries are not permitting entry unless travelers show proof of a negative Covid-19 test or vaccination. Most countries require the certificates to be either in their own language or in English.
