Finland Implements Mechanism to Reduce Tourist Visa Issuance for Russians

Finland has found a mechanism to reduce the issuance of tourist visas to Russians, announced Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto.

“In practice, this may mean that you can only apply for a tourist visa on Mondays, while from Tuesday to Friday you can apply for family, study, work, or other types of visas,” Haavisto said in an interview with MTV3.

The minister noted that this will significantly slow down the issuance of tourist visas. The number of Schengen visas issued by Finland has notably decreased in Russia. According to the Finnish Foreign Ministry, in July the country received approximately 17,200 visa applications from Russia, but declined to specify the percentage of visa refusals.