Finland Extends Entry Restrictions Until 9 February 2021

The Finnish Ministry of Interior has announced that their entry ban will be extended until 9 February 2021, according to an announcement published by the Ministry.

The reason for the entry ban restriction is to try and prevent the further spread of COVID-19 and presumably its new strain. According to the announcement, infections worldwide are on the rise, justifying their new entry ban extension.  

“The COVID-19 epidemic is still clearly growing globally, and the number of infections is increasing in most countries more sharply than in Finland. It is therefore not justified to ease the restrictions until the new health security measures under preparation have been made sufficiently available,” the announcement reads.

The entry restrictions are based on the number of new cases per capita. If a country has more than 25 new cases per 100,000 residents in the last 14 days, travelers from these countries will not be allowed in. this rule reportedly applies to all countries across-the-board.

“The decision is based on the limit value of a maximum of 25 new cases of the disease per 100,000 persons in the previous 14 days. It applies to Schengen countries, non-Schengen EU countries and the United Kingdom,” the announcement reads.

New entry restrictions will be placed on arrivals from Japan and South Korea from 11 January 2021, according to the announcement.

“Restrictions on entry will also be reinstated for residents of Japan and South Korea arriving in Finland. The change will enter into force 11 January 2021,” the announcement reads.

Finland has already eased entry restrictions for certain countries, however. For example, entry restrictions have been eased for people from the Vatican, and for traffic between Finland and Austria, Rwanda, Singapore, Thailand, and New Zealand.

In addition, people coming for work or other essential reason from Andorra, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Ireland, Monaco, Romania, and San Marino will also be allowed in.

There are, however, still heavy restriction on internal movement between Finland and the rest of Schengen Member States.

Finland’s entry restrictions for other Member States extends to all other Schengen Member States in some form or another, effectively isolating Finland from the rest of the Schengen Area.

“Restrictions on internal border traffic are in force for traffic between Finland and Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland, with the exception of leisure boating,” the announcement reads.

The only exceptions to these rules are bordering communities between Finland and Sweden, Norway, and Estonia for people traveling to work or other reasons for day-to-day travel.

It is still unclear whether Finland will remove their entry ban once 9 February comes, or if they will extend it again.