Visitors from the EU can soon enter Finland without having to isolate or get tested, provided they are fully vaccinated or have had Covid in the past.
The move makes it one of the easiest countries for incoming tourists, with visitors able to enter freely from July 12. There are a few caveats, of course. Incoming travellers from the EU and Schengen countries will need to be fully vaccinated, have had Covid already, or arriving from a country with a low virus incidence. Those born in 2006 or later will also be able to enter freely.
No more testing?
Only a few groups will need to provide negative test results. Those with one vaccination only are instructed to take a Covid test earliest 72 hours after arrival to Finland, and those without any vaccinations are required in addition to have a negative test result before departure to Finland or a test on arrival.
In line with this new model, Finnair will as of July 12 discontinue its requirement for customers to present covid certificates before boarding flights to Finland.
Checks on arrival
Jaakko Schildt, Finnair Chief Operating Officer said: “With the new legislation, the requirements for entry are checked on arrival, so our customers do not need to show their certificates to Finnair customer service agent at the check-in, when their destination is Finland. We continue to check the documents for those transiting to an international flight at Helsinki, per authority requirements.”
The wearing of masks throughout the flight is still mandatory.
“The health and safety of our customers is a key priority for us, and we continue to have comprehensive measures in place on our flights to ensure safe travel. These include, among others, the obligation to wear a mask for the duration of the flight”
Changing Protocol
The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare recommended earlier this year that all airlines with flights to Finland require their customers to show either a negative test result, a certificate of recovery, or a vaccination certificate, and Finnair has been the only airline flying to Finland who has adhered to this recommendation. With the discontinuation of this practice, Finnair does not have any requirements of its own regarding covid certificates.
During the interim period of July 12-25, Finnair will however check that customers traveling to Finland meet the Finnish entry requirements, when they depart from a country that is outside the group of normalised border traffic, as internal border control continues and leisure traffic is not yet allowed from all EU and Schengen countries during the interim period.
You can read up on the details of entry here.
