Consulate of Finland in Petrozavodsk

Land of a Thousand Lakes

Finland is famous for its lakes, the number of which is approaching 200 thousand - they occupy almost a tenth of the state's territory. This small state with a population of just over 5.5 million people has managed to provide its citizens with a high standard of living and become one of the best countries for motherhood. Great attention to the environment has allowed the Finns to preserve nature almost untouched, and environmental friendliness, simplicity and functionality have become symbols of the Finnish lifestyle.

Finnish lakes

How to get a visa in Petrozavodsk

Visa to Finland
The Republic of Karelia directly borders Finland, so this is where residents of the region often go for vacation, study, work, or just for new experiences. When locals require a Finnish visa, Petrozavodsk is the closest point to apply.

Visas to Finland

To obtain a permit, applicants apply to the Petrozavodsk branch of the Consulate General in St. Petersburg and the Finnish visa center in Petrozavodsk. Both institutions are located on the same street in the central part of the republican capital.

Depending on the purpose of the trip, the following types are distinguished:

• tourist;
• guest;
• transit;
• workers;
• student

Finland is a member of the Schengen Agreement, so you can obtain the appropriate visa to enter the country. It can be single or multiple - the most popular are tourist multiple visas.

Long trips for work or study are issued with a residence permit.

Cost of a visa to Finland for Russians

The price of the permit will depend on the category of the requested visa and the period within which the documents must be completed. A standard short-term Schengen visa will cost 35 euros. An express visa costs 2 times more – 70 euros. Minor applicants who have not reached 6 years of age may not pay the consular fee.

A residence permit will cost from 300 to 520 euros, depending on the purpose and method of application.

The fee is paid only after the documents are submitted (on the same day). Only Russian rubles are accepted for payment; the cost in rubles may vary slightly depending on the exchange rate on the day of submission. You must pick up the payment receipt and present it to the manager.

It is also necessary to take into account the fact that the fee will not be refunded if the permit is refused.

Short-stay Schengen visa

Work visa to Finland

To save time, the applicant is recommended to contact a visa center. Here you can only get short-term visas, for example, annual multiple visas, open for 90 days of stay.

Visa application center building

The center is located at the address: Petrozavodsk, st. Gogolya, 6, 2nd floor. Website, call center phone numbers, +7 (8142) 33-08-30, email. mail.

There are 2 ways to schedule a free application appointment:

• by the call center numbers listed above, opening hours: from 8:00 to 17:00, Monday to Friday;
• on the official website of the center by clicking on the link “Make an appointment”, where you need to register to enter your personal account.

Note! You can come to the visa center to submit an application without an appointment.

The standard processing time for an application is 10–12 business days. On the website, the applicant has the opportunity to track the readiness of the document.

A Schengen visa for short-term stay for citizens of the Russian Federation and a number of countries near and far abroad costs 35 €*, urgent consideration of the application 70 €*, children from 6 to 11 years old - 35 €*, children under 5 years of age incl. - for free.

Important! The consular fee is paid at the center's cash desk and is non-refundable.

You also need to have financial support for the trip. You can confirm it with a bank account statement, a certificate from your employer, or a letter from your sponsor.

Relevant for Petrozavodsk

There is no Finnish Embassy in Petrozavodsk, but the visa center of the Consulate General is located. This is where you need to submit the collected documents for a Finnish visa. Acceptance of documents for consideration and issuance of completed visas is carried out from Monday to Friday from 09:00 to 12:00, as well as from 13:00 to 16:00.

If you submit all the necessary documents in person, then you need to register in advance. Registration of an appointment can be made on the official website of the Finnish Embassy by registering and filling out an application form online. You will then be given a date and time to appear at the Finland Visa Application Centre. The visit pass must be printed and taken with you.

You should submit documents for a visa to Finland to the center in advance, since, depending on the workload, document verification can take from 14 days to one month. Urgent visas to Finland are checked faster only with a written application. Who can apply for a visa at the Finnish visa center in Petrozavodsk, embassy or consular department:

• Personally, those who are planning to go on a trip;
• Family members for close relatives - the relationship must be documented;
• Employer for employees of an official organization;
• Travel companies that are accredited by the Finnish Embassy;
• Representative of the group going on the trip.

The person submitting documents for registration must pay a consular fee - the cost of the visa - for each person traveling. Children under 12 years of age do not pay the visa fee. For older persons, the cost of a visa in Petrozavodsk when applying in person will be approximately 35 euros.

Basic package of documents

How much does a visa to Finland cost for Russians in 2021?

Applicants submitting an application in person at the visa center must bring with them a package of documents:

1. The application form is in one copy, which the applicant fills out on a computer or with his own hand in block letters and signs in paragraph 37 and on the last page. The Petrozavodsk branch accepts only applications filled out in Latin letters.
2. A high-resolution color photograph printed on paper no older than six months, measuring 36x47 mm. In the center you can take an express photo (the price of the service is 200 rubles*).
3. A valid passport with at least two blank pages remaining and expiring at least three months after completion of the trip.
4. A copy of the page of the international passport with personal data (the cost of the service in the center is 10 rubles* per page).
5. An invalid foreign passport containing Schengen visas no older than 59 months (if the current passport does not contain such visas). This will help in obtaining a permit.
6. Original insurance policy (and a copy if required), with the exception of spouses of EU citizens and their children under 21 years of age, with a sum insured limit of at least 30,000 euros.
7. Passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation and a copy of its pages with installation data and registration.
8. Consular fee.
9. Consent to the processing of personal data.

Policy

Additional documents

To the already specified documents, you need to attach several more depending on the purpose of the trip.

To obtain a tourist visa, you need confirmation of a hotel reservation, or a letter from a duly accredited travel company, or a detailed description of the plans on a separate sheet signed by the applicant.

When visiting:

• friends and distant relatives - an invitation and a copy of the inviting party’s residence permit or Finnish passport;
• close relatives - confirmation of relationship and a copy of a residence permit or passport of a Finnish citizen.

Additional documents for other travel purposes (for example, for treatment) can be specified in the “List of Required Documents” on the center’s website.

Where to contact?

To apply for a short-term Schengen visa, residents of Petrozavodsk and the Republic of Karelia can contact the Finnish visa center in Petrozavodsk or the Finnish Consulate in Petrozavodsk. To obtain long-term visas or short-term visas for non-citizens of the Russian Federation, you should apply strictly to the Finnish consular office.

• The Finnish Consulate in Petrozavodsk is located at: Gogol Street, 25. You can contact the representative office strictly by prior arrangement.
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• The Finnish visa center in Petrozavodsk is located at Gogol Street, building 6, 2nd floor. You can contact us either by appointment or on a first-come, first-served basis.

We open a Finnish visa through the consulate

So, as we have already found out, residents of Karelia can obtain a Schengen visa to Finland both through the consulate and through the visa center. Each method has its own advantages and disadvantages.

The main advantage of applying for a visa directly through the consulate is the absence of additional payments in the form of a service fee. The entire procedure will cost citizens of the Russian Federation 35 euros (excluding additional costs for paperwork, for example, insurance, photos, etc.).

However, along with the advantages, there are also a number of disadvantages. Firstly, you can submit documents to the consulate strictly by appointment and only in the first half of the day, from 9.00 to 12.00, and pick them up on the appointed day during the same period. Secondly, the number of places is limited, be prepared for the fact that there will be no free dates for the next month. Thirdly, consular officers do not check the applicants’ documents, but accept everything as is, and if during the consideration of the application it turns out that any of the certificates were completed incorrectly, the visa will be denied. And lastly, to submit documents directly to the consulate, the applicant must fill out an electronic form

We open a Finnish visa through the visa center

Things are different at the visa center. One of the advantages of such a submission is the optional registration of an appointment, although to save your own time it is better to make an appointment. The advantages include extended working hours; you can submit documents and pick up your passport from 9.00 to 16.00 on weekdays. Before accepting the applicant’s documents, CC employees must check them for compliance with the consulate’s requirements and, if necessary, help make changes. In addition, you can order additional visas at the visa center. services that will simplify the process of preparing documents.

Among the disadvantages of submitting documents through a visa center, only one can be highlighted - the presence of a service fee. The visa center charges an additional fee of 26.75 euros for its services.

Unique identification

Since 2015, everyone wishing to obtain a Schengen visa is required to provide biometric data - fingerprints and a photograph. They are stored in the VIS visa information system and are valid for 5 years. Children under 12 years of age, as well as persons whose fingerprints cannot be taken, do not need to provide the specified data.

Additional Information! If the database already contains biometric data, the applicant does not have to be personally present when submitting documents.

Submitting fingerprints for a visa

Rules for submitting documents

The process of applying for a visa through the Finnish visa center in Petrozavodsk is very simple and consists of 4 steps

• Step 1. Collect documents according to the type of visa you are requesting.
• Step 2. Come to the visa center office on any day convenient for you (Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 16:00).
• Step 3. Pay the state fee and visa fee.
• Step 4. Pick up your completed passport at the visa center office or arrange a courier delivery service.

Residence permit

This document is provided if the length of stay is more than 90 days. Residents of Karelia can receive it at the Petrozavodsk branch of the Consulate General at the address: Petrozavodsk, st. Gogolya, 25. Phone number for appointment: +7 (8142) 555-025, document reception hours - from 9 to 12 on weekdays.

To submit an application, the documents listed above in the main list are required, only the application form in this case is separate, and the number of photographs is two. It is recommended to fill out the application for a residence permit online at enterfinland.fi/eServices. The form must be completed in Swedish, Finnish or English. All attached documents are also translated into one of the specified languages.

For students, proof of admission to a Finnish educational institution (for example, a confirmation letter) is additionally required. Invited workers require an application form from the employer.

Note! The permit is renewed at the local office of the Migration Service in Finland.

The first residence permit on the basis of study will cost 360 €*, for work - 520 €*. For residence permits on the specified grounds, a financial guarantee is required: for students - 560 euros per month, for employees - at least 60 euros per day of stay.

Biometric data is collected from all applicants, except for children under 6 years of age.

The period for receiving a residence card is 14–21 days. A category “B” permit is issued for one year with the right to a one-time extension for another 12 months. A category “A” permit is issued for four years with the right to extend the period of stay for a further four years.

Visa Center

The visa center, in addition to the consular fee, requires you to pay a service fee of 26.75 euros, children under 5 years old inclusive are free.

The center is open on weekdays, applicants are accepted at the address Petrozavodsk, Gogol Street, building 6, reception and issuance of documents from 9 to 16. Travel agencies are accepted from 9 to 10, clients of travel agents can come for biometrics from 13 to 15. Sometimes The center is open on holidays; timely information can be obtained by phone.

The visa center's call center accepts calls from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. We provide courier delivery of documents after they are ready, the cost of which depends on the region, at the rates of the DHL courier service.

Visa for minors

A separate application form must be filled out for the child and an individual permit must be obtained. The visa is affixed to the passport of the parent in which the minor is listed, so one blank page is required for each child.

Visa

In this case, a standard package of documents is collected, with the exception that the child’s application form is signed by his parent or legal guardian. When accepting an application, you will need to present an internal passport for children over 14 years of age and a birth certificate and its copy for all minors.

Important! If a child travels abroad alone or with one of the parents, a consent certified by a notary must be attached from the mother and father or the second parent or legal guardian. If necessary, a parent's death certificate is provided.

Importing pets into Finland

Travelers from Petrozavodsk who take pets with them - dogs, cats, some other animals - without the purpose of selling them, must ensure arrangements in accordance with the rules for the temporary importation of pets from Russia to Finland, posted on the Rosselkhoznadzor website. Such activities include:

1. Identification using electronic tagging (chipping with scanning).
2. Vaccination against rabies no earlier than 21 days before import.
3. Treatment against helminths (3 days before import).
4. Obtaining a veterinary certificate in form No. 1 - issued by the state veterinary service on the basis of the animal’s passport (with a note on the clinical examination) no earlier than 5 days before the trip.
5. Export of animals from the Russian Federation only in places with border veterinary control points.
6. At the point of crossing the state border of Russia, a free exchange of a veterinary certificate from an employee of Rosselkhoznadzor for an international certificate in form No. 5a, which will be valid for 90 days. It comes with an EU veterinary certificate. This can be done in advance within five days before the trip.
7. A written guarantee that the animal is not imported for sale.
8. Arrival at the destination country through a special checkpoint.

You can obtain a veterinary passport and receive services under points 1-4 at the Republican Station for the Control of Animal Diseases: Petrozavodsk, Shuiskoye Highway, 24.

Important! For non-commercial purposes, you can import no more than 5 animals.

Visa refusal

Finland should be the main country of travel, that is, when traveling through the countries of the Schengen zone, the stay in this state should be the longest or the number of entries should be the largest compared to other countries participating in the agreement.

Refusal

Note! If this rule is violated, a negative decision may be made on the next application for a permit.

If a visa is refused, an appeal must be filed within one month from the date of such refusal at the place where the application was originally submitted.

You can enter Finland with a Schengen visa issued by another state, but in this case it will not be the main country to visit, and the length of stay in it, as well as the number of trips, will need to be controlled.

Residents of Karelia who are going to the lake region as tourists can simply apply for a multiple visa at the visa center of the republican capital. If you need to go to a neighboring country for study or work, a document for a long stay should be obtained from the Petrozavodsk branch of the Consulate General.

*Prices are current as of July 2021.

Registration at the Finnish visa center in Petrozavodsk

As noted above, you can come to the Petrozavodsk Visa Application Center of Finland without a prior appointment, however, to reduce the waiting time, the CC staff recommends pre-registering the time of your visit. This can be done by calling one of the help desk numbers or online on the official website of the visa center.

To do this, go to the website of the visa center in Petrozavodsk. Select “Make an appointment” from the top menu.

Next, follow the instructions, and upon completion of the registration process, a confirmation letter will be sent to your email address (it is indicated in the application form when registering), which will indicate the exact date and time when you need to appear at the visa center. Please note that you must come to submit documents along with a printed confirmation letter.