The main task of the Embassy of Finland in Russia is to support and promote the national interests of the republic, as well as to comprehensively deepen the dialogue between the two countries. The diplomatic mission is led by an extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassador who is responsible for conveying the position of the Finnish leadership to the Russian authorities. The Finnish Embassy is located in Moscow , the capital of Russia, but there is also an honorary consulate and two of its branches.
History of diplomatic relations
The history of bilateral diplomatic and consular relations between Finland and Russia began on December 31, 1920, representatives of the two countries exchanged instruments of ratification on the conclusion of the Tartu Peace. The first ambassador of Finland to Russia was Antti Ahonen, who arrived in Moscow, which recently became the capital, in late January 1921.
It is noteworthy that the first residence of diplomatic workers was the former Church of St. Andrew in Bolshoy Chernyshevsky Lane, which is today called Voznesensky.
However, the modern embassy building was built only in 1938 and was the first built in Moscow specifically for a foreign diplomatic mission. The building for the Embassy of Finland was worked by the famous architect Hilding Ekelund, who became famous for the construction of modernist churches, theaters and residential areas.
Honorary Consulate and its branches
The Embassy of Finland is the largest representative office of all that the country has abroad. Enormous territories and long-standing close ties between the two countries contribute to this. As you know, first of all, the embassy should deal with economics and politics. While the embassy deals with political issues, the consulate gives priority to cultural and economic cooperation, paying particular attention to the interaction of border regions.
The most important economic partner of Finland in Russia is St. Petersburg. In St. Petersburg, the Finnish embassy is represented by an honorary consulate, which has branches in Murmansk and Petrozavodsk. Residents of the entire Northwestern Federal District may contact one of the suitable offices.
Visa to Finland
The embassy issues visas to all citizens of Russia who live in territories not controlled by the St. Petersburg Honorary Consulate and its branches. In St. Petersburg, the consulate is located at Preobrazhenskaya Square, 4, in the immediate vicinity of the Chernyshevskaya metro station.
However, although the consulate has been issuing visas, for several years now the Visa Application Center of Finland in St. Petersburg has been acting as an authorized intermediary in accepting documents from citizens. It is also important to note that the visa center charges an additional fee, in addition to the consular fee, which is 26 euros (2000 rubles). At the same time, the consular fee for applying for a visa is 35 euros (2700 rubles).
Visa Application Dates
The average visa processing time in the summer season and on the eve of the Christmas holidays is increased to two weeks and this should be borne in mind when preparing for the trip. It is the consulate in St. Petersburg that issues the largest number of Finnish visas, because the city has long-standing cultural and economic relations with Finland, and the tourist flow is great in both directions.
A distinctive feature of the St. Petersburg Consulate is also the fact that it issues visas on behalf of the Republic of Austria, whose interests it represents in the North-West Federal District. However, this applies only to short-term tourist visas, and to obtain, for example, a student or migration visa, you still have to go to Moscow.
Branches in Murmansk and Petrozavodsk
However, not only from St. Petersburg is a great flow of travelers to Finland. In order to simplify obtaining a visa by residents of the border regions of Karelia and the Murmansk region, branches of the honorary consulate were opened in the "capitals" of these regions.
The office in Murmansk receives visitors on Zavodskaya street, house 2. Reception is carried out from Monday to Friday, but at different hours, so working hours should be clarified before visiting the representative office.
On Gogol Street, 25 in Petrozavodsk, there is a representative office of Finland, where residents of the Republic of Karelia can get their visa. However, it is worth noting that residents of these regions cannot apply to the St. Petersburg branch, but must apply for a visa in the residence region.