Changes to travel by sea as a result of new health safety legislation

8. July 2021

As of 23 March 2021, shipping lines have required a certificate of a negative COVID-19 test from all passengers arriving in Finland by ferry in accordance with the recommendations issued by the National Institution for Health and Welfare of Finland. As of Monday 12 July, following the entry into force of the new law, the requirement for a negative COVID-19 test certificate will be dropped and travel by boat will be governed by the new law. Those with two COVID-19 vaccine shots may travel freely to Finland from all EU countries.

Travellers from the EU and Schengen area may enter Finland freely as of 12 July without any special health precautions if they
o have received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, or
o have had COVID-19 and recovered during the preceding 6 months, or
o born in 2006 or later, or
o come from a country with a low COVID-19 incidence rate.

Those who have received one shot of a COVID-19 vaccine are required to take a test within 3–5 days of entry into Finland, and those who have not received any shots at all are additionally required to take a test before or upon arrival in Finland.

According to the Government Decree, low-incidence countries are those with an incidence rate of less than 10 cases per 100,000 inhabitants over a 14-day period at the time when the Decree was adopted. Passengers arriving from these countries are not required to take any special health precautions. The Government will update the list of countries approximately every two weeks. For more details, go to the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health website at https://stm.fi/-/terveysturvallisuus-rajoilla-suomeen-ulkomailta-saapuvien-velvollisuuksista-paatettiin.

No certificates or tests are required from cruise passengers who do not go ashore in another country.

Internal border controls and entry restrictions extended up to 25 July

Internal border controls continue to apply during 12–25 July 2021. Passengers coming from countries with an incidence rate of over 25 cases per 100,000 inhabitants over a 14-day period are free to travel to Finland on leisure only if they have received two shots of the COVID-19 vaccine or been ill with the coronavirus. The country lists are updated every 1–2 weeks and can be checked on the Border Guard’s website. Finnish citizens are always free to enter Finland.

It is advisable to use the FINENTRY service to facilitate entry procedures at ports. Finentry allows passengers to report their travel details and book a time for a free coronavirus test in Finland in advance. Finetry is available at all Finnish ports except for Vaasa.

“The model in force in July is deplorably confusing and overly complicated with different incidence rate limits. Finland would urgently need a clear and simple model for safe travel. Ideally, Finland and the other EU countries should apply uniform policies to travel within the EU,” says Tiina Tuurnala, Chief Executive Officer of the Finnish Shipowners’ Association.

For more information on current travel restrictions, please check the Border Guard website www.raja.fi.