Starting September 1 of this year, the visa process for Russian tourists to Finland will become more complicated. According to the Finnish Foreign Ministry, travelers will now be required to provide a full set of documents.
Embassy of Finland in Moscow, The Consulate General of Finland in St. Petersburg, as well as its offices in Petrozavodsk and Murmansk, will begin to comply with the usual practices of EU countries regarding the documents required for visa applications," the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
It's worth noting that, to apply for a Schengen visa, Russian residents currently only need to complete an application form, present a valid international passport, one color photograph, a receipt for payment of the visa fee, proof of insurance, a copy of their internal passport, and consent to the processing of personal data.
With the new rules coming into effect, tourists will be required to present documents confirming hotel and transportation reservations, a route description, a salary certificate from work, as well as a bank statement for the previous three months or a certificate of ownership of real estate in Russia.
By the way, these documents are now also required from tourists, but in exceptional cases.
Source: trn-news.ru