Several Finnish missions abroad have issued last-minute notices that their visa, passport and residence-permit counters will be closed from 24 to 26 December and again on 1 January 2026. The embassies in Canberra, Bangkok and Dar es Salaam all published updates on 23 December, advising applicants to use the Foreign Ministry’s 24/7 emergency line only for urgent consular assistance.
The closures coincide with Finland’s Christmas and New Year public holidays and will delay Schengen visa issuance by at least a week. Travellers planning to enter Finland early in January—particularly seasonal workers headed to Lapland’s tourism sector—should adjust timelines or submit applications via neighbouring missions before the cut-off.
If you need to secure Finnish travel documents during these downtime periods, VisaHQ can help. The company’s online platform (https://www.visahq.com/finland/) offers step-by-step guidance, document pre-screening and the option to reroute applications through consulates that remain open, reducing the risk of holiday-related delays.
![Finnish Embassies in Australia, Thailand and Tanzania Announce Holiday Closures, Pausing Visa Services]()
Corporate mobility teams rotating staff into Australia’s mining projects or Tanzania’s energy sector must factor in the service pause, as biometric enrolment cannot be substituted online. Courier delivery of passports already in process will also be suspended until offices reopen.
Finnish authorities recommend that anyone with expiring residence cards carry proof of renewal submissions when travelling during the holiday period. E-services such as Enter Finland remain operational, but decisions will not be printed until staff return.
The ministry’s global emergency number (+358 9 1605 5555) will function normally, yet callers are reminded that visa enquiries do not qualify as emergencies.
The closures coincide with Finland’s Christmas and New Year public holidays and will delay Schengen visa issuance by at least a week. Travellers planning to enter Finland early in January—particularly seasonal workers headed to Lapland’s tourism sector—should adjust timelines or submit applications via neighbouring missions before the cut-off.
If you need to secure Finnish travel documents during these downtime periods, VisaHQ can help. The company’s online platform (https://www.visahq.com/finland/) offers step-by-step guidance, document pre-screening and the option to reroute applications through consulates that remain open, reducing the risk of holiday-related delays.
Corporate mobility teams rotating staff into Australia’s mining projects or Tanzania’s energy sector must factor in the service pause, as biometric enrolment cannot be substituted online. Courier delivery of passports already in process will also be suspended until offices reopen.
Finnish authorities recommend that anyone with expiring residence cards carry proof of renewal submissions when travelling during the holiday period. E-services such as Enter Finland remain operational, but decisions will not be printed until staff return.
The ministry’s global emergency number (+358 9 1605 5555) will function normally, yet callers are reminded that visa enquiries do not qualify as emergencies.
