The Embassy of Finland in Abu Dhabi announced that its customer-service counters would shut at 14:15 local time on Tuesday, 10 February, due to an unplanned staff event. Collection of passports, residence-permit cards and legalised documents will resume during the next opening window on Thursday, 12 February, between 13:30 and 15:30.
Travellers in the United Arab Emirates who need urgent consular help are directed to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs’ 24/7 emergency line in Helsinki (+358 9 1605 5555) or to email [email protected] Normal appointment booking via the Enter Finland system is unaffected.
![Finnish Embassy in Abu Dhabi closes early on 10 February, delaying passport and visa pick-ups]()
If the reduced window hours leave you in a bind, VisaHQ can step in by managing Finnish visa applications and coordinating secure courier delivery of passports, helping you sidestep last-minute counter closures. Learn more at https://www.visahq.com/finland/
The early closure highlights the thin staffing levels at many Finnish missions following budget cuts announced in the 2025 spending review. Business-traveller volumes between Finland and the Gulf have rebounded to 98 % of pre-pandemic levels, according to Finavia, yet embassy window hours remain restricted.
HR teams moving employees between Helsinki and Abu Dhabi should build at least two extra days into timelines for collecting visas and residence cards. Mobile-Biometrics pop-up days at VFS Global centres in Dubai and Sharjah remain an alternative for some categories, but appointments sell out weeks in advance.
Travellers in the United Arab Emirates who need urgent consular help are directed to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs’ 24/7 emergency line in Helsinki (+358 9 1605 5555) or to email [email protected] Normal appointment booking via the Enter Finland system is unaffected.
If the reduced window hours leave you in a bind, VisaHQ can step in by managing Finnish visa applications and coordinating secure courier delivery of passports, helping you sidestep last-minute counter closures. Learn more at https://www.visahq.com/finland/
The early closure highlights the thin staffing levels at many Finnish missions following budget cuts announced in the 2025 spending review. Business-traveller volumes between Finland and the Gulf have rebounded to 98 % of pre-pandemic levels, according to Finavia, yet embassy window hours remain restricted.
HR teams moving employees between Helsinki and Abu Dhabi should build at least two extra days into timelines for collecting visas and residence cards. Mobile-Biometrics pop-up days at VFS Global centres in Dubai and Sharjah remain an alternative for some categories, but appointments sell out weeks in advance.
