Finland closes consular office in Murmansk temporarily

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs has decided to temporarily close the Murmansk Office, which operates under the Consulate General in St. Petersburg, said the ministry in a press release on Wednesday.

The temporary closure of the office means that its activities will be suspended until further notice.

The Ministry estimates that at present Finland does not need an office in Murmansk due to a significant decrease in the office’s core tasks. The office may be reopened later, if necessary.

The Murmansk Office was set up in 1992. For three decades, it has focused on entry matters, bilateral connections and the promotion of regional and cross-border cooperation.

The Foreign Ministry’s decision applies only to the Murmansk Office. Finland’s other representations in Russia will continue their activities.

Finland is represented in Northwest Russia by the Consulate General in St. Petersburg and the Petrozavodsk Office operating under it.

The Ministry’s decision does not affect the activities of Russian diplomatic missions in Finland.

The Foreign Ministry is continuously reviewing its network of missions and adapting its resources according to prevailing needs.

Preparations for the temporary closure of the office are under way and the office’s customer service has been closed.

The VFS Global Visa Application Centre in Murmansk is still serving visa clients, and applications for Schengen visas to Finland may be submitted as before within the limits of the existing restrictions on entry.

Clients can contact the Consulate General in St. Petersburg in other matters previously handled by the Murmansk Office.