Refugee utilizes "Fan-ID" to come Finland during WC

The temporary lifting of visa requirement by Russia during the ongoing FIFA World Cup has been used by non-Europeans for going to Finland to seek asylum, Finnish media reported on Tuesday.

Last week a non-European on his way to Russia interrupted his journey at Helskinki-Vantaa airport and filed an asylum request.

Finnish Border Guard told national broadcaster, Yle that the person told them the purpose of buying a ticket to Russia was to enter Finland.

On the land border between Finland and Russia, three Moroccan nationals walked over the border last week outside the authorized crossings. They will be charged for a border violation. A Nigerian person tried to enter Finland with an allegedly forged Brazilian passport.

Marko Saareks, head of the situation and intelligence unit at the Border Guard, told Yle the use of the Russian visa relaxation was expected. "But we thought it would begin towards the end of the games".

Foreign spectators who have purchased an official "fan-ID" are allowed, without visa, to enter Russia, where the 21th FIFA World Cup games are held from 14 June to 15 July 2018. Trvalers can route their flights to Russia with transit landings in the EU area.

Last year Russia applied a similar system during the Confederations Cup. The visa free travel system was not utilized by asylum seekers on Finnish borders then.