Finland to issue Estonian visas in ten countries

17.03.2008

Under the agreement Finland will represent Estonia in the issue of visas in Indonesia, Namibia, Peru, the Philippines, Serbia, Syria, Thailand, Tanzania, Tunesia and the United Arab Emirates.

"As of today application for an Estonia visa became simpler in ten countries where Estonia does not have its missions. Citizens of those countries will no longer have to tavel to the nearest Estonian representation to get an Estonian visa but they can apply for a Estonian entry visa from Finnish representations under an agreement on representation," said Aino Lepik von Viren, deputy secretary general of the Foreign Ministry in legal and consular issues.

Foreign Ministry Secretary General Matti Maasikas has earlier said that signing of representation agreements was a good means to facilitate travel to Estonia.

Until the present, a person living in Jakarta, for example, had to travel nearly 5,000 kilometers to New Dehli, the nearest Estonian mission entitled to issue visas.

In a country with no foreign representation some other Schengen treaty member country can represent Estonia. The representation is only limited to the issue of visas and does not apply to other consular services.

As of January 1 this year Hungary represents Estonia in the issue of Estonian visas in Moldova. Germany has agreed to represent Estonia in Angola, Banlgadesh, Bolivia, Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire, the Dominican Republic, Ghana, Jamaica, Madagascar, Oman, Rwanda, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Trinidad and Tobago and Uganda.

Slovenia has promised to represent Estonia in Montenegro and Latvia in Azerbaidjan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. Talks for the signing of agreements on representation with Poland and Lithuania are underway.

Estonia will be soon ready to represent Finland in the issue of visas in Minsk and Pskov.

Tallinn newsroom, +372 610 8814, sise@bns.ee