Whenever you enter or exit the Schengen area, you must go through border control. See the list of all Schengen countries.
Border control
Going through border control
At border control, the authorities will check your travel documents, such as your passport and a possible visa. At many airports, there are also automated border control gates available.
You will be guided at the airport, so please always follow the instructions given at the airport and at the border control gates.
Guidelines for border crossings in Finland
Connecting flights at Helsinki Airport
Depending on your origin and destination countries, you may need to go through border control or security control at Helsinki Airport when transferring to your connecting flight.
To make sure you catch your connecting flight, kindly go through the border control and security as soon as you arrive in Helsinki. There are shops and restaurants on both sides of the Schengen border at the airport for you to enjoy.
New European Entry and Exit System
A new European Entry and Exit System (EES) will be introduced for border controls at the external borders of the Schengen and EU areas on 12 October 2025.
The new system aims to improve the quality and efficiency of border controls by modernising the collection and recording of data of non-EU nationals at the external borders. In the future, entry and exit data will be recorded electronically in the EES, replacing passport stamps.
During the implementation phase, which will last until April 2026, please prepare for longer than usual queuing times at the border control.
Nationals of non-EU or non-Schengen countries
Border authorities will collect information about you when you arrive in Schengen countries, if you are a national of a country that does not belong to the European Union or Schengen area and come for a short visit to one of the 29 countries that implement the EES.
Please always follow the instructions at the airport and border control, we are there to guide you.
Here’s how the new process works:
- Go to a self-service kiosk and provide your personal information, fingerprints and facial image.
- After that, you will be guided to see a border guard who will check the information you have provided and ask questions if necessary.
This process does not apply to you if you are a long-term resident or long-stay visa holder of an EU or Schengen-associated country (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland).
Nationals of EU and Schengen countries
The new European Entry and Exit system does not affect you, if you are a national or a residence cardholder of a Schengen or EU country. You can travel the same way as before.
If you have a biometric passport with a microchip, also known as an e-passport, you can use the automated border control e-gates.
Alternatively, you can choose the staffed border control lane for EU and Schengen nationals. At Helsinki Airport, both options are available.
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