The State Department will help you if you run into problems abroad

In 2022, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, embassies and consulates will assist a total of about 256,000 people. In particular, the demand for consulting services continued to grow. The State Department’s 24-hour hotline was called more than 8,000 times during the year.

As in previous years, the number of people in need of assistance was greater in countries that Finns prefer to visit, such as Spain, Estonia, Germany, Thailand and Sweden. In 2022, the Consular Affairs Unit of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was involved in handling 652 deaths abroad. The number of people who fell victim to the crime reached 171, the number of people who needed help due to illness reached 303, and the number of people arrested and detained reached 184. The number of people detained does not include the Nordic countries because cases are dealt with directly between the authorities of the countries. The number has increased slightly since 2021.

In 2022, Finland’s embassies abroad issued 23,297 new passports and 4,373 identity cards, which is slightly more than the previous year.

The biggest single consular crisis this year was the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Dozens of Finns have needed help leaving the country. The number of crises and exceptional situations, caused by nature or human activity, that require measures to protect Finnish travelers has reached nearly 100. These crises are particularly related to conflicts and unrest within the country (for example, Afghanistan, Ethiopia and Iran). In addition, natural disasters (such as hurricanes, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions) occupied the State Department.

Interest travel letters

The State Department publishes travel notices to more than 150 countries and it remains the most read content on the State Department website. In 2022, readers were most interested in travel ads related to Spain, Italy, and Greece. The Ukraine travel ad also attracted attention when the security situation in the country rapidly deteriorated.

Last year, nearly 178,000 travelers submitted travel advice to 203 countries or regions on resenmalan.fi. Most of the notifications were issued about trips to Spain, Greece, Italy and Turkey.

“If you provide a travel notice, it helps the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to contact you quickly if the security situation in the country requires it. Even those who travel abroad permanently or currently benefit from submitting a travel notice,” he affirms. Ote SarikowskiHead of the Consular Affairs Unit.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is to support the traveler around the world

The problems of Finnish travelers and their need for information have increased with the return of tourism again. Questions and concerns about passports were among the most common reasons last year that prompted travelers to call the ministry’s hotline. The passport was expired, lost or forgotten at home. A passport is a very important document for travelers. Travelers should ensure that it is in good condition and is always included on flights. With a passport, you can travel between countries, but also prove your identity.

It is not always enough for a passport to be valid during the trip. Some countries also require that the passport be valid several months after the trip. If you have multiple nationalities, you may be asked to show the passports of your second country as well, especially when leaving the country. Take care of your passport and keep it in a safe place. You should never leave your passport or other valuables, for example, in your rental car. Thieves find them there easily, ”says Sarikoski.

In practice, you may have to travel a long distance from the resort to the country’s capital to apply for a new passport or travel document. This can lead to extending your trip and to a lot of extra hassle and expenses, eg for trips to the embassy, ​​accommodation, new return tickets and new passport fees.

The State Department’s Consular Services recommend obtaining travel insurance prior to travel. It’s worth it, especially if something more serious happens. If you are health insured in Finland, and if you are temporarily residing in another EU or Eastern European country, Switzerland, Great Britain or Northern Ireland, you can receive the necessary medical care by presenting your European Health Care Card. The only thing you have to pay is the excess. However, you cannot use the card to transport patients to Finland. Hospital bills can quickly rise into the thousands of euros. Ambulance trips from abroad to Finland cost tens of thousands of euros.

“We cannot stress enough how important travel insurance is. It is very useful when problems arise. If you cannot use a European healthcare card or do not have insurance, all costs will be borne by you or your relatives,” says Sarikowski.

Those who need help contact embassies and consulates as well as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Consular Emergency Center (+358 9 160 55555, [email protected]). The 24-hour service is responsible for urgent consular assistance outside working hours of all Finnish embassies and consulates. Both the embassies and the call center primarily provide advice and help clients resolve their case on their own. When planning a trip abroad or at the latest if something unfortunate happens during the trip, it is important to remember the services of the State Department.