Changes to acceptance of travel documents issued by Russia
In March, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland decided that, as of 1 June 2026, Finland will no longer accept non-biometric passports issued by the Russian Federation as travel documents. Non-biometric passports are passports that do not have a microchip containing biometric identifiers. The aim of the decision is to ensure that travel documents approved by Finland are as reliable as possible. In future, non-biometric passports issued by Russia will not be accepted for residence permit applications, with certain exceptions.
The decision includes a transition period from 1 June to 31 December 2026. During the transition period, Finland will accept non-biometric passports that contain a valid visa issued by Finland before 1 June 2026. During the transition period, Finland will also accept non-biometric passports containing a valid visa or a residence permit issued by another EU Member State or Schengen country before 1 June 2026.
Which travel documents are accepted for residence permit applications?
When you apply for a residence permit, you must usually have a valid and authentic national travel document from which the Finnish Immigration Service can identify you. If you have been granted an alien’s passport for the purpose of obtaining a national passport, obtain a national passport as soon as possible. If you have received international protection or are applying for asylum, you are not required to have a national passport.
You can check on the website of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs (um.fi) which national travel documents Finland accepts for entering the country. Please note that the Ministry for Foreign Affairs also accepts other than national travel documents for purposes such as travelling to Finland. If you are applying for a residence permit, you must have a national travel document.
As of 1 June 2026, a non-biometric Russian passport usually does not meet the travel document requirement for obtaining a residence permit. The change applies to applications that are already pending and to new applications submitted on or after 1 June 2026. If your application has not been decided before 1 June 2026, you must obtain a biometric passport. After 1 June 2026, a non-biometric passport can be accepted for residence permit applications only in exceptional cases.
Exceptions in which a non-biometric passport is accepted after 1 June 2026
- If you are under the age of 18, the Finnish Immigration Service may grant you a residence permit even if you have a non-biometric passport. However, you must still be under the age of 18 at the time when we decide your application. This means that if you turn 18 during the processing of your application for a first residence permit, you must obtain a biometric passport.
- If the Finnish Immigration Service has granted you a residence permit before 1 June 2026, we may grant you an extended permit or a permanent residence permit even if you have a non-biometric passport.
- The Finnish Immigration Service may grant you a residence permit even if you have a non-biometric passport if the Ministry for Foreign Affairs has accepted your non-biometric passport for a special reason based on individual consideration. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs will assess whether there are such special reasons in your case. This is because the Ministry for Foreign Affairs is the competent authority to decide which travel documents Finland accepts.
