Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday inaugurated the 10th Edition of Vibrant Gujarat in state capital Gandhinagar. Several heads of states and top industry captains attended the inauguration ceremony. Amid high-pitched investments, we spoke with Finland’s Ambassador to India Kimmo Lähdevirta. Since January 1 this year, those who are interested in travelling to Finland and requiring a Schengen visa, will now need to provide details of more funds to qualify.
When asked about this change of rules, Lähdevirta said,” I think what has changed is that Finland now allows so-called sponsorship for Indians visiting Finland meaning that people who are living already in Finland can make sure that they cover expenses for the tourists or the relatives rather in case they fall sick and those living in Finland can cover those expenses. That sort of sponsorship has been possible since the beginning of this year. I think that it’s an important step forward and should facilitate easy stay.
When asked about if this rule change will help Indians, the Ambassador replied “certainly.” He also said that there is a big Indian diaspora living in Finland. According to the Ambassador, there are 20,000 Indians living in Finland. He said that the change of rules is very important for them.
The Ambassador also spoke about the ongoing war in Ukraine. “The war in Ukraine unfortunately continues and there’s no end in sight anytime soon. Of course, we see it necessary to support Ukraine in any way we can. We are committed to doing so in the future.”
WHAT IS SCHENGEN VISA?
The Schengen visa functions as permission to enter 23 out of the 27 EU member nations, along with Norway, Iceland, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. These modifications are anticipated to simplify the visa application procedure.
It is a mandatory official document for certain non-Europeans to travel within the Schengen area. Once obtained, this visa enables travelers to move across member-states’ borders without undergoing identity checks.
Comprising 27 European nations, the Schengen Area eliminates border controls among its member-states, encompassing countries such as France, Germany, Italy, Spain, The Netherlands, Poland, and Scandinavian nations, excluding the U.K. and Ireland. While most European Union (EU) countries are part of the Schengen Agreement, some non-Schengen countries, like Bulgaria and Romania, are signatories awaiting full implementation in the future. Additionally, Switzerland, Iceland, and Norway, although not EU members, are within the Schengen Area.
WHAT HAS CHANGED?
The visa application process for visiting Finland has a new update starting from January 2024. Earlier, a person visiting the country had to fulfill the minimum daily financial requirement which was €30 (INR 2,737). This requirement has now been raised to €50 (INR 4,560).
However, the country has also introduced proof of sponsorship and accommodation which would mean that a Finnish resident can fund the traveller’s stay. The Finnish host has to fill up a sponsorship form that the traveller has to submit with the visa application.