ISLAMABAD: As the number of people moving to Europe rises, Pakistanis show more interest in Finland and wondering where to apply for visas after the embassy closed in Islamabad.
The Finland government had announced in November last year that it would close its embassy in Pakistan.
According to an official statement, “The Ministry for Foreign Affairs has decided to close the embassies of Finland in Islamabad, Kabul and Yangon in 2026. The embassies will be closed for operational and strategic reasons, which are linked to changes in the countries’ political situation and their limited commercial and economic relations with Finland.”
After the shutdown of embassy in Pakistan, visa applicants are facing issues and wondering where to file their application, what additional documents to add etc.
Here’s a complete guide
According to Finland Islamabad Embassy’s official website, the applicant can file their visa applications in the Embassy of the Netherlands office in Islamabad.
“Finland is represented by the Netherlands. Lodge your visa application at the VFS Visa Application Centre in Islamabad, Karachi or Lahore,” the embassy said.
Embassy of the Netherlands address: Diplomatic Enclave, Sector G-5, 167, Street 15, Islamabad, Pakistan.
Finland residence permit
After the shutdown of Finland Embassy, “the residence permit and consular matters are taken care of by the Embassy of Finland in Doha.”
If you are applying for a resident permit, apply at the VFS Global Application Centre in Doha.
What are office hours?
Monday to Thursday 9:00-17:00, Friday 9:00-12:00
Important suggestion
The Finland mission in Qatar stated on their official website that “When a mission is closed, you can in an emergency situation contact the Foreign Ministry’s 24/7 service: tel. +358 9 1605 5555 or email paivystys.um@gov.fi.”
The contact information is just for consular emergencies, no visa inquiries are being entertained on the contact numbers.
