Border checks of pleasure craft in Finland

Border checks on pleasure craft in Finland

This guide relates to the private use of pleasure craft for sports or tourism purposes. Border checks mean checks on persons, including their means of transport and the objects in their possession, and hearing of persons, carried out in response to the persons crossing or intending to cross the border.

Finnish territorial waters comprise internal waters and the territorial sea, the outer limit of which, with a few exceptions, is 12 nautical miles (22.2 km) from the outer limit of internal waters. Foreign pleasure craft have the right of passage through the territorial sea. They are also allowed to anchor in the territorial sea if this is necessary due to a force majeure or emergency.

Arrival in and departure from Finland

Under the main rule, pleasure craft entering Finland must - after crossing the outer limit of the inner territorial waters - take the shortest public fairway to a border crossing point for a border check. Pleasure craft leaving the country must undergo a border check prior to departure and take the shortest public fairway to cross the outer limit of the inner territorial sea.

There are several exceptions to the above main rule. Most European Union Member States apply the Schengen acquis, which has abolished internal border controls between signatory countries. EU Member States currently applying the Schengen acquis are Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden. The United Kingdom and Ireland are the only EU countries not applying the acquis. Non-EU countries applying the Schengen acquis are Iceland, Norway and Switzerland.

Exceptions to the above are as follows:
1) Pleasure craft that have departed from Finland and sail outside Finland's territorial waters without calling at a port of another country may enter and exit Finland on routes other than public fairways without calling at a border crossing point and without being subjected to border controls other than random checks.
2) Pleasure craft arriving in Finland from a country that has abolished internal border controls under the Schengen Convention or those departing from Finland for such a country may enter and exit Finland without calling at a border crossing point and without being subjected to border controls other than random checks.

However, all pleasure craft may at any time be subjected to border controls regardless of their route or their port of departure or destination.

Pleasure craft sailing between Finland and a country not applying the Schengen acquis (in the Baltic Sea: Russia) must always visit a border crossing point for a border check. When entering Finland, such vessels may not, while in Finland's territorial waters, leave the public fairway, allow anyone to leave the vessel or unload any goods before the border check and customs declaration have been carried out. Likewise, after the exit check, vessels must while in Finland's territorial waters take the shortest route along a public fairway without departing from it.

Border checks and customs declarations

Border checks are carried out at coastguard stations and designated ports (Government Decree on border crossing points and the division of border check duties at them 534/2008). Border control authorities may also carry out checks elsewhere in Finnish territorial waters and at other ports.

At the border check, all persons on board must present a passport or other corresponding document authorising the holder to enter or exit the country and, where necessary, a visa.

The master of the vessel must provide to the border control authority of the point of entry or exit a passenger or crew list or other information about the crew, passengers and other persons on board the vessel. This information can also be provided electronically.

When departing from Finland, the master of a pleasure craft should obtain a sufficient number of lists (at least 4) for destination country authorities. The printable form:

• pdf
• doc

Passenger and crew lists must detail the surname, first name, date of birth, sex and citizenship of each person listed as well as nationality and registration details and port of arrival and departure of the vessel.

Border crossing points operate between 8 am and 10 pm. The points are marked on nautical charts and signposted in fairways with PASSPORT CONTROL. If possible, please contact the coastguard station one hour before your arrival by radio or telephone. Call the station at VHF channel 68 (or reserve channel 16).

Customs declarations can be made at the coastguard station if the vessel does not carry goods that require import or export declaration. Declarations are not required in intra-EU traffic if the vessel does not carry taxable goods. If the pleasure craft does carry goods taxable in intra-EU traffic, the master of the vessel must submit an advance notification to the customs authorities of the nearest Customs office to agree on the taxation of the goods. In traffic between the Åland Islands and mainland Finland, advance notification must be submitted prior to departure from the port to the Customs office nearest the port of departure.

For further information about the customs clearance of pleasure craft, email Customs at neuvonta(at)tulli.fi, phone +358 (0)20 690 600, fax +358 (0)20 492 1812 or visit www.tulli.fi.)

Other instructions and regulations

While in Finnish territorial waters, foreign pleasure craft are recommended to fly the national flag from sunrise to sunset and whenever underway. Finnish pleasure craft are recommended to display the flag or other identifier of nationality.

Certain functions are limited in the restricted areas along the Finnish coast. For further information contact Navy Headquarters, +358 (0)9 181 24211 (http://www.mil.fi).