Finland halts visa processing for individuals from Thailand, Cambodia, and Myanmar intending to pick wild berries.

SUMMARY

1. Finland has halted visa applications for wild berry pickers from Thailand, Cambodia, and Myanmar.
2. This decision arises from concerns about potential human trafficking along this route.
3. Nationals from these countries can still apply for seasonal worker visas for harvesting non-wild berries.

For the second consecutive year, the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs has opted to exclude Thailand from the list of countries whose nationals qualify for short-stay visas as wild berry pickers.
This measure extends to Cambodia and Myanmar, as visa applications for berry pickers from these nations are also processed through the Embassy of Finland in Bangkok.

The suspension applies to all applicants from the countries under the jurisdiction of the Embassy of Finland in Bangkok: Thailand, Cambodia, and Myanmar. Consequently, wild berry pickers from these countries will not be issued Schengen visas for the summer 2024 harvesting season.

Last year, Finland had similarly suspended visa issuance for Thai nationals due to stricter guidelines for processing visa applications for wild berry pickers, prompted by suspicions of human trafficking along this route.

The Ministry suspects that Thai wild berry pickers, who obtained Schengen visas for berry picking in Finland's wilderness, were frequently involved in human trafficking, with the number of victims estimated to be in the hundreds.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as the visa authority and overseer of visa issuance for embassies, condemns the exploitation of Thai wild berry pickers.

Moving forward, the government seeks a new approach to facilitate the entry of wild berry pickers into Finland for future harvest seasons. A working group has been established to address this issue.

Despite the visa suspension, visa applications for non-wild berry pickers will continue as usual at the Bangkok embassy, adhering to individual visa regulations.

This implies that Thais can still apply for seasonal worker visas to harvest non-wild berries or engage in other work covered by this visa category. Thais intending to work in Finland for less than 90 days under a seasonal visa do not require a residence permit. However, those planning to work for longer durations must obtain one upon arrival in Finland.