Exclusive: Will the new Schengen Visa help Indians? Here’s what Finland’s Ambassador said
financialexpress.comPrime 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.”
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
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