Finnish citizens acquired fewer new passports to replace the expired ones than usual last year.The reason, according to police, is COVID-19 and related travel restrictions."When the restrictions related to the coronavirus situation started in the spring of 2020, the number of passport applications clearly decreased. It would seem that people have noticed that they do not have an immediate need to obtain a travel document, "says Juhani Ruutu, Senior Inspector of the Police Board.Police issued a total of just under 450,000 passports last year. The number was more than 45 percent lower than in 2019, when more passports were issued than in any previous year. Finns also acquired new identity cards less than in the previous year, but the change was not as dramatic as in the case of passports.SUPERVISOR Ruutu estimates that the number of new passports has been reduced for two reasons related to the coronavirus. First, travel restrictions prevented much of all travel abroad for much of last year.Second, people did not renew their passports because they did not want to do business at police stations last spring, especially because of the pandemic. In more than half of passport applications, the applicant must visit a police station, although the application can be submitted online.
Finland passport applications down
