Authorities in Finland have announced that on February 20, a new visa application center will open in Izmir, Turkey, making it easier for locals in the area to apply for a Finland Schengen visa.

The new center in Izmir, run by VFS Global, will handle application acceptance; Finnish officials will decide which applications to approve for visa issuance. Candidates can complete the online application and schedule appointments in advance. After processing, the center also provides a courier service to return passports to the applicants’ designated addresses throughout the nation.

The Finnish Embassy in Ankara stressed that all visa applications must be filed in person, and that biometrics must be provided at the application center when submitting documents. It made clear that submissions for passports or residency permits are not accepted at the new center; it only processes visa applications.

The embassy will soon open a website for online appointment booking, and a multilingual contact center (accessible in Turkish, Arabic, and English) will also be available for appointment scheduling in an effort to improve convenience for Turkish nationals.

When applying for a Finland Schengen visa, Turkish nationals are required to provide a number of documents, such as a filled-out application form, two passport images, verification of travel health insurance, proof of reserved lodging, and evidence of adequate financial resources, among other things.