The Royal Thai Embassy in Helsinki is Thailand's visa office for Finland and Estonia. If you live in Tallinn or Tartu, your Thai e-Visa goes to Helsinki: there is no Thai embassy in Estonia, and the Helsinki embassy names both countries on its visa pages.
Two details catch people out. First, the embassy has two addresses a few steps apart. The chancery (official affairs) is at Lönnrotinkatu 7 B 12, while consular services, including visas, are at Lönnrotin Puistikko 5 A 2. Second, Helsinki is one of the slower European missions: it asks for at least 15 working days once your documents are complete, and tells applicants to apply 4 to 8 weeks before they travel.
Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Official name | Royal Thai Embassy, Helsinki |
| Consular services address | Lönnrotin Puistikko 5 A 2, 00120 Helsinki |
| Chancery address | Lönnrotinkatu 7 B 12, 00120 Helsinki |
| Consular phone | +358 9 6122 6415 (press 3 for visas, 1 for consular services and legalisation) |
| Chancery phone | +358 9 6122 6400 |
| Visa email | [email protected] |
| Consular hours | 08:30 to 16:00 on working days; visits by appointment only |
| Area covered | Applicants physically present in Finland or Estonia |
| Visa applications | Online only, at thaievisa.go.th |
| Stated processing time | At least 15 working days after all documents are received |
| Visa fees (EUR) | Tourist (TR) €40 · Multiple-entry tourist (METV) €170 · DTV €350 (read 27 Sep 2026) |
Which Areas This Mission Covers
The embassy's visa page is direct about it: Helsinki "will process visa application only when the applicant is physically present in Finland or Estonia at the time of application." Its tourist visa page repeats the rule and adds that non-Finnish and non-Estonian applicants must upload a residence permit for Finland or Estonia that stays valid until the end of the trip. The Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs' list of mission contact points (December 2025) also assigns Finland and Estonia to Helsinki.
The other two Baltic states do not go to Helsinki. The same Ministry list puts Latvia under the Royal Thai Embassy in Stockholm and Lithuania under the Royal Thai Embassy in Copenhagen. Norway and Iceland belong to Oslo.
Do You Need a Visa?
For a holiday, Finns and Estonians do not. The embassy's own notice confirms that Finnish and Estonian passport holders get a 30-day visa exemption from 15 September 2026, for tourism only. The previous 60-day stay ended on that date; anyone who entered before it keeps the stay they were stamped for.
- You can extend once, by up to 30 days, at a Thai immigration office for 1,900 THB. See the visa exemption extension guide.
- Carry proof of onward travel within 30 days and funds of 20,000 THB per person (40,000 THB per family).
- Exemption entries are capped at twice per calendar year over land borders. Helsinki's notice of 1 September 2026 words the cap more broadly: "For traveling to Thailand by all means (air/land/sea), Finnish and Estonian passport holders are eligible for Visa Exemption Scheme with a maximum of twice in a calendar year." If you plan more than two visa-free trips in a year, even by air, check with the embassy before you book.
- File the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) online within 3 days before arrival.
Background: visa exemption and the 30-day rule change. Not sure which visa fits? Try the visa finder.
You need the embassy, through the e-Visa portal, for a stay beyond about 60 days, for work, study, retirement or family (Non-Immigrant O), or for the Destination Thailand Visa (DTV).
How to Apply
All applications go through thaievisa.go.th. The embassy does not take paper applications.
- Create an account at thaievisa.go.th and choose the Royal Thai Embassy, Helsinki.
- Type your name exactly as in your passport. Helsinki asks for Å as AA, Ä as AE and Ö as OE; a name typed any other way may be rejected.
- Pick the correct passport type ("Ordinary" unless you are a government official) and nationality code.
- Upload your documents and pay online. The fee is not refunded if the visa is refused, or if you paid for multiple entry and are granted single entry.
- The approved e-Visa arrives by email. The embassy may ask for more documents by email or call you for an interview.
Apply at least 4 to 8 weeks ahead, but not more than 3 months before you leave.
What Helsinki asks for (tourist visa)
The embassy's tourist visa page lists requirements stricter than many missions:
- Paid flight tickets in and out of Thailand within 90 days, and the flight to Thailand must start from Finland or Estonia (or show the whole route from there).
- Bank statements showing the month-end balance for the last 3 months, in English or Finnish. Only statements from a physical bank in Finland or Estonia are accepted.
- Proof of accommodation in Thailand.
- Passport pages with every travel record from the past 12 months.
- For foreign nationals, a valid Finnish or Estonian residence permit.
For the METV (€170, valid six months), the embassy asks for a month-end balance of at least €6,000 per person over the last 6 months, plus proof of occupation.
DTV at Helsinki
The DTV costs €350 and is valid five years, with stays of up to 180 days per entry. Helsinki's DTV page, updated 26 August 2026, adds a criminal record certificate from Finland or Estonia and, for anyone who is not a Finnish or Estonian citizen, a valid permanent residence permit card for Finland or Estonia. That matches the Ministry rule in force since 31 August 2026: you can apply only where you are a national or a permanent resident. The financial threshold is 500,000 THB (the embassy gives €15,000). See DTV application.
Practical Notes
Book before you visit. The consular section sees callers by appointment only. Phone lines run 08:30 to 16:00; the voice menu splits visas (3), consular services and legalisation (1) and Thai ID cards and passports (2).
Use the right email. Visa questions go to [email protected] and legalisation to [email protected]. The chancery address ([email protected]) handles official affairs, not visas.
Check the holiday list. The embassy posts its 2026 official holidays on its "Embassy Holidays" page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Thai embassy covers Estonia?
The Royal Thai Embassy in Helsinki. It processes Thai e-Visas for applicants who are physically in Finland or Estonia when they apply, and the Thai Foreign Ministry's list of missions assigns Estonia to Helsinki.
Which Thai embassy covers Latvia and Lithuania?
Not Helsinki. The Thai Foreign Ministry's list puts Latvia under the Royal Thai Embassy in Stockholm and Lithuania under the Royal Thai Embassy in Copenhagen.
How long does a Thai visa take at the Helsinki embassy?
At least 15 working days once the embassy has all the documents it asked for, and sometimes longer. The embassy advises applying 4 to 8 weeks before travel and no more than 3 months ahead.
How much is a Thai tourist visa in Finland?
€40 for a single-entry tourist visa and €170 for a six-month multiple-entry tourist visa (METV). The DTV costs €350. Fees are paid online and are not refunded if the visa is refused.
Do Finnish citizens need a visa for Thailand?
Not for a holiday of up to 30 days. Since 15 September 2026, Finnish and Estonian passport holders get a 30-day visa exemption for tourism, extendable once by up to 30 days for 1,900 THB at a Thai immigration office.
Can I use a bank statement from a foreign or online bank?
Not for Helsinki's tourist visa. The embassy says it accepts only statements from a physical bank in Finland or Estonia, in English or Finnish, showing the account owner.
How should I write Ä and Ö on a Thai e-Visa application?
Write Å as AA, Ä as AE and Ö as OE, in the same name order as your passport. The embassy warns that names entered incorrectly can lead to rejection, and the fee is not refunded.
Sources
- Royal Thai Embassy, Helsinki: Contact Information
- Royal Thai Embassy, Helsinki: Visa for Non-Thai (jurisdiction, processing time, name spelling)
- Royal Thai Embassy, Helsinki: Tourist Visa (TR)/METV (fees, documents)
- Royal Thai Embassy, Helsinki: Destination Thailand Visa (DTV)
- Royal Thai Embassy, Helsinki: New Visa Exemption and Visa on Arrival (VoA) to Thailand (1 Sep 2026)
- Royal Thai Embassy, Helsinki: Embassy Holidays
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand: List of Royal Thai Embassies and Consulates-General, contact points (December 2025)
- TAT Newsroom: New 30-day and 15-day visa exemption rules from 15 September