Finland will start issuing five-year multiple entry visas for Russians from February 2020

As reported the Russian Association of Tour Operators (ATOR), Finland will begin issuing five-year Schengen visas to Russians starting February 2, 2020 in connection with the new EU visa rulebook. 
“On February 2, 2020, the new EU visa rulebook will enter into force, under which the EU countries can issue longer visas for Russians. In particular, the Consulate General of Finland will start issuing 5-year multiple-entry visas, if an applicant already had a Finnish visa for 2 years," ATOR said with reference to the head of the visa department of the Consulate General of Finland in St. Petersburg, Anneli Nummelin. 
Now, the representatives of national and regional governments and parliaments, members of the supreme courts, their spouses and minor children, as well as spouses and children of persons who, in addition to Russian, have EU citizenship have the right to get a five-year visa from Finland. 
In addition, from February 2, applicants will be able to apply for a visa six months (now three months) before the planned trip. 
Nummelin added that for the nine months of 2019 the St. Petersburg Consulate issued almost as many visas (535 thousand) as for the whole period of 2018 (almost 545 thousand). According to forecasts, in 2019 the number of applications for the Finnish Schengen in St. Petersburg will increase by about 30% and reach 700 thousand people. 
The term for issuing visas in St. Petersburg is now two weeks. During holidays, it can increase up to three weeks.