Visio – High-Quality Visa Process

The project Visio – High-Quality Visa Process aims to streamline and improve the efficiency of Finland's visa operations, that is, the reception and processing of visa applications. The project further aims to improve the quality of Finland's visa process and enhance the customer experience.

Project content and objectives

The project aims to enhance the efficiency of and streamline Finland’s visa operations and processing of visa applications through training, a study exploring future visa processing models, audits of the visa process and improvements to visa processing guidelines. The project is divided into four parts.

First, the project will support Finnish missions abroad in transitioning to electronic visa processing by providing training on new procedures for the staff of the Finnish foreign service and employees of external service providers’ visa application centres. The transition to electronic visa processing will harmonise, streamline and add flexibility to visa processes.

Furthermore, the Visio project will commission a study on potential future visa processing models. At present, visa applications for entry into Finland are processed either at Finnish missions abroad or centrally in Finland. The study will compare and assess different visa processing models, such as processing hubs abroad. The findings of the study will support the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in deciding on the future visa processing model.

The project will also cover audit visits to selected Finnish missions abroad to review visa processing practices and to external service providers' visa application centres to review the reception of visa applications. The auditors will assess the activities of the missions and visa application centres in relation to the requirements of the EU Visa Code. Any necessary corrective and development measures will be taken on the basis of the findings of the audits. In connection with the Visio project, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs will also update its visa processing guidelines and training materials to better support the staff working on visa matters. In addition, the Visio project will produce new information material on the visa application process for visa clients.

Implementation

The project will be implemented by the Visa Unit of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.

Funding

The project has been granted EUR 279,270,00 in funding under the EU Instrument for Financial Support for Border Management and Visa Policy (BMVI).

Timetable

The project will be implemented between 1 September 2026 and 31 August 2029.