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I'm travelling from the UK (non-Schengen, Heathrow) to Finland (Vantaa). I have a very brief transfer window and I've noticed on Flight Radar that the flight is always nearly late by 20 minutes, which cuts it a lot shorter. I have a connecting flight from Helsinki to Oulu, and I am 100% sure I have to go through at least passport control but I'm not sure about security too. I only have carry-on luggage but it could still take precious time.

The Finnair website seems a bit ambiguous about it, making it sound like I only need to go through passport control, or through security if I'm travelling TO a non-Schengen airport, but doesn't mention flying in FROM one.

Could someone enlighten me on this? I'm stressing pretty hard.

I already have boarding passes for both.

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  • You will certainly have to go through passport control in Helsinki. I don't know the layout of the airport for whether you can do an airside transit, with or without a security check.
    – Andrew Lazarus
    Jun 26, 2018 at 18:29
  • Well the passport control I'm certain of, but that's easy as its done by automated machines. I'm mostly curious about a separate security check that could take time.
    – Mateusz J
    Jun 26, 2018 at 18:33
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    I don't know about Helsinki in particular, but in my experience, the vast majority of hub airports in Schengen are set up such that passengers who arrive from a country with "trusted" airport security (with includes all EU countries) do not need to be security screened again for connecting flights. [There are exceptions, though.]
    – hmakholm left over Monica
    Jun 26, 2018 at 19:12
  • I'm hesitant to put this down as an answer, because I lack personal experience, but according to the Finavia website you don't have to go through security. Would you mind sharing the planned connection time? People have different estimates of what "short" is, and while 45min-20min would be really stretching it, 1:10h-20min would still be ample of time in HEL.
    – Sabine
    Jun 26, 2018 at 19:22
  • @Sabine it's 45 minutes, so I'm pretty worried, but mostly due to the fact most of the flights appear late.
    – Mateusz J
    Jun 26, 2018 at 19:34

2 Answers 2

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I have previously done tight transfers from Heathrow to a local Finnish airport, via Helsinki - likely very similar flights to your own.

You need to go through passport control (automated gates seemed quickest, sometimes they also have a dedicated "short connection" lane). However, you do not need to go through a security check.

Finnair will put the gates for upcoming flights on the screen of your first flight, make a note of where you need to go and head straight there without delay and you should be fine!

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I had exactly this situation today: Coming from a Non-Schengen flight and transferring to a Schengen flight at Helsinki airport. Yes, going through security control was mandatory.

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  • This depends on where you came from. Non-EU arrivals seem to trigger security control while intra-EU (but non-Schengen) arrivals (such as the UK) don’t necessarily.
    – Jan
    Dec 18, 2018 at 11:58

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