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Finnish Border Guard Rajavartiolaitos (Finnish) Gränsbevakningsväsendet (Swedish)
Emblem of the Finnish Border Guard
Shipracing stripe
Abbreviation	FBG, RVL, GBV
Agency overview
Formed	21 March 1919; 106 years ago (1919-03-21)
Employees	3,800 career personnel, mobilised strength 12,600
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdiction	Finland
Specialist jurisdictions	Immigration National border patrol, security, integrity Coastal patrol, marine border protection, marine search and rescue
Operational structure
Elected officer responsible	Minister of the Interior,Mari Rantanen
Agency executives	Lieutenant general Pasi Kostamovaara, Chief of the Border Guard Rear admiral Markku Hassinen, Deputy Chief of the Border Guard
Child agencies	5 District Commands 15 Battalions
Website
raja.fi/en/

TheFinnish Border Guard (FBG,^[1]Finnish:Rajavartiolaitos, RVL;^[2]Swedish:Gränsbevakningsväsendet, GBV)^[3] is the agency responsible for enforcing the security ofFinland's borders.

Main duties of the Finnish Border Guard:

• Protecting the land borders andterritorial waters of Finland from unauthorised encroachment.
• Passport control at border crossing points, airports and ports.
• First line of defence against territorial invasions.
• Rescue operations (mainly at sea and in the remote areas ofLapland).
• Provide aid to other authorities such as thefire department in case of unusual events likewild fires.
• Investigation of crimes pertaining to border security.
• Aiding police forces in civil duties such as crowd control and riot control.
• Military operations pertaining tointernal security.
• Customs control in the minor border crossing points without customs authorities.
• Training of conscripts for wartime duty. These includerajajääkäri (border jaegers) anderikoisrajajääkäri (special border jaegers).
• (During wartime)Long range patrols and guerrilla tactics behind enemy lines.

The agency has police and investigative powers in immigration matters and can independently investigate immigration violations withsearch and rescue (SAR) duties, both maritime and inland. Missions inland are often carried out in co-operation with local fire and rescue departments or other authorities.

For the discharge of its duties, the Border Guard has limited police powers in the areas where it operates.

It can, for example, seize and arrest persons and conduct searches in apartments and cars pursuant to same legislation as the police, when investigating a crime.

However, the power to arrest a person has been delegated only to the commanding officers of border control detachments and commanders and vice-commanders of larger units.

The Border Guard is not supposed to be used for the keeping of public order under normal circumstances, but it has two readiness platoons that can be used to support the police in exceptional situations in matters of crowd control and internal security (including incidents involving dangerous armed criminals).^[4]

The readiness platoons have been used to supplementriot police during high-profile international events where there is a perceived danger of violent demonstrations, e.g. during the "Smash ASEM" demonstration in 2006.^[5]

However, the main duty of the readiness platoons is to handle the most demanding border security incidents.^[4] Border Guard helicopters have also been used to assist police and rescue authorities in various missions.

The Border Guard also has the power to keep public order in its own facilities and in their immediate vicinity. For the execution of its military exercises, any officer with the minimum rank of Captain can close an area temporarily.

The Border Guard is responsible for enforcing the 3–5 km (1.9–3.1 mi)border zone towards Russia and issues the permits to visit the zone.

The Border Guard is a military organisation, subordinate to theMinistry of the Interior in administrative issues and to thepresident of Finland in issues pertaining to his authority asCommander-in-Chief (e.g. officer promotions).

Administrative units are responsible for the functions of the Border Guard.

These administrative units are the Border Guard Headquarters, Southeast Finland, North Karelia, Kainuu and Lapland border guard districts, the Gulf of Finland and West Finland coast guard districts, Air Patrol Squadron and Border andCoast Guard Academy.

The Border Guards have two readiness units; the 1st Special Intervention Unit, which operates in South-Eastern Finland, and the 5th Special Intervention Unit, which operates in theGulf of Finland area.^[6]

The Finnish Border Guard consists of 3,800 active duty personnel. Upon mobilization, it would be wholly or partly incorporated into theFinnish Defence Forces and its strength increased with reservists who have served their conscription in the branch.

The mobilized strength of the Finnish Border Guard is 12,600 servicemen.

TheFinland–Russia border is actively monitored. The western sea borders and the western and northern landborders to Sweden andNorway are free to cross under theNordic passport union, the Border Guard does however maintain personnel in these regions owing to its SAR duties.

There is a separateFinnish Customs agency, and immigration is also handled by theFinnish National Police and the Finnish Directorate of Immigration.

PTR (police, customs and border guard) co-operation is well-developed and allows the authorities to conduct each other's duties if necessary.

The basic training of border guard personnel is based inImatra, while the sea training for coast guards is based inTurku.^[7]

Class	In service	Images	Type	Origin	Builder	Ship	Comm.	Displacement	Notes
Offshore patrol vessels
Turva class	1 (+ 2 on order)[8]		Offshore patrol vessel (border surveillance, maritimeSAR,EEZ monitoring, traffic monitoring, public order, environmental protection and oil spill response)	Finland	Rauma shipyard (STX Finland)	Turva	2014	4,000 t (3,900 long tons)	[9][10][11]
Improved Turva class	0 (+ 2 on order)[8]	–	Offshore patrol vessel (border surveillance, maritimeSAR, evacuation,EEZ monitoring, traffic monitoring, public order, environmental protection and oil spill response)	Finland	Turku shipyard (Meyer Werft)	–	2026(plan)	–	[9][12][13]
						–	2027(plan)
Torsas class [fi]	2		Offshore patrol vessel (border surveillance, maritimeSAR,EEZ monitoring, traffic monitoring, public order)	Finland	Rauma shipyard	Torsas [fi]	1986	1,250 t (1,230 long tons)	[9] To be replaced with theImproved Turva class.[14]
						Uisko [fi]	1987
Patrol boat
RV20 class	7	(illustration)	Patrol boat (border surveillance, maritimeSAR, oil recovery)	Finland	Työvene shipyard	–	2020to2022	44.5 t (43.8 long tons)	[9][15][16] Equipped with a small RHIB for recovery. Note: the RV90 was the prototype .
RV15E class	1		Patrol boat (border surveillance, maritimeSAR, oil recovery, training)	Finland	Työvene shipyard	–	–	14.1 t (13.9 long tons)	[9] First received in 2017.[17]
Watercat 1300 class	23		Patrol boat (border surveillance, maritimeSAR, oil recovery)	Finland	Marine Alutech Oy	–	2007to2013	17.2 t (16.9 long tons)	[18][19]
Alucat W18 CAB6 RVL class	–	–	Patrol boat - inland waters (border surveillance, maritimeSAR, oil recovery)	Finland	Marine Alutech Oy	–	–	–	[9]
Speedboat
Zodiac MilPro SRA 850 (NV17 series)	26	–	RHIB	France	Zodiac MilPro	–	–	–	21 + 5 ordered in two phases.[20][21]
Hovercraft
Griffon 2000TD class	3		Hovercraft	United Kingdom	Griffon Hoverwork	–	1994to1995	–	Received in the 1990s, to be replaced by new ones.[22]
Griffon 2000TD class	0 (+ 3 on order)[8]	–	Hovercraft	United Kingdom	Griffon Hoverwork	–	2026to2027	–	[23][24] Order in December 2025.
Ivanoff IH-6	–		Rescue hovercraft	Sweden	Ivanoff Hovercraft AB	–	–	–	[9][25]

Note: most vehicles are used as dog cars.

Model	Variant	Image	Origin	Type	Quantity	Notes
Road patrol vehicle
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter	Sprinter 319		Germany	4×4 heavy patrol van	–	[26]
	Sprinter 419
Mercedes-Benz Vito	–		Germany	Patrol van	–	Four variants used, among which the Mixto and the 129E (8-seat).[27]
Volkswagen Transporter	VW T6		Germany	Patrol van	–	Two variants used.[28]
Off-road patrol vehicle
Mercedes-Benz G-class	G350 (W463)	–	Germany	4×4 offroad patrol vehicle	–	[29]
Toyota Land Cruiser	Land Cruiser J150	–	Japan	4×4 offroad patrol vehicle	–	[30]
Toyota Hilux	Hilux (gen 7)	–	Japan	4×4 offroad patrol vehicle	–	[31]
Volkswagen Amarok	–	–	Germany	4×4 offroad patrol vehicle	–	[32]
Motorcycles
Yamaha WR250	–	–	Japan	Enduro motorcycle	–	[33]
All-terrain vehicles
Polaris Sportsman 570	–	(illustration)	United States	Wheeled / tracked ATV	–	[34]
Can-Am Max 650	–	(illustration)	Canada	ATV 6×6	–	[35]
Snowmobile
Lynx Ranger 600 E-Tec	Wide-track	(illustration)	Finland	Snowmobiles	–	[36]
	Narrow-track				–	[37]

Model	Variant	Image	Origin	Type	Quantity	Notes
Aeroplanes (2)
Dornier 228	Dornier 228-212		Germany	Surveillance aircraft	2	In service since 1995, to be replaced by the Bombardier Challenger 650 (Rapcon-X) from 2027.[38]
Bombardier Challenger 650	SNC Rapcon-X		Canada  United States	Intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance aircraft	0 (+ 2 on order)	Successor of the Dornier surveillance aircraft, selected in the MVX proggramme.[39] The Border Guard ordered 2 Bombardier Challenger 650 in June 2024. The critical design review was completed in March 2025.[39] The deliveries are planned for 2027 and 2028.[38][39]
Helicopters (12)
Agusta-Bell 412	AB412EP		United States  Italy(licence made)	Border control, maritime SAR, medical transport	5	[40][41][42] Purchased in the 1980s.
AgustaWestland AW119	AW119Ke		Italy	Border control, transport, civil service duties	4	[40] 3 ordered in 2008, with an option for 1 additional helicopter which ended up being exercised.[41][43] Equipment: thermal camera, forest fire suppression.[44]
Eurocopter Super Puma	AS 332L1 / H215		France	Transport, border control, maritime SAR, medical transport	3	[40] 3 AS 332 purchased in the mid 1980s.[45] These were modernised in the 2010s, and equipped with new surveillance equipment.[46]
	AS332L1e / H215				2	[40] 2 additional Super Puma ordered in 2013.[47] They were modernised to the Airbus H215 standard. The first was delivered in 2016.[48]

Officers carry on a daily basis:

• TETRA
• Sidearm
• Pepper spray
• Taser - model X2 byAxon Enterprise
• Baton (law enforcement)
• Handcuffs
• Light and heavy ballistic armor
• Military working dogs - The Finnish Border Guard hasK9 units on every district. The most popular working dog breeds areGerman Shepherd andBelgian Malinois.

After theFinnish Civil War in 1919, the control of the Finnish borders was given to the former Finnish Russian frontier troops under the command of the Ministry of Interior. Until 1945, only the Russian border was supervised by the Frontier Guard, the Swedish and Norwegian borders having only customs control. In 1929, a separate Sea Guard was founded to prevent the rampant alcohol smuggling caused by the Finnishprohibition of alcohol (1919–1932).

At the start of theWinter War there were nine Border Companies (Rajakomppania) on theKarelian Isthmus. North ofLake Ladoga the Frontier Guards were combined into six Detached Battalions (Erillinen pataljoona). Further north inPetsamo the defence was left to the 10th Detached Company (10. Erillinen komppania). After the warMarshal Mannerheim awarded all frontier guards the title "Borderjäger" (Rajajääkäri). During theContinuation War, the Frontier Guard companies were combined into 12 Border Jäger battalions (Rajajääkäripataljoona) and later during theLapland War into a Border Jäger Brigade (Rajajääkäriprikaati).

The rank insignia ofcommissioned officers.

NATO code	OF-10		OF-9		OF-8		OF-7		OF-6		OF-5		OF-4		OF-3		OF-2		OF-1
Finnish Border Guard[49] v t e
			Kenraali/ Amiraali		Kenraaliluutnantti/ Vara-amiraali		Kenraalimajuri/ Kontra-amiraali		Prikaatikenraali/ Lippueamiraali		Eversti/ Kommodori		Everstiluutnantti/ Komentaja		Majuri/ Komentajakapteeni		Kapteeni/ Kapteeniluutnantti		Yliluutnantti/ Yliluutnantti		Luutnantti/ Luutnantti		Vänrikki/ Aliluutnantti
			General/ Amiral		Generallöjtnant/ Viceamiral		Generalmajor/ Konteramiral		Brigadgeneral/ Flottiljamiral		Överste/ Kommodor		Överstelöjtnant/ Kommendör		Major/ Kommendörkapten		Kapten/ Kaptenlöjtnant		Premiärlöjtnant		Löjtnant		Fänrik/ Underlöjtnant

The rank insignia ofnon-commissioned officers andenlisted personnel.

NATO code	OR-9						OR-8		OR-7		OR-6						OR-5						OR-4				OR-3		OR-2						OR-1
Finnish Border Guard[49] v t e
	Sotilasmestari						Ylivääpeli/ Ylipursimies		Vääpeli/ Pursimies		Ylikersantti						Kersantti						Alikersantti				Korpraali/ Ylimatruusi		Sotamies
	Militärmästare						Överfältväbel/ Överbåtsman		Fältväbel/ Båtsman		Översergeant						Sergeant						Undersergeant				Korpral/ Övermatros		Soldat

After the Second World War, the Border Guards were placed on all Finnish borders. In the 1950s, the Sea Guard was attached to the Border Guard. Since then, the Border Guard has received a fine public image. It is famed for the wilderness skills of its guards foot-patrolling the forest-covered Russian border, its good efficiency in catching the few illegal border crossers and for the fact that it is the only state authority in large parts of Lapland. In these matters it resembles the popular image of theRoyal Canadian Mounted Police. The Border Guard of Finland is one of the links of the chain of protectors of the external borders of theEuropean Union andSchengen agreement.

Nearly every Border Guard District trains small number of conscripts forlong range reconnaissance (Finnish:Sissi). Conscripts in Border Guard companies are mostly volunteers and preferably selected from the occupants of border areas, and while trained by Border Guard, they do not perform regular border control duties. Rivalry betweenSissi from Border Guards and Defence Forces is traditionally high.

Employment in Border Guard is much sought for, especially in North and Eastern Finland, which suffer from chronic unemployment problems. Typically a vacancy in the Border Guard receives at least 50 applications.

• Crime in Finland
• Finnish Security Intelligence Service
• Frontex (The European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders of the Member States of theEuropean Union)
• Law enforcement in Finland
• National Bureau of Investigation (Finland)
• Police of Finland

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