Finnish Border Guard

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Finnish Border Guard Rajavartiolaitos (Finnish) Gränsbevakningsväsendet (Swedish)
Emblem of the Finnish Border Guard
Ship racing stripe
Abbreviation	FBG
Agency overview
Formed	21 March 1919; 105 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, and 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/

The Finnish Border Guard (FBG,^[1] Finnish: Rajavartiolaitos, RVL;^[2] Swedish: Gränsbevakningsväsendet, GBV)^[3] is the agency responsible for enforcing the security of Finland's borders. It is a military organisation, subordinate to the Ministry of the Interior in administrative issues and to the president of Finland in issues pertaining to his authority as Commander-in-Chief (e.g. officer promotions). The agency has police and investigative powers in immigration matters and can independently investigate immigration violations. The Finnish Coast Guard has search 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.

The Finnish Border Guard consists of 3,800 active duty personnel. Upon mobilization, it would be wholly or partly incorporated into the Finnish 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. The Finland–Russia border is actively monitored. The western sea borders and the western and northern land borders to Sweden and Norway are free to cross under the Nordic passport union, the Border Guard does however maintain personnel in these regions owing to its SAR duties.

There is a separate Finnish Customs agency, and immigration is also handled by the Finnish 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.