The Honorary Consulate of the Gambia in Lappeenranta is a volunteer-run office that assists Gambian citizens in Finland; passport and visa applications go to the Gambian Embassy in London (accredited to Finland).
Contact Details
| Address | Orioninkatu 5 B 38, 53850 Lappeenranta, Finland |
| Telephone | +358 41 571 7355 |
| info@gambianconsulate.fi simonbojang@hotmail.fi |
|
| Head of Mission | Bakary Simon Bojang, Honorary Consul |
Opening Hours
No regular opening hours are published. Contact the consulate by phone or e-mail to arrange a visit.
Location of the Consulate
About the honorary consulate in Lappeenranta
The honorary consulate represents the Gambia in Lappeenranta. No opening hours are published; arrange a visit in advance. To do so, call +358 41 571 7355 or e-mail info@gambianconsulate.fi.
Lappeenranta, in South Karelia, lies about 197 km in a straight line from the centre of Helsinki and about 187 km from Helsinki Airport.
Citizens of the Gambia need a Schengen visa for short stays in Finland, as the Gambia is listed in Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 (consolidated version of 30 December 2025); Finland applies the common Schengen visa list.
Which Gambian office issues passports and visas?
Passports and other formal consular services for Gambian citizens are handled by the Gambian Embassy in London (accredited to Finland).
The Gambia has no embassy in Finland. According to the Helsinki Diplomatic List of the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the mission accredited to Finland is the Embassy of the Republic of the Gambia in London. It is headed by Fatou Bom Bensouda (ambassador, letter of credence presented on 27 September 2023).
Contact details of the Gambian High Commission in London, as listed on its page in this directory:
- Address: 57 Kensington Court, London W8 5DG, United Kingdom
- Telephone: +44 20 3928 9770
- Email: gambiahighcomuk@btconnect.com
- Opening hours: Monday to Thursday 09:30–17:00; Friday 09:30–13:00
What can an honorary consul do?
An honorary consul is not a career diplomat but a local resident – often a business person or lawyer – appointed by the Gambia and approved by the host country. Depending on the powers granted, the honorary consul can help Gambian citizens in an emergency (lost passport, accident, arrest), pass on applications and documents to the embassy, and certify signatures or life certificates. Passports and visas are not issued by an honorary consulate; they remain the responsibility of the embassy or a career consulate.
Closing days
Finland’s public holidays are New Year’s Day, Epiphany (6 January), Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Monday, May Day (1 May), Ascension Day, Whit Sunday, Midsummer Day (the Saturday between 20 and 26 June), All Saints’ Day (the Saturday between 31 October and 6 November), Independence Day (6 December), Christmas Day and St Stephen’s Day; Midsummer Eve and Christmas Eve are also paid days off for a large part of the population. Holidays that fall on a weekend are not moved to a weekday. In 2027, Good Friday falls on 26 March and Midsummer Eve on 25 June. The honorary consulate may also close on the Gambia’s national day (18 February).
Emergency assistance
In Finland, dial 112 for the police, an ambulance or the fire service (GOV.UK travel advice). Finnish citizens who need help in the Gambia can contact the 24/7 service of the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs on +358 9 1605 5555 (consular emergencies only; um.fi).
Gambian missions in Finland
- London – Embassy of the Gambia (accredited to Finland, no resident embassy in Finland)
- Lappeenranta – Honorary Consulate (this page)
Have you visited this office recently? Share your experience – for example the waiting time, how you got an appointment or which documents were asked for. Your tips help the next visitors and are published after review.
Details checked on 20 October 2026. Sources: entry in the Helsinki Diplomatic List (accessed 20 October 2026), Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs – Helsinki Diplomatic List (accessed 20 October 2026), Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 (consolidated version of 30 December 2025), University of Helsinki Almanac Office – Flagging and public holidays, GOV.UK foreign travel advice: Finland (getting help).
Visitor experiences
No experiences have been shared yet. Have you visited the Gambia Consulate Lappeenranta? Your tips help other visitors.