1. Which documents do you need upon crossing the external border?

Valid travel document (passport).

The travel documents for an Estonian citizen are:

• Estonian citizen`s passport;
• Diplomatic passport;
• Seafarer discharge book;
• Permit for return.

Travel documents issued by the Estonian Republic:

• Alien passport;
• Temporary travel document;
• Travel document for refugee;
• Certificate of record of service on ships;
• Permit for return.

If an Estonian citizen  (Estonian alien) has lost the travel document  visiting abroad, the embassies shall issue certificate  for return (permit for return).
The Estonian citizen (Estonian alien) shall be allowed to return back to Estonia if a person has received the relevant certificate (permit). Upon entering Estonia, the certificate (permit) shall be  deprived by the police officer at the border check point.

Additional information about visa-freedom in border zone can be found at the consular information of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the address:
(http.//www.vm.ee/eesti/index.html and http.//www.vm.ee/eng/consularinfo/ikvisa.html).

2. Identity document requirement upon crossing state border

1. Travel document is necessary for Estonian citizen who is exiting the Estonian state border. An Estonian citizen crossing the state border upon departure from Estonia shall hold a travel document. An Estonian citizen crossing the state border upon arrival in Estonia shall hold a travel document, certificate of return or other document which is prescribed for visiting a foreign state by an international agreement. In the cases provided by an international agreement, an Estonian citizen may cross the state border upon submission of a valid identity card issued by the Republic of Estonia.
2. Upon arrival in Estonia, an Estonian citizen who does not hold a citedabove document, is permitted to cross the state border if his or her identity and citizenship are proved on the basis of other documents.
3. An alien crossing the state border shall hold a valid travel document issued by a foreign state or an international organisation, or an alien’s travel document or a permit of return issued by the Republic of Estonia in which data concerning his or her visa or residence permit are entered, unless otherwise provided by law or an international agreement. Data concerning an alien’s residence permit need not be entered in a travel document issued by a foreign state or an international organisation, or an alien's travel document issued by the Republic of Estonia if, in addition to the specified document, the alien also submits a valid identity (ID) card issued by the Republic of Estonia upon crossing the state border.

3. Which documents shall a drive hold upon exiting Estonia?

A motor vehicle driver crossing the Estonian state border by a motor vehicle or by truck with the maximum authorized weight up to 3500 kg shall hold the following documents:

• Driver`s licence or other valid document proving the right to drive the motor vehicle;
• Registration certificate of the motor vehicle, of the trailer or  copy of the trailer`s registration certificate approved by the authority that has issued this document.

NB! Only the original registration certificate is acceptable and not the copy and it does not matter what type of motor vehicle  it is.

• A motor vehicle driver whose car has been registered in Estonia or who is driving by the truck with maximum authorised weight up to 3500 kg shall hold legal letter of authorization issued by the owner of a motor vehicle on the name of the driver in case the driver`s name is not entered as the user in the registration certificate and the owner is not fellow passenger in a motor vehicle.

NB! If the owner or leaser has been entered in Estonian Commercial Register as juridical entity and whose activity is leasing the motor vehicles prescribed by the articles, in this case, the legally approved letter of authorisation can be substituted by the leasing contract of motor vehicle having contained the following points:

• Place and date of compiling the contract;
• Name and address of the owner of motor vehicle;
• Make and model of the motor vehicle, registration of manufacturing factory;
• Number of registration certificate, data of the type-code;
• Name and address of the user of the motor vehicle, number of driver`s licence.

4. Documents relevant to exiting Estonia by recreational craft

Seafarer of a small craft shall hold:

• Valid travel document
• Certificate of a skipper of a recreational craft
• Certificate of a craft
• List of passengers (crew list)

Pursuant to the valid maritime legislation of the Republic of Estonia, the crew list is regarded  for the shipping  document which is necessary to be  kept on board.

NB! The skipper of a creational craft arriving from the third state  is obliged to present the crew list being on board  in two copies  to the police officer. One copy will remain forthe police officer, the  second copy shall be provided with the crossing  entry and shall be kept  on board until exiting the Schengen visa  area.

Look at : Navigation in foreign waters.

5. Identity document requirement of minor upon crossing state border

• Upon crossing the state border, an Estonian citizen under 15 years of age need not hold a travel document, an identity card or a certificate of return if his or her name, date of birth, citizenship and photograph are entered in the travel document held by his or her parent who is accompanying him or her upon arrival in Estonia or departure from Estonia if the Estonian citizen is under 7 years of age.
• Pursuant to the Estonian legal acts upon  crossing state border , there is no requirements to hold the additional letter of authorization. Still, the border guard officer from other states may request  from you to present the additional documents. We recommend to give to a child the permit written by hand  where the contacts of the parents shall be recorded. Also, it is requested to  apply to the foreign representation of the target  country  and ask for the specifications having regard to the requested documents.
• An alien under 15 years of age need not hold a travel document if he or she enters Estonia, stays in Estonia or departs from Estonia accompanied by a person in whose travel document the alien’s name, date of birth and photograph and data concerning his or her visa or residence permit, if a visa or residence permit requirement applies to the alien in Estonia, are entered. If the minor is under 7 years of age, his or her photograph need not be entered in the travel document held by the person accompanying the minor. Data concerning residence permit need not be entered in the travel document held by the person accompanying the minor if the minor has a valid identity card issued by the Republic of Estonia and it is submitted together with the travel document held by the person accompanying the minor upon crossing the state border.
• An alien minor who does not  have the legal bases  or does not hold the valid travel document for entering Estonia and applies  for asylum or residence permit  in Estonia under the temporary protection, he /she shall be allowed  to enter Estonia after having submitted the  application of asylum or residence permit under the temporary protection.

6. Legal bases for an alien to enter and stay in Estonia

The legal bases for an alien to stay in Estonia are:

• An Estonian residence permit; 
• A residence permit issued by a competent agency of a member state of the European Union, a member state of the European Economic Area or the Swiss Confederation, except Estonia;  
• An Estonian visa;
• A uniform visa issued by a competent agency of a member state of the European Union, a   member state of the European Economic Area or the Swiss Confederation, except Estonia;
• The right to stay in Estonia arising from an international agreement;
• The right to stay in Estonia arising from a resolution of the Government of the Republic to forego the visa requirement;
• The right or obligation to stay in Estonia directly arising from law, a court decision or an administrative act;
• A residence permit or a return visa issued by a competent agency which belongs to the common EU visa area

7.  Which countries is it possible to travel visa- free with an Estonian alien`s passport?
Visa-free regime applies to persons with undetermined citizenship who is a holder of an alien`s passport and  residence permit of Estonia.

Look at the homepage of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.


8. What are those cases the police officer may not allow an alien to Estonia?

Police officer has been provided with the right to prevent an alien from entering the territory of Estonia if :

• The alien violates the border regime or custom rules;
• The alien refuses to produce information relating his/ her personality and the planned visit to Estonia;
• The alien fails to produce the requisite health insurance policy;
• The alien does not possess the sufficient monetary means for covering  his/ her stay and departure from Estonia and there is no recipient who can cover expenses;
• The other cases prescribed by the Estonian legal acts.

9. Possible questions upon  crossing the external border

Police officer may ask questions concerning the purpose of the visit and accommodation etc.

The information related to the state border queues  can be found at the home page of Tax and Customs Board.

The information related to the restrictions and prohibitions of the goods and their declaration upon crossing the state border shall be found at the home page of Tax and Customs Board.