NB! This information is meant for third country nationals. You can find information about the right of residence for EU citizens and for their family members here.

Required documents
How to apply

• Temporary residence permit may be granted to an alien, if the conditions for granting the residence permit are fulfilled and there are no obstacles which would bring about refusal to grant a residence permit;
• The requirements  for granting the temporary residence permit must be fulfilled throughout the validity period of the residence permit.

The general terms for granting temporary residence permit toa n alien are the following:

• justification of the purpose for settling in Estonia;
• actual residing place in Estonia;
• sufficient legal income which would enable subsistence of the alien and his/her family in Estonia;
• insurance cover for costs of cure caused by illness or injuries of an alien.

A residence permit for study in educational institution acknowledged by the state may be issued to an alien:

• for study in a basic school, gymnasium, vocational educational institution, institution of applied higher education or university acknowledged by the state;
• for participation in pre-degree foundation courses offered by a vocational educational institution, institution of applied higher education or university;  
• for participation in field training intermediated by a vocational educational institution, institution of applied higher education, university or an international students' organisation;
• for participation in field training for pedagogical or other educational purpose in a basic school or gymnasium acknowledged by the state;
• for voluntary service within the frames of a youth project or program acknowledged by the Ministry of Education and Science.

A temporary residence permit for study may be granted for participation in field training intermediated by a vocational educational institution, institution of applied higher education, university or an international students' organisation acknowledged by the state on the following conditions:

1. the field training is related to the acquirable education;
2. the field training is not compensated and
3. a field training contract has been entered into between an alien and the institution conducting the field training.

A temporary residence permit for study may be granted for voluntary service within the frames of a youth project or program acknowledged by the Ministry of Education and Science on the following conditions:

1. activity of an alien within the frames of a youth project or program must not be employment in the meaning of this Act, incl. an alien must not get remuneration for the activity;
2. a youth association, within the frames of whose youth project or program an alien is applying for residence permit, will bear the costs of maintenance of the alien during hs/her residence in Estonia;
3. a youth association, within the frames of whose youth project or program an alien is applying for residence permit, has entered into an insurance contract which would cover all medical costs caused by illness or injuries of the alien, and
4. a contract of voluntary service has been entered into between the alien and the youth association, within the frames of whose youth project or program an alien is applying for residence permit for voluntary service.

The contract of voluntary service entered into between the alien and the youth association, within the frames of whose youth project or program an alien is applying for residence permit for voluntary service, must reflect the following data:

1. the duties of the alien;
2. the tutoring terms related to performance of the duties;
3. working time of the alien;
4. means for covering travelling, subsistence and accommodation costs and for allowances during the total stay in Estonia and
5. training, if necessary, provided for better performance of voluntary service of the alien.  

 
Aliens who are issued residence permits for study are exempt from the immigration quota.

An alien may be issued a residence permit for study if the alien has a permanent legal income for subsistence in Estonia.

Lawfully earned remuneration for work, parental benefit, unemployment insurance benefit, income received from lawful business activities or property, pensions, scholarships, support, benefits paid by a foreign state and the maintenance ensured by family members earning legal income are deemed to be legal income.

An alien must have a dwelling in Estonia throughout the stay in Estonia.

An alien who has been granted a residence permit for study is not covered by Estonian health insurance. An alien has to have an insurance contract guaranteeing that any costs related to his or her medical treatment as a result of illness or injury during the period of validity of the residence permit applied for will be met within the extent equal to the persons covered with health insurance.
 
If an alien has no opportunity to conclude a conforming insurance contract before the residence permit is granted to him/her, then he/she must submit:

• an assurance that he/she will conclude the required insurance contract no later than within two months after the settlement in the state on the basis of a residence permit, or
• an insurance contract which shall cover the medical treatment expenses until the conclusion of a conforming insurance contract (e.g. travel insurance contract).

In case of entrance into a university or institution of professional higher education an alien must speak and understand the language of instruction at the required level. An alien's language skills in concern to the language of instruction are considered to be at the required level if language skills respond to the minimum requirements set by the educational institution for language skills, or if an alien comes to specialise in the national language.

Documents which are issued abroad must be translated either into Estonian, Russian or English and the authenticity of the translation must be certified by a notary.

Documents issued abroad must be confirmed by a certificate (apostille) or legalised, unless issued by a state with whom Estonia has concluded a contract for legal assistance: Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, the Ukraine, Russia.

More information on the legalisation of documents and their confirmation with the relevant certificates can be obtained from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

A residence permit for study may be issued for a period of up to 1 year but no longer than the estimated duration of the studies. If an alien continues his/her studies in the same educational institution, his/her residence permit may be extended by one year at a time but not for longer than one year all together.

An alien who has been issued a residence permit for study may take employment in Estonia without a work permit in order to participate in practical training pursuant to the curriculum and in practical training intermediated by a vocational educational institution, institution of applied higher education, university or an international students' organisation acknowledged by the state. Otherwise he/she may take employment in Estonia only on the basis of a  work permit but only outside of school hours on condition that such employment does not interfere with the alien's studies.

An application on behalf of a minor child under age 15 is submitted by his/her  legal representative.

NB! Information about processing the application