NB! By regulation No 16 of the Minister of Interior of 04.07.2011, quota limit of temporary residence permits in case of sufficient legal income has been imposed in amount of 43 for 2011. As set quota for this year has been met, then residence permits of this kind shall not be issued in 2011 any more.
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.
An alien may apply for residence permit, on the condition that the person's legal income ensures his or her subsistence.
An alien must have a legal income of 18 average gross incomes in the Republic of Estonia per month during the 6 months preceding the submission of the application. Lawfully earned remuneration for work, 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.
The number of aliens immigrating to Estonia is limited. The annual immigration quota is the quota for aliens immigrating to Estonia which shall not exceed 0.1 per cent of the permanent population of Estonia annually. The immigration quota does not apply to you if you are:
- an Estonian;
- a citizen of the United States of America or Japan;
- a minor and adult child, parent and grandparent and person under guardianship, of an Estonian citizen and an alien residing in Estonia with residence permit, to whom a residence permiti s issued for settling with a close relative;
- an alien to whom a residence permit has been issued, taking into account fulfilment of the immigration quota, and who has not thereafter left to reside in some other state.
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 to the extent equal with 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:
- a written 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, and
- an insurance contract which shall cover the medical treatment expenses until the conclusion of a conforming insurance contract (e.g. travel insurance contract).
An alien must have an actual dwelling in Estonia.
Documents issued by a foreign state must be translated either into Estonian, Russian or English and the accuracy of the translation must be certified by a notary.
Documents issued abroad must be confirmed by a relevant certificate (apostil) or legalised unless issued by a state with whom Estonia has concluded a contract for legal asisstance: Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Ukraine, Russian Federation.
More information can be obtained from the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
A residence permit may be granted for up to 2 years, if granting of residence permiti s justified and it does not jeopardize the national interests of Estonia.
Already granted residence permit may be extended by 2 years at a time.
An alien who has been granted a residence permit is not permitted to work in Estonia and no work permit will be granted for him/her.
NB! Information about processing the application
