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 temporary residence permit may be issued to the following aliens to settle with a close relative who is an Estonian citizen or to settle with a close relative who is an alien who has a permanent residence permit and resides in Estonia permanently:
- to a minor child (under age 18) in order to settle with his/her parent;
- to an adult child (over age 18) in order to settle with a parent if the child is unable to cope independently due to health reasons or a disability;
- to a person under guardianship in order to settle with the guardian if the permanent legal income of the guardian ensures that the ward will be maintained in Estonia
- to a parent or grandparent in order to settle with his or her adult child or grandchild who isa n Estonian citizen or has a permanent residence permit, if the parent or grandparent needs care which it is not possible for him or her to receive in the country of his or her location or in another country and the permanent legal income of his or her child or grandchild who legally resides in Estonia ensures that the parent or grandparent will be maintained in Estonia.
A close relative who is an alien holding a permanent residence permit or is an Estonian citizen residing in Estonia permanently is required to stay in Estonia for at least a total of 183 days a year. The requirement of previous permanent residing in Estonia is not applicable, if the close relative holds a temporary residence permit and the alien and the close relative, settling to reside with whom the residence permit is being applied for, arrive in Estonia together, or the close relative holds an European Union blue card.
An alien is required to have legal income that ensures his or her subsistence in Estonia during the six months preceding the submission of the application. 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.
A close relative, for the purposes of settling with whom a residence permit is applied for, must have a registered residence and an actual dwelling in Estonia, unless an alien and his/her close relative arrive in Estonia together. A close relative shall bear all the costs related to the care and medical treatment of the alien concerned, except in case of settling of a minor (under age 18) with his/her parent.
An adult 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 Estonia;
- an insurance contract which shall cover the medical treatment expenses until the conclusion of a conforming insurance contract (e.g. travel insurance contract).
During the time that an alien is deemed to be a person insured by compulsory health insurance pursuant to the Health Insurance Act, and in cases provided for by international agreements, an alien needs not have such an insurance contract.
Documents enclosed with the application must be translated either into Estonian, Russian or English. The accuracy of the translation must be certified by a notary.
Documents issued abroad must be confirmed by a relevant certificate (apostille) or legalised, unless issued by a state with whom Estonia has concluded an agreement for legal assistance: Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Ukraine, Russian Federation. More information on the legalisation of documents and their confirmation with the relevant certificates can be obtained from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
A temporary residence to settle with a close relative may be permitted for a maximum of 5 years.
If the close relative with whom an alien wants to settle has a temporary residence permit the period of validity of the residence permit for an alien cannot exceed the expiry date of the permit for the relative.
Upon the issue of a residence permit to a minor child the rights and interests of the minor child shall be taken into consideration above all. A residence permit shall not be issued if the settling of the child in Estonia would damage his or her rights and interests and if his or her legal, financial or social status may deteriorate as a result of settling in Estonia.
Actions concerning an application for a temporary residence permit for a child under 15 years of age or an alien ward shall be performed by his/her legal representative.
A minor who resides permanently in a foreign state and who is at least 15 years of age may file an application for a temporary residence permit personally with the notarised consent of a parent.
