An EU citizen who has resided in Estonia permanently for five successive years on the basis of the right of temporary residence shall obtain the right of permanent residence.
Possibilities for application
Required documents
The stay in Estonia for at least 183 days a year is considered as a permanent residence in Estonia. The period before August 1, 2006, during which an EU citizen resided in Estonia on the basis of a residence permit, shall be included in the period required for granting the right of permanent residence.
A newly-born child of an EU citizen who resides in Estonia on the basis of the right of permanent residence has the right of permanent residence.
As an exception an EU citizen has the right to apply for the right of permanent residence before the period of five years has lapsed if he/she resides, or has resided, permanently in Estonia on the basis of the right of temporary residence:
- for at least three successive years and has been employed or self-employed for at least the last twelve months and attained pensionable age (an applicant must submit, in addition to the application documents, also a document which certifies that he/she has worked in Estonia for at least the previous 12 months);
- for at least last two years and has finished working as an employed or self-employed person because of permanent incapacity for work (an applicant must also submit, in addition to the application documents, a document which certifies that he/she has a permanent incapacity for work);
- and has finished working because of permanent incapacity for work caused by work injury or occupational disease (an applicant must also submit, in addition to the application documents, a document which certifies that he/she has a permanent incapacity for work
- and has worked in Estonia as an employed or self-employed person for at least three years and is currently working in another EU member state but returns to Estonia at least once a week (an applicant must also submit, in addition to the application documents, a document which certifies that he/she has worked in Estonia for three successive years, as well as confirmation that he/she returns to Estonia at least once a week).
An application on behalf of a minor child under age 15 is submitted by his/her legal representative.
NB! Information about processing the application
