Residence permit card for a child

To apply for a residence permit card, find a suitable service office and bring an identity document with you.

If desired, reserve a slot at the service office for your residence permit card.

See service offices

Reserve a time

Applying for a residence permit card under ordinary procedure

After your application has been accepted, it will take a maximum of 30 days to prepare your residence permit card under ordinary procedure.

Applying for a residence permit card under expedited procedure

When opting for the expedited residence permit card application procedure, the card will be ready in 2 business days. The residence permit card preparation period is calculated as of the next business day following the submission of the application.

While an expedited residence permit card application may be submitted at all client service offices, the card must be collected at a client service office located in Tallinn.

Providing fingerprints

Children 6 years age and up will have to give fingerprints when applying for a residence permit card.

Authorization for claiming residence permit card

You may authorize someone else to claim your residence permit card only if the authorization is submitted together with the application at the service office.

The person authorized must present a valid Estonian identity document when claiming the document. They must also have the applicant’s old residence permit card with them.

If a parent of child more than 15 years of age wishes to claim their child’s residence permit card, the child must authorize their parent to do so on the spot at the foreign representation.

Document photo

You can send your document photograph in digital format by email to ....

See requirements and recommendations for document photos.

Taking a document photo at the service office

All client service offices (except for Keila) are equipped with photo booths where you can take a document photograph free of charge.

When applying for a document for a young child, we advise taking the photo yourself or at a photographer’s studio. Photographing a very young child in the booth may not be a practical option as the height of the camera cannot be adjusted.

Sending digital document photo

If desired, the digital document photo may be emailed to ....

The minimum measurements of a digital photograph are 1300 x 1600 pixels and the correct format is JPEG.

Payment of state fee at the service office

The state fee may be paid at the service office:

• in cash
• by card payment
• over the customer computer terminal

American Express is not accepted for the state fee.

Child’s name change abroad

If there is a change in personal data while you are abroad, you will have to present a document substantiating the change when applying for a document.

Document translation

If the document is not in Estonian, Russian or English, it must be translated and the translation must be made by a sworn translator or notarised.

Some foreign documents do not need to be legalised

If the country that issued the document is a party to the Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents, it does not need to be legalised. In this case, the public document must be certified by an apostille in accordance with the requirements.

Documents issued in these countries do not have to be legalised.

Information on legalisation of documents and apostils

For more information on legalization of documents and apostils, visit the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.

Applying for a residence permit card for a person in the care of a guardian

The application for a residence permit card for a person in the care of a guardian may be submitted only by their legal guardian.

Bring with you to the foreign representation a document substantiating the guardianship.

Children 6 years age and up will have to give fingerprints when applying for a residence permit card.