Visa and extending period of stay

As a foreigner, you can apply for a long-term (category D) visa at a PBGB service office.

A long-term visa can be obtained for a single or multiple temporary stay in Estonia with a term of validity of up to 12 months and up to 365 days period of stay within 12 consecutive months.

You may apply for a long-term visa if you are a foreigner and are staying in Estonia on one of the following grounds:

• visa issued by a competent Estonian institution
• visa issued by a competent institution in a state party to the Schengen convention, if the visa conditions do not exclude the right to stay in Estonia
• right arising directly from a treaty to stay in Estonia
• right to stay in Estonia arising from the decision of the Government of the Republic to forgo visa requirement
• residence permit issued by a competent institution in a state party to the Schengen convention
• diplomatic identity card issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to accredited personnel of foreign diplomatic missions and consular institutions and representations of international organizations in Estonia, their family members and private staff
• right arising from the expiry of the term of validity of a temporary residence permit to stay in Estonia
• intra-corporate transfer employee residence permit (on the basis of Directive 2014/66/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council)

The legislative grounds for entering and temporarily staying in Estonia

A legal basis must exist for an alien to arrive in Estonia and temporarily stay in Estonia. Legal grounds for a foreigner’s stay in Estonia are:

• visa issued by a competent Estonian institution
• visa issued by a competent institution in a state party to the Schengen convention, if the visa conditions do not exclude the right to stay in Estonia
• right arising directly from a treaty to stay in Estonia
• right to stay in Estonia arising from the decision of the Government of the Republic to forgo visa requirement
• right or obligation arising directly from legislation, court decision or administrative act to stay in Estonia
• residence permit issued by a competent institution in a state party to the Schengen convention
• diplomatic identity card issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to accredited personnel of foreign diplomatic missions and consular institutions and representations of international organizations in Estonia, their family members and private staff
• right arising from the expiry of the term of validity of a temporary residence permit to stay in Estonia
• residence permit issued by a competent institution of a EU member state under Directive 2014/66/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 May 2014 on the conditions of entry and residence of third-country nationals in the framework of an intra-corporate transfer (OJ L 157, 27.05.2014, pp. 1–22) (hereinafter Intra-corporate transfer employee’s residence permit)

Applying

Before going to the service office, fill in the long-term (D visa) form in the visa pre-applications environment.

• Open the visa pre-application environment
• Select the long-term (D visa) application
• Then select a suitable language
• Enter the correct email address and required symbols.
• Fill in the visa application form fields, following the instructions.

After the pre-application is completed, the system will send the long-term visa application along with pre-application number to the email address you entered, and thus it is possible to later print it out as well.

Print out and sign the completed application. If you have no way of printing out the document, mark the pre-application number on the form and give the number to the official at the service office.

Bring the signed form and the necessary documents to the PBGB service office for launching the application for the visa.

To submit the application for a long-term visa, contact one of the following PBGB service offices personally or through a representative:

• Tallinn (P. Pinna 4 and A.H. Tammsaare tee 47)
• Tartu (Riia mnt 132)
• Jõhvi (Rahu 38)
• Narva (Vahtra 3)
• Pärnu (A. H. Tammsaare pst 61)

When applying for a long-term visa, you must provide fingerprints if you have not done so before or more than 59 months have elapsed since the last time fingerprints were taken from you. The procedure for taking of fingerprints can be found in Riigi Teataja.

Documents necessary for application:

• completed and signed long-term visa application form
• one colour photograph
• applicant’s valid travel document
• a valid insurance contract ensuring payment of treatment costs incurred through illness or injury of the applicant for the period of validity of the visa being applied for, unless set forth otherwise in legislation or treaty
• the purpose of the stay and documents substantiating the reason
• document certifying the payment of state fee

When applying for a visa for the purpose of teleworking, you have to submit additionally:

• documents proving that the applicant’s work does not depend on location and he/she can use telecommunication technology for performing his/her duties as telework
• documents proving that the applicant continues working for an employer registered in a foreign country with whom he/she has a contractual relationship, or business activities for a company registered in a foreign country in which he/she has holdings, or providing services mainly to customers whose place of business is in a foreign country and with whom he/she has a contractual relationship
• documents proving the applicant’s legal income during six months before the submission of the application and showing the size, regularity and sources of the income
• description of studies and job history (CV).

When applying for a visa for teleworking, the following proof of the facts regarding teleworking shall be submitted:

• a written explanation by the applicant regarding the intention to use the visa for teleworking
• a written confirmation by the employer stating that it is possible for the applicant to perform their work duties in the form of teleworking
• an employment contract or another contract under the law of obligations
• a certificate issued by a competent authority of the applicant’s country of location in proof of the payment of state taxes, local taxes or social security contributions mandatory in the applicant’s country of location
• a certificate issued by a competent authority of the company’s country of registered office, indicating the name, registered office and area of activity of the company, the applicant’s holdings in the company and details of the legal representatives of the company
• a certificate issued by a competent authority of the company’s country of registered office in proof of the payment of state taxes, local taxes or social security contributions mandatory in the company’s country of registered office and on the absence of tax arrears.
• any other documents.

The Police and Border Guard Board will decide on the granting of long-term visa for the purpose of teleworking during 30 days as of the commencement of proceedings with regard to the application.

Review of application

The PBGB shall review the submitted application within 10 working days of the acceptance of the application.