Service offices will be open in the evenings and at weekends to provide temporary protection for Ukrainian refugees

As of today, 16 March, temporary protection can be applied for at the PBGB service offices on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and at weekends from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. We recommend booking an appointment in advance. In addition, the PBGB has opened the first mobile service point in an accommodation facility.

According to Margit Ratnik, Head of the Identity and Status Bureau of the PBGB, providing a safe place to stay for people fleeing war is currently a top priority, however, it is also important for them to obtain a residence permit and find a job. “Once they arrive in Estonia, people can apply for temporary protection, which is an annual residence permit that gives Ukrainian war refugees and their family members similar rights as Estonian residents. In order to speed up the process of applying for temporary protection and starting their lives in Estonia, we have extended the opening hours of our service offices and are setting up mobile service points in accommodation facilities. This way, we can provide faster assistance to people,” said Ratnik.

To get temporary protection, you can book an appointment at one of the six service offices across Estonia: Tallinn (P. Pinna, Tammsaare), Tartu, Pärnu, Rakvere and Jõhvi. The service offices are open on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and at weekends from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. To apply for temporary protection, we recommend booking an appointment in advance at broneering.politsei.ee. You can also apply on a first come, first served basis, if necessary.

The PBGB will assess the situation on an ongoing basis and will open the service offices of other regions for applications for temporary protection as needed.

The extended opening hours are only for the reception and processing of applications for temporary protection. All residents of Estonia who wish to carry out regular procedures, such as applying for or collecting a document, should visit a service office during normal working hours from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday.

Applying for temporary protection does not in any way slow down the activities of Estonian people in the service offices, as we have employees who are exclusively involved in granting temporary protection.

The PBGB will also set up two mobile service points in larger accommodation facilities. “We opened the first service point yesterday, on 15 March, and the second service point will be opened on Thursday, 17 March. People applying for temporary protection in the accommodation facilities do not need to book in advance, as the PBGB will accept applications on an ongoing basis. The service points in accommodation facilities will remain open until all applicants have been able to submit their applications for temporary protection. Refugees can obtain information on the temporary protection procedure from their accommodation facility,” said Ratnik. The PBGB, in cooperation with the Social Insurance Board, will map the next major accommodation facilities where service points will be opened.

Margit Ratnik added that the PBGB issues a decision on granting temporary protection to a person immediately. “This means that the person can start building his or her life in Estonia, such as taking up a job.”

“The current situation is new for Estonia. We are doing our utmost to make the processes smoother and work better. My sincere thanks to all the Estonian people, authorities and volunteers who are putting in effort to help the refugees,” added Ratnik.