Visa and Residence
NB! There is a government order restricting Russian citizens from applying for residence permits and visas for study purposes.
According to the order, the PBGB will no longer issue visas or temporary residence permits for study purposes to citizens of the Russian Federation. The regulation applies to all citizens of Russia studying at bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral level, including those who have completed bachelor’s or master’s studies in Estonia and wish to continue their studies here.
Non-EU citizens
Long-term (D) visa
Non-EU citizens need to obtain a long-term (D) visa for studies in order to travel to Estonia for study purposes. We are aware that some of you may have visa-free days that can be used for temporarily staying in the Schengen area, but we do not recommend using them because it would not be in accordance with the rules for entering the Schengen area. According to the guidelines provided by the Police and Border Guard Board (PBGB) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, you need to obtain a D-visa for travelling to Estonia for study purposes.
The first thing you need to do is contact the nearest Estonian representation to see about booking an appointment for your visa application. The list of Estonian representations which are handling visa applications can be found here. You will find detailed information about the required documents and application process here, but we also recommend checking the websites of Estonian representations for additional information. If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact the representation where you are planning to submit your visa application.
NB! We will support visa applicati
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact migration consultants of the PBGB. They provide consultations in English and the service is free of charge.
Temporary residence permit (TRP) for study
- Applying for TRP
D-visa can only be issued for up to 365 days within 12 consecutive months, so after you have arrived in Tallinn, you will also need to apply for a temporary residence permit (TRP) at one of the PBGB service offices. Having a TRP will also make organising your daily life here much easier, so we recommend submitting the application as soon as possible.
You are required to book an appointment for submitting a TRP application. Please make sure to choose the correct procedure which is no 4. Applying for a residence permit (and also extension). Detailed information on the requirements and necessary documentation can be found here. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to consult with the migration consultants of the PBGB.
- Obligations
You are required to register your place of residence at the population register within a month after TRP is granted, and it needs to be registered during the entire period of validity of your TRP.
Keep in mind that not meeting the requirements of the issued TRP will result in its revocation. It means that reducing to a part time-study load or taking an academic leave will result in the revocation of your TRP. The same will happen if your place of residence in Estonia is not registered, and if you don’t have sufficient legal income, or valid health insurance.
During the validity period of your D-visa or TRP, you also have the right to enter and temporarily stay in other Schengen countries for up to 90 days in a 180-day period. However, please note that a TRP card is not valid as a travel document. When travelling, non-EU citizens will always need to present a valid passport with their TRP card.
- After TPR expires
After your TRP expires, you will have a legal right to stay in Estonia for 270 additional days. This right arises directly from the law and will start automatically, which means that you will not need to do anything for this 270-day period to commence. However, it is strongly recommended that you formalise the right to stay as a D-visa if you need to travel and return to Estonia during the 270-day period.
EU citizens
Citizens of EU member states, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland (EU citizens) do not need a visa to travel to Estonia. EU citizens have a right to stay in Estonia on the basis of a valid travel document or identity card for up to three months without registering their place of residence.
However, we strongly recommend registering your place of residence within a month of your arrival in Tallinn.
In order to register your place of residence, you will need to submit a residence notice at one of the city’s Administration Offices. Please note that a personal identification code will also be created with the same procedure and you are required to be present at the office for registering your residence for the first time. The list of offices and detailed information about the procedure can be found here.
You will also need to apply for an ID card within one month of obtaining the right of residence. The application needs to be submitted at one of the Police and Border Guard Board (PBGB) service offices. Please find detailed information about the procedure here.