Who can obtain Estonian citizenship. Methods and reasons for obtaining an Estonian passport. Is it possible to obtain dual or second Estonian citizenship? Conditions for maintaining the first passport. Required documents, deadlines and costs.
Estonian citizenship is the legal status of an individual belonging to the republic, which assigns him a number of rights and obligations. Since the state is a member of the EU and the Schengen area, the holder of an Estonian passport receives an EU document and the right to live, work, and travel in the countries of these communities without a visa or restrictions.
A foreigner can obtain Estonian citizenship by birth, for special merits or through naturalization. It is also possible to restore status to persons who lost it as a minor. The conditions for purchasing an Estonian passport are regulated by the Law “On Citizenship” of 02/19/1995. The grounds for arrival in the country, residence and employment of immigrants are prescribed in the Law “On Foreigners” of December 9, 2009. Estonian citizenship cannot be considered as a second citizenship, since the law obliges candidates to renounce their status in previous countries when submitting a request.
What are the benefits of Estonian citizenship?
Important advantages of naturalization in the state for foreigners:
- a passport of a citizen of the Republic of Estonia gives the right to travel in 169 visa-free countries or with simplified entry upon electronic request;
- Estonians can live and work in any EU state without the need to obtain a residence permit or visa ;
- An EU passport allows you to receive education at prestigious European universities, as well as participate in grants and student exchange programs within the European Union.
- the holder of an Estonian citizen’s passport can open accounts in European banks, take out loans and obtain mortgages at preferential rates, as for native residents;
- naturalized persons have access to all state social programs, free medical care and payments to pensioners with 15 years of experience;
- Entrepreneurs with EU citizenship are offered favorable business conditions (there is no income tax) and the opportunity to scale it throughout the entire European Union;
- For citizens of Russia and other countries of the post-Soviet space, there are Russian-speaking communities where you can find like-minded people and facilitate social integration in Estonia.
Methods and conditions for obtaining Estonian citizenship
According to legislative norms, it is not possible to become a citizen of the Republic of Estonia through investment or by having a child on the territory of the state according to the law of the soil. According to an EU report, in Estonia, more than 14% of the population are immigrants without national status, since the methods of obtaining it in the country are few and quite complex.
As an option, an alternative is offered in the form of participation in the repatriation program of another EU state for immigrants from countries of the post-Soviet space. The applicant can receive an EU passport in 1–1.5 years, which gives the right to reside in all countries of the association, including Estonia. Obtaining citizenship of another country will cost less than the 8-year path to naturalization in the Estonian community. A significant advantage of this method is that the applicant receives a second passport without giving up the first.
Citizenship by birth
A person can obtain the status of an Estonian citizen under the following conditions:
- at least one of the parents is Estonian;
- the child was born after the death of the father, who had Estonian citizenship;
- it was not possible to identify the parents, and the child was found on the territory of Estonia;
- the foster child was adopted by Estonians.
Status for special merits
Up to 10 people per year have the right to receive Estonian citizenship for special achievements in the field of culture, sports or science. To do this, a member of the government of the republic must nominate a candidate for consideration and provide justification for such a decision. Passport candidates for special merits are exempt from certain naturalization conditions:
- you do not need to reside in the state on the basis of a long-term resident’s residence permit or permanent residence permit;
- there are no mandatory requirements for the length of stay in the country;
- knowledge of the Estonian Constitution and the Citizenship Act is not required.
Data on the granting of a passport for special merits, together with the justification and indication of the member of the government who proposed the candidate, are published in the State Gazette.
Status restoration
Every applicant who lost citizenship as a minor has the right to receive an Estonian passport. Also taken into account are those applicants who have lost their nationality due to their parents’ application to renounce their status. To submit a request for reinstatement, you must reside permanently in the state on the basis of a residence permit or permanent residence permit. First, the candidate must vacate his previous status in another country, for example, Russian citizenship, by submitting a corresponding request to the Russian Embassy. The application must be accompanied by all documents and data confirming the grounds for consideration of the application for restoration.
Naturalization
An application for citizenship under general conditions can be submitted by foreigners over 15 years of age who are in a state with a long-term resident’s residence permit or permanent residence permit. Based on these documents, you must have spent at least 8 years in the country and also have a registered place of residence. A foreigner must speak Estonian at level B1 and be familiar with the provisions of the Constitution and the Citizenship Act. The state undertakes to compensate 50% of the cost of educational courses that the applicant has completed if he successfully passes the exam.
A foreigner can obtain resident status for the purpose of participating in the naturalization program on the basis of:
- training;
- employment;
- business;
- family reunion.
A foreigner applying for citizenship must have a legal permanent income, be loyal to the Republic of Estonia and take an oath. To prepare for the exam on knowledge of legislation and language, there are various private schools and a government organization under the Department of Education and Youth Affairs.
Procedure for obtaining Estonian citizenship
- Obtaining a visa.
Citizens of the Russian Federation and other countries that do not have a visa-free regime agreement with Estonia should apply for a long-term visa to enter the state. The stamp is affixed at the consular office of the diplomatic mission and costs 100 EUR. Reasons for moving can be work, education, business and family. - Registration of residence permit.
The first residence is issued for 5 years if evidence of the need to reside in Estonia is provided. The number of residence permits issued per year should not exceed 0.1% of the country’s population. The application review period is 2 months, and the cost is 30–40 EUR, depending on the point of registration. - Obtaining permanent residence.
After 5 years of residence in the state, you can apply for a residence permit for a long-term resident. The applicant must confirm language knowledge at level B1 and provide information about a legal stable income. The application review period is up to 3 months. The state fee is 64 EUR. - Preparation of documents.
After 8 years of residence in the state, a foreigner needs to collect a comprehensive list of data for consideration of the case. Foreign documents must be translated in advance into Estonian, English or Russian by a sworn translator or a regular translator with notarization. - Submitting a petition.
Documents along with the application must be submitted to the Police and Border Guard Board in person or through a legal representative for minors under 15 years of age. The civil servant checks the identity card and the availability of the data package. If missing documents are found, a deadline is set for their provision. As soon as the department representative has a complete set of information, he issues a certificate of commencement of consideration of the citizenship case. The processing time for a dossier is about 6 months. The application status can be checked on the official website of the Police and Border Guard Board. The state fee for considering the case is 13 EUR. - Issuance of a certificate of Estonian citizenship.
If the decision is positive, a certificate of national status is sent to the Police and Border Guard Board. Based on it, it will be possible to obtain a foreign and internal Estonian passport. The National Identity Card looks like a plastic card with a photo on it. The cost of a document for leaving the country is 45 EUR, the state fee for issuing an EU ID card is 20–30 EUR, depending on the location of the request (self-service point or contacting government service employees).
How much does it cost to obtain Estonian citizenship?
It is impossible to buy an Estonian passport, and even with official investments a foreigner will not be granted citizenship. However, for entrepreneurs who own a share in a commercial association or act as an individual entrepreneur, it is possible to obtain a residence permit for 5 years. The owner of company shares should invest in the business from 65 thousand EUR, and individual entrepreneurs – from 16 thousand EUR. If you obtain Estonian citizenship on a general basis, other costs should also be taken into account.
| Expense category | Amount per adult, € |
|---|---|
| Visa | 100 |
| Residence permit fee | 30–40 (depending on the location of registration) |
| Cost of permanent residence | 64 |
| State fee for consideration of the case | 13 |
| ID card fee | 20–30 |
| Fee for a citizen’s passport | 35–45 |
| Notarial services | 200 |
| Translation | 100 |
What is needed to become a citizen of the Republic of Estonia
To successfully complete the procedure for obtaining a citizenship certificate, you should carefully study the legislative norms and follow the prescribed requirements for foreigners. It is important to take into account the need for notarization of documents, translation, and legalization in order to avoid additional requests and reduce the time for obtaining an Estonian passport.
What documents are needed to obtain citizenship?
The main package of documents for issuing a certificate of Estonian citizenship:
- Statement.
A completed application form containing basic information about the applicant: full name, information about change of surname, address, education, native language, information about loved ones and relatives, and others. - Photo.
You need a recent passport size photograph of 3.5×4.5 cm that meets the requirements for an identity card. - Data on legal income.
- Evidence of stable legal remuneration for work, entrepreneurship, accruals in the form of a pension, scholarship, alimony or letter of sponsorship should be provided.
- Certificate of renunciation of citizenship.
The applicant must provide information about the exemption from the previous civil status. The certificate can be obtained from the embassy of the country of first status in Estonia. The document is valid for an indefinite period and indicates an exemption from the status for the applicant. - Confirmation of knowledge of the language and laws of Estonia.
A certificate of successful completion of the citizenship exam or a document confirming secondary or higher education in that language. - Receipt for payment of state duty .
You should attach information about payment of the fee for processing the application for citizenship in the amount of 13 EUR.
What documents are needed to obtain a passport?
List of documents for obtaining a foreign passport of an Estonian citizen and an ID card:
- identification;
- citizenship certificate;
- photograph (you can send a digital photo by email or take it on site at the service point);
- receipt of payment of the state fee for the passport and ID card (both documents cost 55 EUR).
Registration of citizenship for a child
The procedure and requirements for applying for Estonian citizenship for a minor are similar to the basic conditions, but there are some differences. The application form is signed by the child’s legal representative. If only one of the child’s parents has Estonian citizenship, a formal agreement with written consent for the application from the second legal representative is required. The cost of an Estonian citizen’s passport and ID card for a child is 25 EUR.
Applying for an Estonian citizen passport
You can request an Estonian identity card at service points located in the largest cities of the country. It is recommended to book your visit and avoid waiting in line. The registration period is 30 days, and an urgent passport will be available in Tallinn within 2 days after submitting the documents.
The applicant will be required to submit fingerprints at the service point. Issuing an ID card is mandatory, since this document is issued for 5 years and is the main document for living in Estonia and traveling in EU countries. When traveling outside this zone, an Estonian will need an EU standard citizen passport.
Refusal to obtain citizenship – reasons, solutions
An applicant for Estonian citizenship may be refused under the following conditions:
- submitted knowingly false information or concealed important circumstances from the commission;
- does not comply with the requirements of Estonian legislation;
- threatens the security of the state or acted against it;
- was sentenced to imprisonment for a term of at least one year and did not serve the sentence or repeatedly served the sentence for intentional crimes;
- worked in the intelligence service of another state;
- is listed as a regular military personnel of another country in the reserve.
The most effective way to avoid refusal when applying for citizenship is a detailed check of all data and strict compliance with legal requirements. The participation of lawyers will help to take into account all exceptions to the rules and successfully complete the procedure for obtaining a passport.
Alternatives to Estonian citizenship
In most cases, obtaining Estonian citizenship requires lengthy naturalization and full integration into local society. According to reviews from people who have received an EU passport, the document greatly simplifies border crossing and provides access to European education and business programs. Often, immigrants to Estonia initially obtain EU citizenship in another country in order to avoid the lengthy naturalization process in the Baltic state. In 2023, the legislation of a number of EU countries makes it possible to obtain citizenship in 1–1.5 years for immigrants from the post-Soviet space.
You can become an Estonian citizen without large investments with the help of a migration specialist who monitors the latest changes in legislation and statistics on completed processes for obtaining citizenship. An experienced international lawyer will check the candidate for the possibility of participating in simplified immigration programs. Then the specialist will propose the best scheme for integration into European society and provide competent support for the process.