Right of Permanent Residence and Long-Term Residence Permit in Estonia

EU/EEA citizens

You can register the right of permanent residence if you have lived in Estonia for 5 successive years based on the right of temporary residence. There are a few exceptions when you can do it earlier.

For registering the right of permanent residence, go to a Police and Border Guard Board office or mail them the necessary documents.

You need to submit:

• application form (to be filled out on screen and printed; instructions for filling the form);
• valid ID;
• colour photo of 40×50 mm;
• document certifying the payment of the state fee.

In case of registration of the right of permanent residence on the basis of an exception (so, prior to having lived in Estonia for 5 years), you’ll also need to submit the following:

• certificate proving that you have been working in Estonia for at least the last 12 months;
• decision by the Estonian Unemployment Insurance Fund on establishing partial capacity for work or lack thereof;
• certificate proving that you have been working in Estonia for at least 3 successive years;
• free form application confirming that you will return to Estonia once a week.

The registration of or refusal to register the right of permanent residence is decided within 1 month from acceptance of the application.

More information is available on the website of the Police and Border Guard Board.

Non-EU/EEA citizens

You can apply for a long-term residence permit if you have resided in Estonia for 5 years on the basis of temporary residence permit directly before submitting an application for long-term residence permit.

Please note: your time spent studying in Estonia will be counted toward your total with a 0.5 coefficient. (For example: 4 years of studies will count for 2 years of residence in this case.)

To apply for the long-term residence permit, you must also:

• hold a valid temporary residence permit;
• have your place of residence registered in the population register of Estonia;
• have permanent legal income for living in Estonia;
• be covered by the Estonian health insurance scheme;
• comply with the integration requirement (be fluent in Estonian to the required level, etc.).

You should submit your application in person at a Police and Border Guard Board service office or, if less than two years have passed since you last applied for a document and submitted your fingerprints, you can also submit it via e-mail.

The application for long-term residence permit is recommended to be submitted at least 2 months before the valid temporary residence permit expires.

You need to submit: 

• application form which must be completed on screen and then printed out (instructions). Please note that the application must be filled in Estonian;
• valid identity document;
• certificate of Estonian language proficiency;
• colour photo, 40×50 mm;
• document certifying your permanent and legal income during the six months preceding the submission of the application;
• document certifying the payment of the state fee (amount varies depending on the age of applicant).

Additional documents are required for children and family members.

The granting or refusal of the long-term residence permit is decided within 3 months from your application submission but not later than 10 days before the expiry of your temporary residence permit.

After obtaining the long-term residence permit, your residence card is issued to you in person within 30 days.

Since 2016 those wishing to settle in Estonia permanently can also apply for a long-term temporary residence permit created to make settling and fulfilling the required criteria for permanent residence permit easier.

A residence permit for settling permanently in Estonia

You can apply for the residence permit for settling permanently in Estonia, if:

• you have settled in Estonia based on a temporary residence permit and your permanent settling in Estonia is in compliance with public interests;
• you’ve been given a temporary or permanent right of residence in Estonia; you have held a long-term residence permit; you have previously been an Estonian citizen;
• you have resided permanently in Estonia at least 3 years within the 5 consecutive years (except if you have obtained higher education in Estonia in the Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Doctoral study);
• you are well adapted in Estonia;
• your activities so far have been in compliance with the purpose and terms for granting the residence permit to you.

It is possible to apply for the residence permit for settling permanently in Estonia in foreign representation of Estonia or at the Police and Border Guard Board service office – both in person.

Documents required for the residence permit for settling permanently in Estonia:

• application for temporary residence permit;
• data of close relatives and family members;
• valid identity document;
• colour photo with measures 40x50mm;
• document proving sufficient legal income;
• health insurance contract;
• document certifying the payment of the state fee.

The granting or refusal of a residence permit is decided within 2 months as of the acceptance of your application.

More information is available on the website of the Police and Border Guard Board.