Estonia
Estonia visa guide: every visa and residence permit
- 12 visa types
- checked 24 October 2026
How visas for Estonia work
Estonia is a member of the EU and the Schengen Area, so it has two layers of entry rules. Stays of up to 90 days in any 180 days use the uniform Schengen short-stay (C) visa, decided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its missions. Longer stays use either a national long-stay (D) visa for up to 365 days, or a temporary residence permit issued by the Police and Border Guard Board (PBGB, Politsei- ja Piirivalveamet), which also runs the asylum procedure.
Whether you need a visa depends on your nationality: Estonia applies the EU list of visa-required nationalities, and holders of a valid residence permit of a Schengen state can enter without a visa. Schengen visa applications are lodged at the Estonian embassy or consulate responsible for your place of residence or at the visa application centre it uses, where the €90 visa fee is paid. D-visa and residence permit applications are lodged in person at an Estonian embassy or consulate by appointment through the Ministry’s booking calendar.
The choice between a D visa and a residence permit depends on the length of stay. Up to a year, a D visa is usually enough: €120, issued for up to 365 days in 12 months, with consecutive D visas capped at 548 days in 730. Beyond a year you need a temporary residence permit; students, start-up founders and start-up employees may enter on a D visa and then apply to the PBGB in Estonia. PBGB fees follow the table in force since 1 January 2025: €250 in Estonia for an employment permit, €350 for business, €225 for most other grounds, plus €30 when applying at an embassy.
Money thresholds are tied to the Estonian subsistence level and average salary. In 2026 a student must show €880 a month, a digital nomad €3,960 a month of income, and an employer must normally pay at least the average gross salary of €2,092 a month (applications from 5 March 2026). Every new arrival with a residence permit registers a place of residence in the Population Register.
Which visa do I need?
Tourism, a family visit, a business trip, a conference or a sports event of up to 90 days: a Schengen C visa, if your nationality needs one.
Remote work for a foreign employer or your own foreign company: the digital nomad D visa, with €3,960 a month of income over the previous six months.
Paid work: short-term employment registered by the employer plus a D visa for up to a year, or a temporary residence permit for employment for longer contracts; seasonal work is limited to 270 days in 365.
Study: a D visa for the first year, then a temporary residence permit for study filed in Estonia if the programme is longer.
Business: the start-up route after a positive Startup Committee decision, or a residence permit for business with €65,000 invested in a company, €16,000 as a sole proprietor or €1,000,000 as a large investor.
Joining a spouse, parent or child in Estonia: a residence permit for a family member; after five years of residence, the long-term resident’s permit.
Visa types for Estonia
Visits and short stays
- Tourist visa Schengen short-stay (C) visa – tourism
If your nationality needs a visa for the Schengen Area, you need a Schengen C visa to visit Estonia as a tourist.
Maximum stay: 90 days in any 180-day period across the Schengen Area. - Family and friends visit visa Schengen short-stay (C) visa – visiting family or friends
Visiting relatives or friends who live in Estonia requires the same Schengen C visa as tourism, but the file is built around an invitation from the host, plus proof of the family relationship.
Maximum stay: 90 days in any 180-day period across the Schengen Area.
Business and self-employment
- Business visa Schengen short-stay (C) visa – business
Business meetings, fairs, negotiations and international road haulage to Estonia use the Schengen C visa.
Maximum stay: 90 days in any 180-day period across the Schengen Area. - Entrepreneur and start-up visa Start-up visa and residence permit for start-up entrepreneurs
Founders of innovative, scalable companies can move to Estonia after a positive evaluation by the Startup Committee of the Ministry of the Interior.
Maximum stay: D visa up to 365 days; residence permit up to five years at first. - Investor visa Temporary residence permit for business (company shareholder, sole proprietor, large investor)
Estonia grants a temporary residence permit for business to non-EU nationals who invest in an Estonian company or sole proprietorship and run it.
Validity: Up to five years at first, extendable up to 10 years at a time.
Study and training
- Student visa Long-stay (D) visa and temporary residence permit for study
Students admitted to an Estonian school or university first come on a D visa from an Estonian embassy or consulate.
Maximum stay: D visa: up to 365 days in 12 months; residence permit: the study period, up to five years at first.
Work
- Work visa Temporary residence permit for employment and short-term employment
Non-EU workers come to Estonia in two ways.
Maximum stay: Short-term employment: up to 365 days within 455 days. Residence permit: up to five years at first. - Seasonal work visa Short-term employment for seasonal work with a D visa
Seasonal work in Estonia, such as farming or tourism jobs, is done on short-term employment registered by the employer with the PBGB, limited to 270 days within 365 days.
Maximum stay: Seasonal work up to 270 days within 365 days. - Digital nomad visa Digital nomad visa (long-stay D visa for teleworking)
Estonia’s digital nomad visa is a long-stay D visa for people who work remotely for a foreign employer, their own foreign company or foreign clients.
Maximum stay: Up to 365 days within 12 months; consecutive D visas up to 548 days in 730.
Family
- Family reunification visa Temporary residence permit for a family member (spouse, child, parent)
Spouses, minor and dependent adult children, and parents or grandparents who need care can live in Estonia with a close relative who is an Estonian citizen or holds an Estonian residence permit.
Validity: Up to five years, not longer than the sponsor’s permit; extensions up to 10 years.
Residence
- Permanent residence Long-term resident’s residence permit
After five years of living in Estonia on temporary residence permits, a foreign national can apply for the long-term resident’s residence permit, which has permanent validity.
Validity: Permanent; the residence permit card must be renewed periodically.
Asylum and international protection
- Asylum and international protection International protection (asylum) in Estonia
People who fear persecution or serious harm in their country can apply for international protection in Estonia at a border crossing point or, if already in the country, at a Police and Border Guard Board service point.
Validity: Beneficiaries receive a temporary residence permit; PBGB states up to five years.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a visa for Estonia?
It depends on your nationality. Estonia applies the EU list of visa-required nationalities; if you are on it, you need a Schengen visa even for short trips. Anyone holding a residence permit of a Schengen state can enter without a visa.
Where do I apply for an Estonian visa?
Schengen C visas are lodged at the Estonian embassy or consulate responsible for your place of residence, or at the visa application centre it uses. D visas and residence permits are lodged in person at an Estonian embassy or consulate after booking an appointment in the Ministry’s online calendar.
How much does an Estonian visa cost?
A Schengen visa costs €90 (€45 for children aged 6 to 11, free under 6), plus any visa centre service fee. A D visa costs €120 (€60 for children aged 6 to 11). Residence permits follow the PBGB fee table in force since 1 January 2025, for example €280 for an employment permit lodged at an embassy.
What is the difference between a D visa and a residence permit?
A D visa is a national visa for up to 365 days in 12 months and allows travel in the rest of Schengen for 90 days in 180. A temporary residence permit is for stays over a year, is issued for up to five years at first and comes with a residence permit card. Generally you lodge one or the other at an embassy, not both.
Is e-Residency a visa?
No. Estonian e-Residency is a digital identity for using Estonian e-services and running a company online. The PBGB states that it gives no right to enter or live in Estonia and does not help a visa application; the two are separate procedures under separate laws.
Can a refused Estonian visa be appealed?
Yes. You file an appeal with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs within 10 days of receiving the decision, using the official form and paying a €160 fee. The Ministry decides within 30 days; if it keeps the refusal, you can go to the administrative court within 10 days.
Embassies and consulates
Last checked 24 October 2026. Each visa page lists the official sources it is based on.