Estonia

Information for all students

Students should ensure that their passports are signed and stamped when entering and exiting Border Control. These stamps will prove the duration of your visit and, more importantly, prove to the visa official that you have not overstayed your 90-day visit.

It is important to understand the Schengen 90/180 rule. You are allocated 90 visa-free days to use within the Schengen Zone, however you must remember these are rolling days and are added onto a cumulative total of days in the Schengen region. Leaving and entering does not reset your calculator – only leaving for a period of 90 days in a non-Schengen country will reset your visa-free 90-day allowance.

Read more about the Schengen rules.

British students may need to renew their passport. On the day you travel, you’ll need your passport to:

• have at least 3 months left from the date you intend to leave the EU
• be less than 10 years old (even if it has six months or more left)

Nevertheless, it is strongly recommended, that your passport is valid for at least 6 months after your entry date to Estonia. This will likely save you from having to prove the date of your intended leave.

Studying for less than 3 months

EU/EEA students do not need any additional documents to enter and study in Estonia for a duration of up to 3 months.

UK students can complete the following activities in Estonia for up to 90 days within a 180-day period without a visa:

• Tourism
• Visiting family or friends
• Attending business meetings
• Cultural or sports events
• Short-term studies or training

If you are travelling to Estonia and other Schengen countries without a visa, make sure your whole visit is within the 90-day limit. Please note that visits to Schengen countries within the previous 180 days before you travel count towards your 90 days.

Non-EU/EEA students who require a entry visa need to obtain a short-term visa (type C) to enter and study in Estonia for a duration of 90 days.

Gather your documents

To apply for a Schengen visa, you must gather the following documents:

• A valid travel document.
• A completed and signed application form.
• Photo (35mm x 45mm).
• Insurance policy that covers the entire duration of your stay in Estonia (valid in Schengen countries with a coverage of at least 30,000 EUR).
• Proof that visa fee has been paid.
• Supporting documents, indicating the purpose of your stay in Estonia.

Discover the full list of required documents.

Your travel document/passport must:

• Have been issued within the previous 10 years.
• Contain at least 2 blank pages for visas.
• Be valid for at least 3 months after the expiration date of your visa.

How to apply

All short-term Schengen visa applications should be submitted at the VFS Global service centres.

Studying for more than 3 months

EU/EEA students do not need any additional documents to enter and study in Estonia for a period of more than 90 days.

UK students who wish to study in Estonia for more than 90 days will need to obtain a long-stay visa (type D).

Gather your documents

In order to obtain a long-stay visa, you will need to gather the following documents:

• Valid travel document/passport (issued within previous 10 years).
• Fully completed and signed application form.
• Photo (size 35mm x 45 mm).
• Valid health insurance policy, covering expenses due to illness.
• Documents indicating the purpose of journey (e.g.: confirmation from the host that the applicant is going to study in Estonia).
• Proof that visa fee has been paid (EUR 100).
• Schengen visa application form.
• Proof of payment of the state fee. 
• Proof of accomodation or sufficient means to cover accommodation. 
• Proof of sufficient financial means for each day of stay (800 euro per month).

Documents issued by a foreign country must be or translated into Estonian or English, Apostilled and legalised. Documents issued by the UK must also be apostilled. Translation costs approximately £40 and can take up to 15 days.

Within a month of residence registration, you must apply for an Estonian ID card.

How to apply

Students can apply for a long-stay visa in person at the nearest Estonian Embassy/Consulate.

Working for less than 3 months

Non-EU/non-EEA students do not require any further documents to stay in Estonia for up to 90 days.

Within a month of residence registration, you must apply for an Estonian ID card.

UK students who wish to work in Estonia should apply for a long-stay visa, regardless of the planned length of stay. The cost of this visa is approximately 100 euro. You will need to provide proof of financial means to apply for the visa, for short-term employment this is a minimum of 1,200 euro. 

Please remember that documents issued by a foreign country must be translated into Estonian or English and certified with an Apostille or legalized. Documents issued by UK must be apostilled. Discover more here.

Find out more about working in Estonia for up to 3 months here.

 

Working for more than 3 months

UK students who wish to stay longer than 90 days in Estonia will need to submit a long-stay D visa application.

Students can complete the following activities:

• Studies
• Work
• Visiting family

Gather your documents

In order to apply for a long-stay D visa, you must gather the following documents:

• Valid travel document/passport.
• Completed and signed application form.
• Photo (size 35mm x 45 mm).
• Valid health insurance policy, covering expenses due to illness or injury.
• Documents indicating the purpose of journey (e.g.: confirmation from the employer that the applicant is going to work in Estonia).
• Biometrical data (10 fingerprints of the applicant).
• Visa fee (EUR 100).

Your travel document/passport must:

• have been issued within the previous 10 years
• contain at least 2 blank pages for visas
• be valid for at least 3 months after the expiration date of your visa

How to apply

Students should begin their application online and attend an in-person appointment at a Visa Application Centre.