2.1.1 An alien must have a legal basis for entry into Estonia and temporary stay in Estonia.

2.1.2 Visa is a permit issued to an alien for entry into the territory of Member States of the Schengen Convention, into Estonia or into the airport transit zone and for a temporary stay therein under the conditions determined by a visa unless otherwise provided for by law.

An alien may stay in Estonia under the conditions determined by a visa.

The types of visas are:

Short-stay visa (C visa) is a type of Schengen visa that can be issued for transit through or an intended stay in the Schengen Area of a duration of no more than 90 days within any 180-day period. C visa can be issued as a single or multiple entry visa with a period of validity of up to five years.

Airport transit visa (A visa) is a type of Schengen visa that can be issued to allow a person to enter the international transit zone of an airport in a Member State of the Schengen Area, to stay therein and to depart therefrom to the next transit country or country of destination that the alien is entitled to enter. An airport transit visa does not entitle a person to enter into or to stay in the Schengen Area.

The following nationals are required to hold an airport transit visa when passing through the international transit zone of any airport in the Schengen Area:

Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia and Sri Lanka.

European Commission’s website with information on additional requirements applied in the Member States for transit through the international transit areas of airports in their territories can be found here.

You are exempt from the airport transit visa requirement if you:

Long-stay visa (D visa) is a national visa that can be issued to an alien for a single or multiple temporary stay in Estonia for the maximum period of stay in Estonia of up to 365 days within twelve consecutive months.

2.1.3 Permanent residence of an alien in Estonia means the stay of an alien in Estonia on the basis of an Estonian residence permit or right of residence.

A temporary residence permit is issued with the period of validity of up to five years and can be extended to up to ten years, and the document certifying the existence of a residence permit is the residence permit card.

A residence permit for a long-term resident has permanent validity and the document certifying the existence of a residence permit is the residence permit card.

2.2.1 Citizens of Estonia, Member States of the European Union, Member States of the European Economic Area or the Swiss Confederation crossing the external border when departing from or entering into Estonia must be in possession of a valid travel document or other document required by an international agreement for crossing the external border.

The external border may be crossed with a valid identity card issued by the Republic of Estonia, a Member State of the European Union, a Member State of the European Economic Area or the Swiss Confederation when travelling to a country which recognises the identity card as a travel document.

2.2.2 Third-country nationals crossing the state border must be in possession of a valid travel document of a foreign state or an international organisation, an alien's travel document issued by the Republic of Estonia or a return permit on which the visa details are entered, or they may present a residence permit or a document certifying the right of residence in addition to the travel document, unless otherwise provided by European Union legislation, an international agreement or law.

A visa to enter Estonia is not required for nationals of Member States of the European Union (EU) or the European Economic Area (EEA) or for holders of a residence permit issued by a full member state of the EU’s common visa area (Schengen Area).

Nationals of the following countries may enter into the Republic of Estonia without a visa:

Holders of diplomatic, service, official and special passports issued by the following countries do not need a visa to travel to Estonia (for stays of up to 90 days within 180 days):

2.3.2 Citizens of Estonia, Member States of the European Union, Member States of the European Economic Area or the Swiss Confederation are obliged to carry a valid travel document or identity card issued by the Republic of Estonia, a Member State of the European Union, a Member State of the European Economic Area or the Swiss Confederation when crossing the internal border.