Students whose stay does not exceed one year
The information provided on this page is mostly meant for and applies to joint programme and exchange students whose physical stay in Estonia does not exceed one year.
If you have any questions about your status or travelling to Estonia then please contact your study counsellor or the International Admissions Office (admissions@tlu.ee; +372 6409 234).
We also recommend getting in touch with the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board’s migration consultants if you are in need of any further advice.
EU/EEA citizens
EU/EEA citizens do not need to apply for any visa to travel to or study in Estonia. They will have to register themselves as a citizen of Tallinn after their arrival (as soon as possible) which will give them the right of temporary residence. Further guidance and information is available here.
Non-EU/EEA citizens
All non-EU/EEA citizens must have a D-visa to travel to Estonia for the purpose of studies. This being said, there are citizens of certain countries that can travel to Estonia visa-free and some that need to already have a long stay (D) visa before arrival to Estonia.
Students whose physical stay in Estonia does not exceed one year, are not eligible for an Estonian temporary residence permit for study and need to apply for a D-visa for the duration of their stay. However, this unfortunately means you are unable to receive a Personal Identification Code (isikukood) or an ID-card. It is also not possible to register as a resident of Tallinn.
In order to apply for the D-visa, you will need your acceptance letter. Please carefully read the application requirements here. You can apply for the visa at any of the Estonian embassies handling visa applications.
Citizens of countries with visa-free entry to Estonia
List of countries with visa-free access to Estonia can be found here.
Students travelling to Estonia visa-free will still need to apply for a D-visa upon their arrival. The right to stay in the Schengen area visa-free is granted for 90 days in a 180-day period. This means that if you have already used your visa-free right for 30 days in another Schengen country in the same 90-day period, you can only use the remaining 60 days to stay in Estonia. If you have not used up your visa-free stay days you can enter Estonia and apply for a D-visa. Please keep in mind you need to hand in your application at the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board's office at least 10 working days before the end of your right to stay in Estonia.
In order to apply for the D-visa at the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board you need to fill in an online application form at https://eelviisataotlus.vm.ee. After you have completed the form, you will receive the application along with the pre-application number on your email address you entered. Print the form out, sign it and take the completed form with you when you go to the Police and Border Guard Board service office. You can book an appointment HERE.
Intra-EU mobility
Students who have a TRP or a long-stay visa from another EU country can stay in Estonia for up to 360 days with the purpose of studying. The TRP or D-visa must be issued according to the Directive (EU) 2016/801. Not all EU member countries have adopted this directive so it is important you check with the country which has issued your TRP or long-stay visa that the documents have been issued according to the directive.