NB! As the residence permit application takes 3 months and quota is filled by Feb-March each year,
we advise to start with short-term employment instead - simple and fast process without any quotas.
This is the easiest way to relocate to Estonia, especially when the quota for TRPs gets full already in February-March each year. Short-term employment registration allows you to stay in Estonia for a year.
General requirements for the short-term employment registration:
the company has been operating for the last 6 months and the applicant has the requisite qualifications, education, state of health, work experience and the necessary professional skills and knowledge to assume such position;
the employer is registered in Estonia;
the employer shall pay the alien remuneration in the amount of the annual average gross monthly salary in Estonia last published at the time of the application (which is 1548 EUR for regular employee and 3096 EUR for top specialist until March 2023);
the alien is obligated to apply for a D-type visa after the short-term employment registration
Our consultants will assist you and provide guidance during the process, starting with the formation and ending with state fee payment and submitting the application to the Police and Border Guard Board, as well as further communication with the authorities.
In addition, our lawyers can prepare the employment contracts for you and our accountants take care of further payroll declarations and overall accounting matters.
Short-term registration state fee is 140 EUR (if submitted through online portal, then 130 EUR) and D-type visa state fee is 120 EUR.
It takes usually a week collect the documents and prepare the application.
After submitting the application, the decision is usually given in 2 weeks.
There are two main ways to apply for the TRP for employment:
1. as a regular employee, top specialist, advisor or consultant fulfilling the relevant requirements of the specific category
2. as a management board member for performing managerial or supervisory functions on the following conditions:
the company must have been registered in Estonia and conducted actual business activities in Estonia for at least 5 months;
the Estonian company (employer) is paying at least the minimum required salary*
* Minimum required salary is equal to the recent average yearly wages in Estonia, published by the Statistical Office of Estonia, which is 1685 EUR for regular employee and 2528 EUR for top specialist until March 2024.
State fee for the TRP is either 250 EUR (if applied in Estonia) or 280 EUR (if applied in the embassy).
In addition to the above, there are other grounds as well, on the basis of which you are allowed to apply for TRP for employment, e.g. based on the EU blue card, for scientific research, for working at a start-up, etc.
When applying for a TRPB, you have three options:
Investing at least 65 000 EUR of capital in your Estonian company (company's equity capital, subordinated liability and registered fixed assets can be regarded as an investment). A business plan in Estonian or English is required to support the application. More than one applicant may invest into the same Estonian company (65 000 EUR each). In case of a sole proprietor, the minimum investment is 16 000 EUR.
As a major investor – it requires a direct investment of at least 1 million EUR in an Estonian company or investment fund that invests mostly into the Estonian economy.
As a start-up – this option requires previous evaluation from the relevant expert committee, which is quite strict and results in many refusals.
As a rule, it is not easy nor beneficial for you to lock the above-mentioned sums in the business or go through the start-up evaluation process with 50/50 chance for a positive decision. Therefore, we suggest to start with the short term employment registration and later decide how to proceed with the TRP.
State fee for the TRPB is either 350 EUR (if applied in Estonia) or 380 EUR (if applied in the embassy).
An EU, EEA and Swiss Confederation citizen (hereinafter an EU citizen) has a right to stay in Estonia on the basis of a valid travel document or an identity card for 3 months without registration of the right of residence.
As an EU citizen you can obtain the right of temporary residence upon registration of your place of residence in the population register of Estonia. After that you can apply for the residence permit. The document certifying the right of residence of an EU citizen is the Estonian ID card.
For applying for the Estonian ID-card which certifies the right of temporary residence, you should submit the relevant application in person at the suitable Police and and Border Guard Board service office within 1 month from the registration of your place of residence. Generally the ID card is issued within 2-3 weeks.
The right of temporary residence is granted for 5 years. The right of temporary residence shall be extended automatically for another 5 years, if your registered place of residence is continually in Estonia.
The TRP quota is the number of Temporary Residence Permits allocated by the Estonian government each year for third-country nationals. It amounts to 0.1% of Estonia's entire population, which is approximately 1320 permits. To secure a TRP, it's crucial to apply as soon as the quota opens for the next year, typically in December (e.g., the 2022 quota opened in December 2021). The quota fills up rapidly, often by February-March.
The TRP quota does not apply for:
Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee the approval of your TRP application. The Estonian Police and Border Guard Board solely makes the decision regarding approval or refusal, and we have no influence over the final outcome.
Typically, the decision on a Temporary Residence Permit is made within 2-3 months from the date of application submission. However, if additional information or documents are required by the authorities, the process may take longer.
You must submit your TRP application in person at a foreign representation of the Republic of Estonia. If you already have a legal basis for staying in Estonia, you may submit the application within the country. Be prepared for fingerprint capture during the application process.
Yes, in addition to meeting formal requirements, immigration authorities may assess your personal background, professional skills, and your company's activities and tax contributions in Estonia.
A Temporary Residence Permit is initially issued with a validity period of up to 5 years and can later be extended for up to 10 years.
Upon arrival in Estonia on the basis of the residence permit, you are required to register your place of residence within one month. This registration must be maintained throughout the entire validity period of the residence permit.
Short- term employment registration is meant for short term employment up to one year. Short-term employment registration is a convenient option for relocating to Estonia, especially when the Temporary Residence Permit (TRP) quota is already full, typically by February-March each year.
Short-term employment registration is valid for a maximum of 365 days during a 455 day period.
To be eligible for short-term employment registration, the following requirements must be met:
After short-term employment registration, the applicant is required to apply for a D-type visa.
Our consultants are here to guide you through the entire process, from company formation to state fee payment and submission of the application to the Police and Border Guard Board. We can also provide ongoing communication with the authorities. Additionally, our lawyers can prepare employment contracts, and our accountants can handle payroll declarations and other accounting matters.
The state fee for short-term employment registration is 65 EUR, while the state fee for a D-type visa is 100 EUR.
The process typically takes about a week to gather the necessary documents and prepare the application. After submitting the application, you can expect to receive a decision within approximately 2 weeks.
Please note that the information provided here is subject to change, and it is advisable to consult with our consultants or relevant Estonian authorities for the most up-to-date and specific guidance on short-term employment registration in Estonia.
An EU, EEA, and Swiss Confederation citizen (referred to as an EU citizen) has the right to stay in Estonia for up to 3 months without the need for registration of the right of residence, as long as they possess a valid travel document or identity card.
An EU citizen can obtain the right of temporary residence in Estonia by registering their place of residence in the population register of Estonia. Following registration, they can apply for the Estonian ID card, which certifies the right of temporary residence.
To obtain the Estonian ID card, which certifies the right of temporary residence, an EU citizen should submit the relevant application in person at a suitable Police and Border Guard Board service office within 1 month from the registration of their place of residence. Generally, the ID card is issued within 2-3 weeks.
The right of temporary residence for an EU citizen is initially granted for 5 years.
Yes, the right of temporary residence is automatically extended for another 5 years if the EU citizen's registered place of residence is continually in Estonia.
Please keep in mind that the information provided here is subject to change, and it's advisable to consult the relevant Estonian authorities or legal experts for the most up-to-date and specific guidance regarding your situation as an EU citizen in Estonia.
